Sistemi fortificati piemontesi nel paesaggio costiero urbano di Cagliari: approcci interdisciplinari al progetto di restauro del rudere di Sant’Ignazio

This research investigates the effectiveness of Brandi’s ‘uniqueness of method’ principle for the preservation of multi-layered archaeological landscapes, with particular reference to coastal defence systems in urban area. These are strategic places for the defence of historic settlements that are characterized by the persistence of military use from the old age until modern times. The enhancement of these places goes through the integrated knowledge of the artefacts and the deep understanding of mutual contextual relationships at the different scales of analysis - historical, material, architectural, stratigraphic, conservative - in order to generate design projects compatible with the preservation of historical and testimonial values. The paper illustrates the results of integrated scientific investigations and educational programmes conducted on the archaeological defensive area of the Sant’Ignazio fort in Cagliari, built between 1783 and 1798 but never put into service. Reversible and recognizable functional addictions have been designed, interpreting the memory-space-matter triad. These reading deals with Heritage in a contemporary view, according to the idea of continuity in the historical process and confirming the potential of the formal principles of the overlap, integration, support and suspension.