L’accessibilità culturale del patrimonio architettonico: l’‘atmosfera’ come valore

The current European guidelines call for the involvement of citizens in the recognition processes of Cultural Heritage, which is not only a stratified palimpsest but an expression of values, beliefs, knowledge and traditions, in evolution, as highlighted by the Faro Convention. In this sense, it has long been recognised that the real challenge of accessibility to architectural heritage lies not so much in removing physical barriers, but in promoting the possibility for everyone to process cultural content in a personal way. The need to reach out to those who, for different reasons, are ‘far away’ from heritage is crucial. Understand the value of the architectural heritage, in particular, consists in grasping its characteristics: moreover, the value of an architecture does not lie only in its components, but also in an intangible yet physically perceptible element that condenses them: its atmosphere. Brought back into the limelight by architects and thinkers in recent decades (from J. Pallasmaa to P. Zumthor), atmosphere is clearly graspable by any audience, without exclusion: because it is simply ‘felt’. Thus, interior architecture, where the atmosphere is strongly perceived and which provides an authentic interaction between architectural envelope, users and spaces, becomes central: yet in contemporary theories it appears secondary, as conservation generally focuses on the envelope. The approach proposed here goes beyond established methodologies to open up holistic perspectives. It calls into question variables that have not hitherto been contemplated. It does not refer to prescriptive standards, however necessary they may be, nor in guidelines applicable in different contexts. Rather, by requiring a trans-disciplinary approach, it promotes the development of specific and complex design sensibilities and new skills.