Retrofitting and Conservation of the Timber Choir Loft of the Sanctuary Beata Vergine Maria del Monte Carmelo in Colletto, Pinerolo, Italy

The Sanctuary Beata Vergine Maria del Monte Carmelo in Colletto, Pinerolo, Italy, is an outstanding Renaissance architectural ensemble located in the high hills region near Turin, Italy. The church is well known both for its architectural relevance and for the artistic value of its paintings and statues. In addition, thanks to the optimal acoustic performance of the nave, the church hosted in recent times concerts and musical events that have been recorded and published. Recently, it became possible to equip the church with a newly restored pipe organ conceived by the famous organ designer TAMBURINI. The paper presents the design of the intervention necessary for placing the organ on the 17th century timber choir loft, that at the present does not provide the necessary space and load-bearing capacity. First of all, a detailed terrestrial photogrammetry and laser scanner survey have been performed with the aim of optimising the amount of the necessary translation of the timber choir loft compatible with the organ geometry and minimise the interference with the adjacent chapels. Subsequently, non-destructive tests on the timber structure of the choir loft helped design the appropriate steel load-bearing structure, to provide as well the seismic resistance required by the nowadays national standards. Special attention has been paid to the construction phases, since the choir loft needed to be translated during the drilling of the micro-poles foundation and the assembly of the bearing steel frame. The load-bearing structure has been hidden above the original timber structure and behind a new wooden entryway. The intervention comprised not only the structural retrofitting of the choir loft but also the conservation of the valuable painting of the wooden choir loft parapet.