HE.SU.TECH. Laboratory: academic research combined with the practice applied in the documentation, representation, and preservation of the Architectural Heritage. The case of the Palladio Villa Forni Cerato

Abstract

This article runs an in-depth examination of documentation, representation and conservation praxis of Architectural Heritage in the field of applied academic research. The focus is put on technological advances in digital documentation applied to Cultural Heritage. The architectural survey is one of the first actions taken in the knowledge process of an asset and, as such, it becomes essential for subsequent conservation, restoration and management operations. This paper describes an experience of integrated digital surveying techniques for the digitalization of an architecture by Andrea Palladio: Villa Forni Cerato. This experience has been carried out by the Heritage Survey Technology (HE.SU.TECH.) Group, from Politecnico di Milano - Polo di Mantova that has been carrying out research and consulting activities with institutions related to Italian Heritage since 2000. The case of Villa Forni Cerato is particularly interesting because, in this instance, digitization was integrated with other documental sources. The survey of the villa required the integration of all the different technologies used in the geomatic field for cultural HeritageThis case study, in particular, became an opportunity to test photogrammetric techniques with different photographic sets, acquired both from the ground and by means of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). This work has been the subject of discussion within the exchange project between the two universities: Politecnico di Milano and Universidade de São Paulo.