Interdisciplinary contribution to the protection plan of the fortified old town of Cagliari (ITALY)

The present article illustrates an interdisciplinary methodology for the protection of fortified old towns and the management of their possible future transformation. Specifically, the study has developed a process of investigation to support the identification, assessment and conservation of material evidences related to the urban walls inside old towns. The disciplinary fields involved in the research are mainly history, drawing and restoration, supported by diagnostics on materials and structures, urban planning and sustainable design. The testing area is the walled city of Cagliari, a typical Mediterranean fortified settlement, highly stratified with a wide chronology of structures and interesting military constructive techniques. The research develops a working structure for the reasoned collection of contributions belonging from different disciplinary fields. The complex set of information implements a detailed knowledge plan conceived as a vulnerable risk map. Landscape and visual perceptions of the surrounding environment are also considered. The complex mosaic of interdisciplinary knowledge has been the basis for the proposal of effective policies for protection in order to forecast, guide and control possible transformative scenarios. Contemporarily, the management plan includes some strategic actions for the fruition and enhancement of the walled perimeter, such as new touristic paths or entertainment and sporting areas. Criteria and methodology resulting from this article seem to be easily applicable to other contexts, especially in the Mediterranean settlements.