In the shadow of Vesuvius. Sustainable and bioclimatic lessons from a vernacular heritage

Abstract

[EN] Downstream of the Somma-Vesuvius volcanic complex, the countryside records the flourishing of communities based on agricultural economies that have been facilitated, since the early modern history, by the fertility of the land, the mildness of the climate and the favourable location with respect to the natural routes of communication. The adaptation and dialogue between this territory and man led to the realization of the so-called “masserie”, the articulated rural artefacts, mostly developed on a primitive compositional structure at court, in which residential and working functions seamlessly coexist. The paper discusses the sustainable and bioclimatic solutions for building and running evidence of this volcanic vernacular system, to inquire how the constructive knowledge, based on the awareness of the properties of local materials, has given solutions to various needs. Indeed, the peasants used the different characteristics of the various igneous rocks, exploited to their maximum performance capabilities, to realize rubble masonry, light vaults, outdoor flooring, and even fixed furniture. In the same functional and “green” resource use, the plan layout follows a distribution corresponding to the best use of the sun and its effects on environmental optimization, and the rainwater collection system connects multiple wells to the underground tank whose position, spatial conformation and materials are expertly engineered. The study finally deepens a case study (the masseria of the Duke of Salza) representing the application of local building tradition in terms of construction features and typological aspects, and the evidence of the history and vulnerabilities of the Vesuvian land. In addition, the specificities of the masseria sample allow mastering the functioning of the whole building organism and the quality of the finishes, which demonstrate how, in their formal simplicity, these vernacular “monuments” were soberly embellished and complexly designed.