Proposals for the sustainable recovery of dry stone buildings in Puglia, Italy

Abstract

[EN] Rural architecture in Puglia (south of Italy) is characterized by the mutual relationship between buildings and environment, typical of the spontaneous architecture of the Mediterranean basin. In fact, traditional rural buildings are an example of sustainable development, and their construction features respond to three fundamental issues: climate, building materials and morphology of the territory. Currently, the state of abandonment of the rural areas and the lack of awareness of their heritage have brought about irreparable degradation, followed by interventions incompatible with the identity of the territory. Through the conservation and recovery of sociocultural and environmental identity and the protection of biodiversity, the Puglia Region aims to protect and enhance the architectural and landscape heritage in a sustainable way with the implementation of a regional landscape plan. This study focuses on the small town of Ostuni (Brindisi), in the Apulian area of Murgia dei Trulli, known for its typical dry stone constructions. The different architectural typologies are examined and described, listing the intrinsic bioclimatic peculiarities of their components and specifying the different bioecological actions suitable for any kind of intervention: restoration, recovery, reuse, or even ordinary and extraordinary maintenance. The aim of the project is to develop guidelines for the sustainable recovery of different types of rural buildings in order to suggest minimally invasive technological systems, oriented to the use of renewable energy sources and the maintenance of traditional elements. The proposals aims to respect green building principles, using locally sourced bio-sustainable materials and finishes belonging to the local construction tradition. But also, merging traditional construction techniques with modern technologies and following the principle of "minimum impact" on the existing constructions.