The evolutionary process of built heritage influenced by the architecture/engineering borderline decisions

Abstract

Building is a continuous process that connects different generations. The evolutionary way of living spaces, urban or interior, their conception and their construction deals with social expectations and multidisciplinary technical interactions. The technical confidence and efficiency associated with structural solutions and their compatibility with existing systems should follow previous stages of research and testing, which does not always happen, thus eventually compromising the durability of the structures and components. Analysis of the performance of various structural solutions adopted in the last fifty years on heritage buildings influences the confidence for future use. This paper will present case studies involving building constructions from the Modernist architectural period, which underline the importance of the joint decisions between architecture and structural engineering, in order to understand and facilitate the protection of the value of the built heritage. This research presents and discusses examples of solutions applied to cultural heritage, vernacular and monumental, and their impact on sensible urban areas.