Study of the Cloisters of the Historical Center of Florence: Methodological Approach for the Definition of Restoration Intervention Priorities

Abstract

On the VI session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, which was held in Paris at the headquarters of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization between December the 13th and the 17th 1982, the Historic Centre of Florence was included in the World Heritage List. Starting from this recognition, the first objective of the following research is to promote the preservation and management of a specific type of historical architecture, an integral and characteristic part of the religious buildings of the historical center of Florence, namely the Cloister. The research aims to facilitate the development of Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) procedures through the definition of a computerized and geo-referenced model of the cloisters under examination, through the processing of data contained in the datasheets specifically developed. In particular, a methodological approach has been developed to define the priority of intervention on the Cloisters of Florence. The objective of the paper is thus to highlight the contribution that a multi-method framework can have in supporting public policy decisions, where there is a strong need for transparency, replicability and learning mechanisms.