Modern Construction in Bologna. The Faculty of Engineering by Giuseppe Vaccaro, 1932–1935

Abstract

The Faculty of Engineering is considered a jewel of local rationalist heritage since it follows the main principle of Modernism, namely that “form follows function”, meaning that design should come directly from the purpose. The aim of maximum functionality is perfectly expressed in the building, thanks to the comb‐like scheme adopted for the layout, which is the most effective solution to the internal distribution problem for a school building complex. The use of industrial systems and materials for the most advanced plant equipment, the innovative nature in finishing components, and the refusal of decorations thanks to introducing a reinforced concrete structure, definitively confirm its compliance with the principles and the lexicon of Modern Architecture. The whole result is a solid architecture based on the balance between the static nature derived by the full masses and the typical dynamic sense of layout articulation and windowed façade s. After 85 years of its construction, the most obvious problem related to its conservation is material degradation, especially in those parts affected by transformations or more fragile due to their construction features. One of them is the library tower, where marked phenomena of material degradation must be solved. Recently, its accurate survey, carried out using Terrestrial Laser Scanning techniques and photogrammetric reconstruction, has allowed the understanding of its construction characteristics, especially for the western façade. It was originally made of glass bricks and later replaced by a semi‐prefabricated structure whose features and installation methods have never been documented.