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FOCUS ON

WATER AND CONSTRUCTION

WATER AND MEDITERRANEAN CONSTRUCTION: HOW TO BUILD A SOFT AND CLEAN FUTURE

Givingbirth to thismagazine through the specific subjectsofearthandwatermeansactualizing thephilosophical reflectionof theMediterraneancultureandinterpretingitaccordingtoanapproachwhich,fifteenyearsaftertheinitialofthenewmillennium,lookslikethemoresuitabletobeadopted,bothasintellectualprincipleandasdevelopingaction.Wearetalkingaboutthenewthought–socalledsoft–uponwhich,sincethe80stheItalianphilosopherGianniVattimo,aswellasotherknownscholars,foundedtheirtheory.It does thenappear acceptable to get closer to the constructive activitieswitha soft approach,which,being that, isnotbasedon strongandnosy sensations,dynamics and actions towards the buildings’ users. Conversely this approach could underline the requirement of “... only alerting, a sort of accessorialconsciousness”,apotentialatlisteningandabsorbinginsideoneselftheweaknesses,theminoremotions;andhereweagreewithDalLagowhenhestatesthat“...theuseofstrengthupsetsthehumanorder,hisnature”. Itwillbeconvenientthentogetclosertotheprojectplacewithasensitivesoulwhichiscarefultoscanthecontext, bysurveyingalsothemostminutepeculiaritiesofthesite,thusobservingandlisteningtheirnatureandthesmallbiodiversities.Itwillbesuitabletoforgettobepowerful,andalternativelyundermining“...theunitystrength”andthenfinally“...beabletoreconvertintonaturetheartificialelements,ifwewillbeallowedtosurviveinaworldwhichwillnotentirelybedehumanized”.Followingthisintroductoryprinciples, thesubjectofthepresentissue’sFocus,thatisthewater, representedthemediatorbetweenthevariousman’sworksoftransformationonland,andthecharacteristics,theelements,thequalitiesofNature,withinwhichheacts.Infact,astheVanclousefountainhadinspiredPetrarcaforhisrimes‘chiarefrescheetdolciacque’,sowaterpresencecontributestomouldthelandscapeandthenatureitselfandfinallyitorientsandinspiresman,bysuggestinghimthemoreappropriatedmodificationsforlivinginharmonywiththeplaceitself.IntheMediterraneanareainparticularthewaterthat“...provideswellnesstoeveryonewithoutcompeting...andresidesintheplacethatanymandisdains”,contributesforlargeamounttolandconfiguration,assourceofhealthandpurenessof landscape,aswellasinthecitiesandinthesmallcentres.Andfurthermorethewater, lifeandcomfortagent, isanessentialresourceforbothecosystemsanda-bioticprofiles.According to the soft thought, then, a good employment ofwater in the sustainable constructions of theMediterranean should be aimed at the safeguard ofpureness,respectofwaterylandscapefragility,aswellasatconservationandsaving,inplaceofwhathappenstoday:landaggressionwithhugeworksofhydraulicregimentation.Thequestionofwaterasmediatorbetweenconstructionandnaturecanbeinterpretedunderdifferentviewpoints,byassortedexpertise–hydraulicengineering,geo-technique,geology,architecture,design,representation,planning,geography... -,accordingtothefunctionwaterplayswithinthebuilt landscape,thatisasbase-resource for the selection of the locality inwhich to establish a human settlement; for example regarding thewetlands, the rivers, the lakes, the sea, aselementindispensablefortheconstructionofhabitation,asitisthecaseoftheMills,thepenstocks,regimentationsystems;ashazardfactorinconstructionsatterritorialscale,inpresenceofdisarrays,rivers,andsoon;atthefabricscaleaspossiblehindrancetostructures,orasrisinghumidity,ascondensation,andsoon;asdesignandgraphicparameterfortheaestheticconfiguration,alsotaking intoconsiderationthepsychological issues;asenergysourceforthe installationofwatermillsandhydraulicsystemsforelectricenergyproduction;withoutneglectingthemoreinnovativetechniquesthatexploitthewavemotionandthetideofthe sea; as resource for themicroclimatic comfort, for example by using the water for the fountains, or as thermo-convection fluid for heating, cooling andhumidification systems, for theTrombe-Michellewaterwalls or for the solarpanels. Last butnot least, the care for thenatural hydraulic systemsasdynamicresourcetosafeguard,saveandstoringpure,mainlyduringtheintegrationwiththeconstructingprocess,atbothbuilding-plantingscaleandurban-territorialone.The declinations of the water factor within the construction of human habitation are countless and variegate, for this element also affects the settlements’selection,socontributingtothecombinedactionofsoil,airandmaterialsandgeneratinganumberofprimaryandsecondaryeffectswhichinvolvethewholecycleofthewateritselfandthusthevitalearthprocesses.Inparticular the territorialandregionaldistribution in thepresentmagazine issue ismultifaceted,as it regards thesubjectsof thehydraulic resources,of theriversandtheseas,both inItaly(Naples,Salerno,GrumoNevano,Torino,Sicily, theLiguriaregion, theAppenine)and inGreece, inMoroccoandinthenearbycountriesof theMediterranean,aswellas inotherstatesofMediterraneanculture,suchasthenearAsiaortheArgentine; finallyacomparison isshownwithNorthEurope(HollandandUK).Ingeneraltwomainresearchcurrentsarepresenthere:thefirstfacingthequestionfromthevisionsofhistory,design,landscape,cityandlandregimentation;inthisissuetherivercitiesarethenstudied,aswellastheplaces’configuration,justgeneratedbythewaterpresence;infact“…urbanlayoutreflectswatercourses'presence, in terms of settlements' layout and space perception”.This researchcurrent includesexamples formthepast (Torino,Patagonia)aswellasnewarchitectural works (Greece, middle-European cities, parametric design), often due to various artists’ and scientists’ genius, which had provided hugetransformationstoland,incombinationwithboththesuperficialandtheundergroundwaters(CilentoandMarocco),alsounderliningthedistributiontechniquesof thewaterresource to thecity(GrumoNevano); finally themodificationswhichaffected, bymeansof thestrong linkman-water, theedifiedheritageof thetradition,asinthecaseofthewatermillsorthemarinewaterfront.Thesecondresearchcurrentregardsinsteadthehazardquestion,duetotheinteractionbetweenwater,landandconstruction,initsvariousphysiognomies;hereinfactsomestudiesarepresentedwhichfacethedifferentdangersituations:fromthosedefinedbytheclimaticchange,inHolland,inUK,insouthEuropeandinthenearAsianregions,whichmainlydependonthe fact that“…most of themore balanced and durable solutions have followed a "light" model forsettlements taking into consideration the characteristics of places and the dimension of anthropicpressure related to theavailabilityofwater.”; to thevulnerability conditions of the historical heritage in zones exposed to hydraulic hazard (Liguria, Naples), or in presence of humidity in the load-bearing orenvelopingstructures(Naples).Anadditionalhazardattheurbanscaleisshownwhensituationsoccurofdifficultremovalofmeteoricwaters,mainlythoseatstormingcharacterorthoseinducedbytheclimatechange;thelatterinfactrequiremanagementpracticesatlowenvironmentalimpact,aimedalsoatpreventingthepollutionofsuperficialandundergroundwaters;forexample“…usuallyurbanizationnegativelyimpactsonwaterqualityatleastintwoways.First,manyofthenewmaterialsandcomponentsusedinlanddevelopmentcontributetohigherpollutantloadsduringrainfallandthesubsequentrunoff.[Thesecondwayofimpactisdue to the reduction of filter-action of the vegetable soil, for it] is replacedby concrete, asphalt and rooftops,which obviously offer littlemeans forwater qualityimprovement.”Inthisissuethehydraulichazardatterritorialscaleisalsodescribed,inparticularregardingitseffectsontheinhabitedcenters(Sicily)andfinallyitcontainstherisk of exhausting the purewater supply for domestic use,which can be averted only bymeans of new typologies of analyzing and designing the residentialsettlement (Naples), also by adopting careful methodologies of impact assessment of the water cycle within the various materials and different employedtechnologies.

Dora FranceseVi

ew

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Inconclusionthecoreofthemagazine,alreadyexpressedthroughthewilloforientingtosustainabilityanyconstructiveaction,isunderlinedbythepapersherepresented,asthefilrougeofalltheseresearches,whichfacethewatertopic,laysexactlyinthechoiceofconsideringthedynamicprocessofwaterasastartingpointforleadingagaintothenaturalcyclesthetransformationactivitiesofthecivilizationinthenewmillennium.

NOTES1.WhichrepresenttogetherwiththeairandfirethefourNature’selements,accordingtotheancientGreecephilosophersthought,Empedocle.2.VattimoGianni(1983),Dialettica,differenza,pensierodebole,inVattimoG.,RovattiP.A.“Ilpensierodebole”,Feltrinelli,Milano,page34.3.DalLagoAlessandro(1983),L’eticadelladebolezza,inVattimoG.,RovattiP.A.“Ilpensierodebole”,Feltrinelli,Milano,page97.4.VattimoGianni(1983),Dialettica,differenza,pensierodebole,inVattimoG.,RovattiP.A.“Ilpensierodebole”,Feltrinelli,Milano,page42.5.DorflesGillo(1968),Artificioenatura,Einaudi,Roma,page20.“Clear,freshandsweetwaters”Laozi(1993),Tao,Stampaalternativa,Terni,page29.6.EspositoA.“Rivercities”:urbanstructureandconfigurationalanalysis”,here.7.PaolellaA.Climatechange,adaptation,construction,here.8.GiugniM.,DePaolaF.Urbanstormwaterdrainagemanagementbylowimpactdevelopmentspractices,here.

004

L’ACQUA E LA COSTRUZIONE MEDITERRANEA: COME

COSTRUIRE UN FUTURO PURO E LEGGERO

Dare avvio a questa rivista mediante i temi specifici della terra e poi dell’acqua significa attualizzare le riflessioni filosofiche della cultura mediterranea einterpretarlesecondounapproccioche,quindiciannidopol’iniziodelnuovomillennio,sembrailpiùidoneodaadottaresiacomeprincipiointellettualesiacomeazionedisviluppo.Stiamoparlandodelnuovopensiero– cosiddettodebole–sucuigiàneglianniottantailfilosofoitalianoGianniVattimo,cosìcomealtrinotistudiosi,fondavanolapropriateoria.Apparedunquelecitoaccostarsianchealleattivitàcostruttivemedianteunapprocciodebole,che,inquantotale,nonsibasisusensazioni,dinamicheeazionifortieinvadentineiconfrontideifruitoridiunbenecostruito,machesottolineipiuttostol’esigenzadi“…unavvertiresoltanto,unaspeciedicoscienzaaccessoria”,unapotenzialitàadascoltareeintroiettareledebolezze,leemozioniminori;equiconcordiamoconDalLagoquandosostieneche“…l’usodellaforzaturbal’ordineumano,lasuanatura”.Saràconvenientedunquechecisiavvicinialluogodiprogettoconanimosensibileeattentoascrutareilcontesto,rilevandoanchelepiùminutespecificitàdelluogo,osservandoneeascoltandonecioèlanaturaelepiccolebiodiversità.Saràopportunodimenticarediesserepotenti,mainveceintaccare“…laforza dell’unità” e così infine “… saper riconvertire in natura gli elementi artificiali, se ci sarà concesso di sopravvivere in un mondo che non sia del tuttodisumanizzato”.Allaluceditalipremesse,vedremocomeiltemadelFocusdelpresentenumero,cioèl’acqua,rappresentiilmediatoretraleopereditrasformazionedell’uomosulterritorioe le caratteristiche,gli elementi, lequalitàdellanatura incui si agisce. Infatti, come la fontanadiVanclouse ispirò ilPetrarcaper i suoiversi ‘chiarefresche et dolci acque’, così noi sappiamo che la presenza dell’acqua contribuisce a plasmare il paesaggio e la natura stessa e infine orienta ed ispira l’uomo,suggerendogliletrasformazionipiùappropriatealvivereinarmoniacolluogostesso.Nell’areamediterraneainparticolarel’acquache“…fadelbeneatuttisenzacontendere…erisiedenelluogocheogniuomodisdegna”,contribuisceinlargamisuraallaconfigurazionedelterritorio,inquantofontedisalubritàepurezzadeipaesaggi,maanchenellecittàcomeneipiccolicentri.Edancoral’acqua,agentedivitaedibenessere,èunarisorsaessenzialecosìpergliecosistemicomeperiprofilia-biotici.Secondoilpensierodebole,dunque,unbuonimpiegodell’acquanellecostruzionisostenibilidelMediterraneodeveesserevoltoallasalvaguardiadellapurezza,alrispetto della fragilità dei paesaggi acquatici, nonché alla conservazione e al risparmio, laddove piuttosto assistiamo all’aggressione del territorio conmastodonticheoperediregimentazioneidrica.Laquestionedell’acquacomemediatoretracostruzioneenaturapuòtuttaviaessereinterpretatasecondodiversechiavidilettura,dapartedivariecompetenze–ingegneria idraulica, geotecnica, geologia, architettura, design, rappresentazione, urbanistica, geografia… -, soprattutto in rapporto con la funzione che l’acquastessasvolgeall’internodelpaesaggiocostruito,cioèqualerisorsa-baseperlasceltadellalocalitàincuistabilireuninsediamentoumano;adesempiorispettoazone umide, ai fiumi, ai laghi, al mare, quale elemento indispensabile per la costruzione dell’habitat, come è il caso di mulini, condotte forzate, sistemi diregimentazione; come fattore di rischio nelle costruzioni a scala territoriale, in presenza di dissesti, fiumi, ecc.; a scala edilizia come possibile intralcio allestrutture, o per umidità di risalita, di condensa, ecc.; come parametro di progetto e design per la configurazione estetica, anche tenendo conto degli aspettipsicologici;comefonteenergeticaper l’installazionedimuliniadacquaedisistemi idrauliciper laproduzionedienergia idroelettrica;senzatralasciare lepiùinnovative tecniche che sfruttano la potenza dellemaree e delmoto ondoso; come risorsa per il benesseremicroclimatico, ad esempio usando l’acqua per lefontane,ocomefluidotermoconvettoredeisistemidiriscaldamento,raffrescamentoeumidificazione,delletecnicheconmuriTrombe-Michelleadacqua,operipannellisolari. Infine,manonmenoimportante,è lacuradelprocessoidriconaturale, inquantorisorsadinamicadasalvaguardare,risparmiareeconservarepura,soprattuttodurantel’integrazioneconilprocessocostruttivo,siaascalaediliziaeimpiantisticacheurbanaeterritoriale.Le declinazioni del fattore acqua all’interno della costruzione dell’Habitat umano sono numerose e variegate, determinando tale elemento anche la scelta diinsediamenti, cosìcontribuendoall’azionecombinatadisuolo,ariaemateriali,egenerandounaseriedieffettiprimariesecondariche investono l’interociclodell’acquastessaedunqueiprocessivitalidellaterra.Inparticolareladistribuzioneterritorialeeregionalenellapresenterivistaèmolteplice,poichériguardaletematichedellerisorseidriche,deifiumiedeimarisiainItalia(Napoli,Salerno,GrumoNevano,Torino,laSicilia,laLiguria,l’Appennino)cheinGrecia,inMaroccoeinpaesilimitrofidelMediterraneo,maancheinaltripaesidiculturamediterraneacomelavicinaAsiaol’Argentina;infinesiponeancorailconfrontoconilnordEuropa(OlandaeRegnoUnito).Ingeneralesonoquipresentiduefiloniprincipalidiricerca:ilprimoaffrontalaquestionesecondolevisonidellastoria,delprogetto,delpaesaggio,dellacittàedellaregimentazionedelterritorio;inquestonumerovengonodunquestudiatelecittàfluvialinonchélaconfigurazionedeiluoghi,generataappuntoanchedallapresenzadell’acqua;infatti“…ilprofilourbanoriflettelapresenzadeicorsid’acqua,interminidirealizzazionedell’insediamentoedipercezionespaziale”.Talefilonediricerchesiriferisceadesempidelpassato(Torino,Patagonia)comeanuoveoperediarchitettura(Grecia,cittàmitteleuropee,designparametrico),spessodovute al genio dimolti artisti e scienziati, che tutti hanno apportato notevolimodifiche al territorio, sia in relazione alle sorgenti a pelo libero che a quellesotterranee(CilentoeMarocco),anchesottolineandoletecnichedidistribuzionedellarisorsaidricaallacittà(GrumoNevano);infinelemodificheindotte dallostrettolegameuomo-acquaalpatrimonioedificatodellatradizione,comenelcasodeimuliniadacquaedelwaterfrontmarino.Ilsecondofilonediricercariguardainvecelaproblematicadelrischio,generatodallainterazionetraacqua,territorioecostruito,nellesuediversefisionomie;quiinfattivengonopresentatideglistudicheaffrontanovariecondizionidipericolo:daquelledeterminatedaicambiamenticlimatici,siainOlandaenelRegnoUnitosianell’Europadelsudenellevicineregionidell’Asia,chedipendonosoprattuttodalfattoche“…moltedellesoluzionipiùequilibrateedurevolihannoseguitounmodello‘leggero’pergliinsediamenti,tenendoinconsiderazionelecaratteristichedelluogoeledimensionidellapressioneantropicainrelazionealladisponibilitàdiacqua”, alle condizioni di vulnerabilità del patrimonio storico in zone esposte a rischio idrico (Liguria,Napoli), oppure in presenza di umidità nelle struttureportantiodi chiusuradegliedifici (Napoli).Ulteriorerischioalla scalaurbanasipuòcorrerequandosipresentino situazionididifficileallontanamentodelleacquemeteoriche,specialmentequelleacaratteretemporalescooppureindottedaicambiamenticlimatici;questeinfattirichiedonopratichedigestioneabassoimpattoambientale,volteancheaimpedirel’inquinamentodelleacquesuperficialiesotterranee,comeadesempioquando “…l’urbanizzazionecreaimpattisullaqualitàdell’acquaalmenoinduemodi:primadituttomoltinuovimaterialiecomponentiimpiegatiperlosviluppoterritorialecontribuisconoalcaricoinquinanteealconseguentecrollo,einsecondoluogo,l’azionedifiltrodelsuolovegetalerisultaridottadallapresenzadicemento,asfaltoetetti”.Inquestonumerodellarivistavieneancoradescritto il rischio idricoallascala territoriale, inparticolare inrelazioneaisuoieffetti suicentriabitati (Sicilia)einfine il rischio di esaurimento delle scorte di acqua pura per uso domestico, che può essere scongiurato solamentemediante nuove tipologie di analisi e diprogetto, per la scala di insediamento residenziale (Napoli), anche adottando attentemetodologie di valutazione degli impatti sul ciclo dell’acqua dei diversimaterialiedellediversetecnologieimpiegate.

005

Edito

riale Dora Francese

Inconclusionelospiritodellarivista,giàespressomediantelavolontàdiorientareallasostenibilitàogniazionecostruttiva,vienesottolineatodagliarticoliquipresentati, poiché il fil rouge di tutte queste ricerche, che affrontano in temadell’acqua, risiedeproprio nella scelta di considerare il processo dinamicodellarisorsaidricaqualepuntodipartenzaperriportareaiciclinaturaliancheleattivitàtrasformativedellaciviltàdelnuovomillennio.

NOTE1.Cheinsiemeall’ariaealfuocorappresentanoiquattroelementidellanaturasecondoilpensierodelfilosofodell’anticaGrecia,Empedocle.2.VattimoGianni(1983),Dialettica,differenza,pensierodebole,inVattimoG.eRovattiP.A.“Ilpensierodebole”,Feltrinelli,Milano,pag.34.3.DalLagoAlessandro(1983),L’eticadelladebolezza,inVattimoG.eRovattiP.A.“Ilpensierodebole”,Feltrinelli,Milano,pag.97.4.VattimoGianni(1983),Dialettica,differenza,pensierodebole,inVattimoG.eRovattiP.A.“Ilpensierodebole”,Feltrinelli,Milano,pag.42.5.DorflesGillo(1968),Artificioenatura,Einaudi,Roma,pag.20.6.Laozi(1993),Tao,Stampaalternativa,Terni,pag.29.7.EspositoA.“Rivercities”:urbanstructureandconfigurationalanalysis”,qui.8.PaolellaA.Climatechange,adaptation,construction,qui.9.GiugniM.,DePaolaF.Urbanstormwaterdrainagemanagementbylowimpactdevelopmentspractices,qui.

006

SMC is the official magazine of the SMC Association, jointed with CITTAM

SMC N. 2 - 2015

All the articles of SMC magazine were submitted to a double peer blind review.

Cover Photo © Rossella Siani 2015, Quai de La Guillotière, Lyon, France

Printed Edition ISSN: 2385-1546

Publisher: Luciano Editore Via P. Francesco Denza, 7 P.zza S. Maria La Nova, 4 80138 Naples - Italy www.lucianoeditore.net info@lucianoeditore.net editoreluciano@libero.it

Online Edition ISSN: 2420-8213 www.sustainablemediterraneanconstrucion.eu

SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE

Maddalena ACHENZA Manuela ALMEIDA Pedro BOSCH GIRAL Gianluca CADONI James CHAMBERS Giacomo CHIESA Ana Maria DABIJA Pietromaria DAVOLI Dalila EL-KERDANY Dominique FLAHAUT Aurora FLOREZ Shoaib KHANMOHAMMADI Alberto LUCARELLI Paulo MENDONCA Luigi MOLLO Domenico PIANESE Joe RAVETZ Jacques TELLER Fani VAVILI Roland VIDAL

REFEREE BOARD

Editor in Chief Dora FRANCESE

First Editors Domenico CAPUTO Antonio PASSARO

Associate Editors Luca BUONINCONTI Domenico CALCATERRA Paola DE JOANNA Cristian FILAGROSSI A. Marina FUMO Fabio IUCOLANO Andrea MAGLIO Lia Maria PAPA Domenico PIANESE Rossella SIANI Marialuce STANGANELLI Rosa Maria VITRANO

Editorial Secretary Pierpaolo D’AGOSTINO Nicolina MASTRANGELO

Graphic Design Web Master Cristian FILAGROSSI A. Rossella SIANI

EDITORIAL BOARD

STEERING COMMITTEE

Gigliola AUSIELLO Alfredo BUCCARO Luca BUONINCONTI Domenico CALCATERRA Domenico CAPUTO Carmine COLELLA Alba COSTA Pierpaolo D’AGOSTINO Gabriella DE IENNER Paola DE JOANNA

Cristian FILAGROSSI A. Francesco FITTIPALDI Dora FRANCESE Manuela FRANCO Marina FUMO Fabio IUCOLANO Fabrizio LECCISI Mario LO SASSO Andrea MAGLIO Nicolina MASTRANGELO

Vincenzo MORRA Lia Maria PAPA Antonio PASSARO Elvira PETRONCELLI Domenico PIANESE Daniela PISCOPO Francesco POLVERINO Rossella SIANI Marialuce STANGANELLI Rosamaria VITRANO

008

Mohamed BELMAAZIZ Aasfaw BEYENE Claudia BLOOM Gaia BOLLINI Mario BUONO Michele CAPASSO Paul CASALONGA Kambiz M. EBRAHIMI Graeme EVANS Daniel FAURE Pliny FISK Maria Cristina FORLANI Ángela Garcia CODOÑER

Giorgio GIALLOCOSTA Rodolfo GIRARDI Mihiel HAM Stephane HANROT Jean Luis IZARD Fakher KARAT Pablo LA ROCHE Serge LATOUCHE Stefano LENCI Alberto LUCARELLI Gaetano MANFREDI Saverio MECCA

Giuseppe MENSITIERI Lorenzo MICCOLI Alastair MOORE Michael NEUMAN João NUNES Silvia PIARDI Alberto PIEROBON Kuno PREY Khalid R’KHA CHAHAM Susan ROAF Francois Noel ROSSI Marco SALA Piero SALATINO Antonello SANNA Gianni SCUDO Alfonso SENATORE Ali SHABOU Abdelgani TAYYIBI Nikolas TSINIKAS Michael VAN GESSEL Fani VAVILI Roland VIDAL Dilek YILDIZ Ayman ZUAITER

SMC - Sustainable Mediterranean Construction Association Founded on March 1st 2013 Via Posillipo, 69 80123 Naples - Italy smc.association@mail.com

Talkingaboutsustainabilityforatechnologistisadailytask,fornotransformationandeducationactivitiescanavoidtakingintoaccountagrowingsociety’sneedofchange,aswellastheenvironmentalcontext’ssafeguard.Themodificationprocesswillthenenterintosymbiosiswiththesite,withoutalteringtheavailableresources’balance.Inordertoactivateempathybetweenman/designerandnature,anumberofproceduresforknowingandtestingshouldbeapplied,whichwillrespecturbanplaces,landscapeandterritory.Knowledge,historyandmaterialityaretheneededingredientsforstartingtheseprocesses,throughtheassessmentsystemsforthesustainableissueswithintheprojectsatbothurbanandlandscale.Duetoanumberofreasons,besidesthedesigners’responsibility,thesustainableactionsarestillafew:“todaysustainabledevelopment,environmentanddurablelifequalityareoftendiscussed.Ithinkthatforourgenerationthesehavebeenfailed,mainlyforpracticingdesigners,whichhaveintheirculture,intheirhearts,bonesandeyes,theabilityofrespectingterritory,pastandenvironment.Employingparameters,quantitativeandqualitativevaluesforverifyinganintervention’ssustainabilityisdowngrading.Thegoalsarestillvague,ambiguousandfleeing,asindexesandvectorsofcomplexityandsustainabilityarestillnotverywellbalanced.Beingillusorytheideaofprocessingaframeofrulesforconstructingandtransforming,suchadesignprocedureseemstoguarantee,ononehand,abetterlifequality,whileontheotherhanditlooksasadefeat,whichleadsinexorablythemantowardsgeneticallymodified,artificialandvirtualrealities”1.PaoloPortoghesideclareswithdelusionthattoday“thearchitectureseemstohavelost[...]itstraditionaltaskoftoolforcontrolandprovisionofanhealthyenvironmentandinsteadhasgainedonfieldanumberofdemerits,fortheproducedenvironmentalfaults”2.Knowingthepastisnecessaryforthefuture,itistheguaranteeforlivinginsymbiosiswithnature,evenifthisisagainstthespeedoftheevolutionandthetransformationofourage,anditwillsoundstrangefornewmillenniumcomputerprogrammersorarchitects.Thememoryneedsthisknowledgeforcorrectlyandharmonicallyoperating,manlybyarchitectsconsciousofthenaturalissuewithinthematerialcultureapplication.Adrianotheemperorstated,withthewordsofthewriterMargueriteYoucenar:“buildingmeanscollaboratingwiththeearth,printingman’ssignonlandscapewhichwillremainmodifiedforever”3.TheSicilythenbecomescontextandtestfieldinwhichItakepartasbothpersonandscholarinthesearchofsustainablefutures,soastoprovide

sustainablecontributionstotransformationandeducationprocessesmainlyasfarasdesignandtechnologicalcultureareconcerned.Myrolewithinthescientificcommunityasuniversityteacherrequirestoparticipatetonon-profitassociations,suchastheInbar(Bio-ArchitectureNationalInstitution),whichpursuittheaforesaidgoals.Then,whiledescribingthepotentialsofthisregion,asatravelleroramodernGoethe,wecancompareSicilywiththeharmonicteamofthefourelementsofthetraditionalcosmology,earth,air,fireandwater,definedduringthe4thcenturyBC.(Fig.1)Infact,theSicily,asisland,ismainlyearth,surrounded,embracedandenrichedbythewater,andalsobelongstofire/lightandtoair,forthestrongwindanditsvolcanoes.TheInbarprovincialsectionofTrapani,inforcesince2012,wasbornthankstoarchitectSalvatoreCusumano,itsPresident.ThenationalassociationhasbeenactiveinItalyformorethan20years,andhadalwaysplayedafundamentalroleinawareness,informationandeducationofactorsoperatingforhealthyinhabiting,landrequalification,andecologicalre-conversionofthebuildingsector.SinceitsbirththeInbarhasactivatedanumberofeventsatcountyandnationalscale,aimedatpursuingtheassociation’smission.ThecityofTrapanisection,consciousofthefactthatanyplacehasitspeculiaritiesanditshistory,haddevelopededucationandstudiesprogrammessoastosharethecultureofbio-architecture,byproposingfourworkshopsandsomeseminars.ThepresidentCusumanounderlines“thattheBioworkshopsandtheBio-seminarsarechancesinwhichthinkingisenrichedbyaction,wheretherearealotofideas,anopportunityforfacing,sharingabilitiesandexpertise,and,asinanalchemicalstudio,cancontributetolookforsearchingsuchsolutionswhichwillbemoreandmoresensitivetowardsthecorrectuseofresources.TheBio-seminarsarealsolivinginteriorexperiencesoastoprovideevolutionsubstancetopresentarchitectspro-ject,whichismeantasalooktowardstheunknown,leavingawayanypredeterminedsurenessandtruth.Itisasthrowingownideasinapossiblefertilefield,whereanyseedcangeneratenewfruitsandcreaterelationshipnetsbetweensubjectswhoenrichedeachothers’fromtheothers’experiencesandideas,inacreativeandorganiccomparison.Asinthearchery,moreyoustretchtheropeandfartherthearrowwillgo,sointhepro-jectpractice,moretherootswillsinkinthepastandgreateristheknowledge-expertise,fartheritispossibletogo”.Inparticular,thefirstworkshop,entitled“Light.Letuscollectthesun”washeldonDecemberthe12th,2012atAlcamo(Fig.2),thesecond,entitled

“Earth.Architecture,materialsandtechniques,fromtraditiontoinnovation”,washeldonmarchthe7th,2014atAlcamo(Fig.3),thethird,named“Water.Bio-architectureandlandwithinthenewclimaticandenergyscenarios”,willbeheld,stillatAlcamo,onDecemberthe18th2015.(Fig.4).Thelatterwishestounderlinehowthewatercannolongerbeconsideredasanunlimitedandrenewableresource(everybodyknowsthatfreshwaterrepresentonly3%ofallthewholeterrestrialone),byfacingwiththeparticipationofillustriousscholarsanddesigners(Fig.5)thesubjectsoftheancientlinkbetweenArchitectureandWater,mainlyfortheMediterraneanregion(justmentioningtheaqueducts,thethermalbaths,theRomantanksortheclosedvegetablegardens,thefountainsandthehydraulic

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Fig. 1 - The traditional Cosmologies: fire, earth, air and water (shoot by G. De Giovanni)

Fig. 2 - Poster 1st Bio-workshop. “Light. Let us collect the sun”, October the 12th, 2012

THE BIO-ARCHITECTURE WORKSHOPS OF INBAR SICILY: LIGHT, EARTH, WATER,...

DECEMBER THE 18TH-19TH, 2015

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architecturesandengineersoftheArabictradition).TodaytheBio-architecture,mainlyinthedryanddesertcountries,occursasanindispensibledisciplineforinvestigatingandproposingsolutionsapttoharvestingrainywater,totreatingandrecyclingtheexhaustedones,toreducingthewaterconsumptionandtoexploitthispreciousgoodfornaturalconditioning.In2016theBio-workshopswillbecompletedbythefourtheventwhichwillfacethesubjectsandthereflectionandeducationmomentsaboutthelastofthecosmogonies:theAir.FromthefoundationdateoftheTrapanisection,theBio-seminarsjoinedtheBio-workshops;the

first“Planningthesustainability.Innovativepathsfordesign”,heldonJanuarythe2013atCastellammaredelGolfo;thesecond,“Angel’shouse.Blowanddesign”,atAlcamoonFebruarythe22nd,2013;thethird:“Urbanregenerationandcity,fromthebuildingsquattingtilltheeco-sustainableplanning”,atAlcamoonNovemberthe7th,2014;thefourth,entitled“Centre.Fromurbanqualitytolifequality”heldatAlcamoonFebruarythe7th,2015;thefifthbio-meeting,entitled“Harmony.Towardsare-designofcitybetweenlandscapeandeconomics”,heldonMaythe18th,2015inthePalazzodeiNormanniinPalermowiththecoordinationoftheSicilyRegion.ThelatterwantedtocreateaconfrontationmomentwiththemainItalianpolicy,economy,cultureandplanningpromoterssoastosearchconcreteanswerstocitizens’needofcomfortandsustainabledevelopment,whilenotneglectingthebeautyandharmony,whicharetheuniquetruthfulconceptswhichcouldstillsavemanfromthemelancholyofthecontextswherehelives.

GiuseppeDeGiovanniFullProfessorin“TechnologyofArchitecture”,UniversityofPalermo–HonoraryPresidentoftheScientificCommitteeINBARTrapaniSection.

NOTES1. G.DeGiovanni,Terred’occidente,inProgetto

Restauron.31,ilPrato,Saonara(PD)2004,p.46.2. P.Portoghesi,Naturaearchitettura,Fabbrieditori,

Milano1993,p.27.3. M.Youcenar,MemoriediAdriano,Einaudi,Torino

1988,p.120-121.

Fig. 3 - Poster 2nd Bio-workshop “Earth. Architecture, materials and techniques, from tradition to innovation”, March the 7th, 2014

Fig. 4 - Poster 3rd Bio-workshop “Water. Bio-architecture and land within the new climatic and energy scenarios”, December the 18th- 19th, 2015

Fig. 5 - Programme of the 3rd Bio-workshop “Water. Bio-architecture and land within the new climatic and energy scenarios”

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