Year 1 (2022)

Frontier workshop 1

• Background: The Frontier workshop 2022 is an online intensive course on cutting edge topics about pathologies and physics of reinforced concrete structures. Conservation of reinforced concrete heritage implies analysing the geometry and preservation state of the reinforcements and construction solutions adopted, most of which evolved rapidly following the development of the Modern Movement construction and design language. This architectural heritage is subject to various forms of alteration and degradation. The scientific community has long been committed to address this ever-evolving problem while dealing with structural and technological issues.
• Program: This Frontier Workshop will introduce the scientific advances achieved studying concrete in the context of architectural heritage, structural morphology and material. More specifically, learners will study the typical design patterns by Pier Luigi Nervi and how they express structural flow of forces as well as determining Nervi’s prefabrication method as applied to his buildings. The workshop will illustrate scientific advances relating to the study of concrete at the material level and the latest knowledge on pathologies, sustainable treatment and restoration. Educational material will be created and assembled by the teachers in preparation of the workshop and subsequently integrated with the students’ homework and the reflection documentation (from teacher evaluations and student feedback), all to be uploaded to the learning platform for the REcube Digital Academy.

REgenerate workshop 1

• Background: The REgenerate Workshop 2022 will centre on performing the multifaceted assessment and analysis of a specific concrete architecture, the Mincio Swimming Pool by Pier Luigi Nervi in Milan, to be preserved and repurposed. Learners will evaluate and interpret the different data acquired on the chosen structure and present the problems to be solved as well as the preparatory analysis to be performed before the renovation design. The scientific approach to the regeneration process to be conveyed to the students:
  • the work has to be recognized as an asset to be protected, preserved and restored
  • pre-evaluation, the analysis of the state of conservation of the building has to be performed
  • a compatible function for the building has to be identified
  • the recovery process has to be sustainable and “green” in the choice of materials and technical solutions
  • once all these elements have been taken into consideration, it is possible to proceed with the design, in order to achieve the full functionality of the building or structure. The goal is to permit a wide range of compatible functions in order to ensure the best possible future life of the building while respecting its cultural value.

• Program: The workshop comprises:
  • A one-day field trip to visit and experience the Mincio swimming pool
  • The workshop itself, in the Laboratorio Nervi on the POLIMI Campus.

  There the students will have the possibility to explore and use the material assembled in the Laboratorio Nervi. During the 4 days the students will stay on campus with the teaching staff, and will work on the preparatory tasks which have to be performed before starting a conservation and reuse process of the case study. They will also perform an exercise based on the contents of the Frontier Workshop 1, to implement the acquired knowledge. After the workshop, the students will present their project results evaluated by the faculty after 2 months, giving them time for post production and finalisation. Content-related, methodological and structural feedback will be collected and integrated in the development of REgenerate Workshop 2.