Camilla Mileto1 & Fernando Vegas López-Manzanares2
- Associate Professor, ETS Arquitectura, Universidad Politécnica, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia (Spain), cami2@cpa.upv.es
- Professor, ETS Arquitectura, Universidad Politécnica, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia (Spain), fvegas@cpa.upv.es
ABSTRACT
A comprehensive study of the traditional construction techniques of the Rincón de Ademuz area (Valencia, Spain) has being developed during the last ten years by the authors. This mountainous area has been isolated from the outside world in a way for centuries. This situation has helped create a very peculiar vernacular construction. Walls, slabs, roofing and constructive details have been thoroughly researched and very peculiar masonry techniques have been identified. They consist of a combination of masonry and gypsum pillars that support the wood structure of the slabs. The walls that fill the spaces between pillars are made of masonry with mud mortar on the ground floor and vertical flat stones with the same gypsum mortar on the upper floors. The strength of this apparently fragile structure has been deeply researched and yielded incredibly positive and unexpected results. These constructive studies have been applied to the real case of an almost completely dilapidated house located in a little hamlet in the area. A very detailed restoration project has been conducted with a view to recover these traditional techniques. This restoration project was conceived as a pilot project for the recovery of the traditional techniques and local crafts of the area to help to restore a great number of buildings of the same type. In addition, a restoration guide for the traditional masonry buildings of the area is being prepared. This pilot project received the 1st Prize of the European Union for Cultural Heritage (Europa Nostra Award 2003).
KEYWORDS: Vernacular, Techniques, Gypsum, Restoration, Strengthening, Wood
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