The Project of Time - Restoration of the Former Church of San Barbaziano

Located in Bologna's historic center, this 1608 church by Pietro Fiorini underwent centuries of transformations: hay barn, military warehouse, car repair, and later a parking. Commissioned by the Ministry of Culture, the project preserved its ruin identity, combining conservative restoration with contemporary insertions. Corten and burnished brass openings dialogue with interior and exterior: corten harmonizes with brick, brass with sandstone and interior walls, reinterpreting colors from sedimentations. The space now serves the community as an authentic cultural landmark of adaptive reuse.

The former church presented a complex challenge: centuries of transformations layered multiple identities while indiscriminate interventions obscured architectural legibility. The client required preserving temporal stratifications without falsification, revealing original materials, and reconnecting the building with the city. Through archival research and stratigraphic analysis, we identified original brick and sandstone. We removed only elements compromising clarity while celebrating indoor stratifications as temporal witnesses. Openings became the conceptual core: linear windows in corten and burnished brass testimony industrial heritage, creating contemporary contrast. Glazed portals establish interior-exterior dialogue. Secondary entrances, through brass doors and monolithic stairs, achieve equal dignity democratizing access and emphasizing civic openness. This transforms the ruin into accessible cultural heritage serving the community while preserving authentic material memory.

Conservative restoration removed cement layers revealing original brick and sandstone. External wall surfaces received a glaze that, over time and through atmospheric agents, will render the facade more vibrant and authentic. New elements employ corten steel and burnished brass: natural patination requires minimal maintenance while ensuring chromatic harmony. The access ramp was rebuilt using a piasentina stone monolith, divided into triangles to resolve the double slope of the building with respect to the road. Insulated window frames improve thermal performance reducing energy consumption. Limited new materials, local craftsmanship, and durable finishes ensure cost efficiency. Maintenance is intentionally minimal: the metal surfaces require only cleaning with water and neutral detergents, allowing time and weather to naturally shape their patina. This approach preserves the material’s authenticity while ensuring long-term stability and aesthetic integrity.