Preserving the Past, Engineering the Future - Renovation Project of a Former Primary School in Baricella

This thesis presents the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of the former primary school in Passo Segni, within the municipality of Baricella. Abandoned since 1987, the historic masonry building retains its architectural character and provides an opportunity to demonstrate a contemporary approach to heritage conservation. The aim of the thesis is to transform the existing building into a multifunctional community centre while preserving its historical and architectural identity. The proposed intervention combines conservation principles with contemporary architectural design through the introduction of a restaurant, wine bar, exhibition spaces, administrative offices, and supporting service areas. The original spatial character and masonry facade are preserved, while the interior is reorganised to improve functionality, accessibility, and user experience. A glass elevator ensures full accessibility while remaining visually distinguishable from the historic fabric. Alongside the architectural proposal, the thesis develops a comprehensive structural rehabilitation strategy, including foundation strengthening, lowering and reconstruction of the semi-basement floor, rehabilitation of the existing floor structures, and reconstruction of the timber roof. Energy performance was evaluated using Edilclima software, leading to the development of retrofit measures including internal thermal insulation, high-performance windows, roof insulation, reduction of thermal bridges, efficient HVAC systems, and photovoltaic panels. The project demonstrates how architectural conservation, structural engineering, and energy-efficient design can be successfully integrated within a single rehabilitation strategy. The proposed intervention preserves the building's historical identity while adapting it to contemporary functional, accessibility, and energy performance requirements, offering a sustainable model for the regeneration of rural public heritage.