An example of good heritage practice in modern buildings conservation

Conservation of modern architecture poses great challenges to practitioners. In fact, it is not possible to apply established and codified theories and procedures, because of the innovative use of construction techniques and building materials. Every intervention need an ad hoc approach based on the peculiar features of that specific building. Therefore, every conservation project should be preceded by a “monographic” study of the building, depending on its relevance, but, unfortunately, this crucial phase is often disregarded. The paper will present the Tavolara Pavilion conservation as an example of a good heritage practice, thanks to a synergy between university and institutions. The Pavilion, built in 1956 as a place for arts and crafts temporary exhibitions, was included in the DARC (Direction for contemporary art and architecture) list of the most representative Italian post-war architectures. In 2003, the Ministry of Heritage and Cultural Activities, by means of the Sassari department responsible for the environment and historical buildings, financed a study of the Pavilion, in order to elaborate a series of guidelines for the conservation project. The research, presented in the book "Il Padiglione dell'Artigianato a Sassari, architettura e conservazione" (The Arts and Crafts Pavilion in Sassari, architecture and conservation), was guided by professor Poretti of the University of Tor Vergata (Rome). The Sardinia Region prepared the preliminary project on the basis of this exhaustive survey and, following a public tender, the Pavilion was recently renovated. In particular, the paper will examine the conservation project and techniques, which respected the identity of the building, focusing on how the procedure described influenced the positive results of the project.