Modalità di intervento per il riuso di ambienti storici in stato di non utilizzo: Palazzo Bellisomi Vistarino a Pavia

When considering the development of a renovation it is crucial to maintain a proper balance between the building, its management and its functions, harmonising demands that seldom conflict. This paper defines the work methodologies and devised functionalities for a set of valuable locations, namely the stables and the now-disused private chapel, of Palazzo Bellisomi Vistarino in Pavia, an example of “Barocchetto Lombardo” by Arch. Francesco Croce. The intervention focuses on a portion of the building currently abandoned, in a larger monumental complex already involved in a partial re-functionalization intervention, in the perspective not only of its material preservation, but also of the possible enlargement of building’s use within urban surroundings. The building, which has been abandoned for decades, reacquired a social function connected with the City, starting from a partial restoration completed in 2013. The Alma Mater Ticinensis University Foundation uses the spaces of the Palace for advanced training courses, conferences, seminars, exhibitions, concerts and some rooms as guest quarters. Main aim of the intervention is the restoration and the upgrading of the Palace, with the introduction of new functions that could enrich the building. The contextualisation of the Palace within the City was a guiding element, in order to define the set of new functions, aimed to improve the global usability of the building. To achieve the restoration of the palace, the project included numerous phases, among which the geometrical survey, the survey of the materials, the analysis of alterations and structural damages related to the concrete structure of the non-original roof, the technical systems and the devising of a new function for the disused building. These new functions are effectively integrated with the historical heritage, aiming at the best possible ratio between conservation, functionality and value. The concept of conservation was a focal point in when moving from the pure conservation project to the design of new functionalities, managing the changes to be performed in a sustainable and protective way. Such interventions are an opportunity to grant a new life to the building, extending its value to the surroundings, maintaining balance between the new usage destination and the building capacity.