Saving Turin’s Great Cultural Heritage

AN INTERVIEW WITH ARTEO ATELIER IN TURIN
BY MIGUEL BERMUDEZ

Arteo Atelier and Arteo Living are architectural and art restoration firms headed by Architect Cristina Corvino

MEB3: Could you please give us a summary of the prevailing architectural style in the downtown area of Turin? How did it get to the present shape?

Cristina Corvino (C.C.): To narrate my story, I have to start from the history of my city. Turin is a very ancient city; the first settlements date back to the 1st-century A.D. When the Roman emperor Julius Caesar chose the area as a strategic location for his military camp, which later became a colony called Julia Taurinorum.
The definitive foundation called a “castrum” (fortified military camp) can still be seen in the typical chessboard-like road structure laid out by his son Augusto and is known as Augusta Taurinorum. This structure was based on astronomical studies linked to the rising of the sun on its axis with the Decumano (in Roman planning, an east-west oriented road). This main road, Decumano Massimo, is now known as Via Garibaldi, and it connected the two doors to the east and west of the city.

The most visible remains of the Roman era consist of the ruins of the walls that delimited the ancient city, the archaeological site of the Porta Palatina, and Teatro Romano. Other remains of the walls were found in the underground rooms of the present Egyptian Museum and during the construction of the underground car park in Via Roma, but these are only examples because all the area called the Quadrilatero Romano was rebuilt over the Roman foundations. As the centuries progressed, the city leveled up, and, under the current street level, the remains that had been incorporated into the later buildings were hidden. It is typical in the cellars of the Roman Quadrilateral to find remains of Roman dividing walls that went into long corridors underground at multiple levels.
The area of ​​the ancient castrum is called by the Turinese “Quadrilatero Romano” for the reasons listed above; it remains today the political, administrative, commercial and social heart of the city, the liveliest district both day and night that attracts the greatest number of tourists and visitors.

MEB3: What happened in the centuries following the city’s foundation?

C.C: In the seventeenth century, the strong political and economic expansion of the House of Savoy led to the construction of the second major extension of the city, the one that in 1673 resulted in a plan called a Mandorla. 
Turin passed from a Duchy to a Kingdom which housed the regents in the Palazzo Madama and the Royal Palace. This was a period of splendor and resulted in the realization of beautiful Baroque architecture, imposing fortification works and the construction of elegant palaces and residences, which in turn led to the influx of architects, artists, artisans, and highly specialized labor.
Unfortunately, there are no specific indications, dates, or signatures of the Maestranza (skilled workers guilds) other than in the halls of the Royal Palaces; the remaining residences remain the work of exceptional unknown personalities.

MEB3: Could you give us a brief story of why the decoration of ceilings with frescoes was of importance even in small spaces of these historical buildings?

C.C: At the beginning of the eighteen century, the typical Baroque taste for decoration developed. It was a status symbol embraced by both the royal family and its court, that followed and repeated the fashion- living in the noble floors of buildings in the current historic center, while the other floors were inhabited by relatives, tenants, and servants. The buildings were very often made by a noble owner who later destined the rooms to the various social classes. Even today, some buildings in Piazza Vittorio Veneto belong entirely to the aristocrats who continue to rent the spaces to private individuals and professional offices.
 
The noble floors were built on the second level above ground, they had ceilings considerably more generous in height than the underlying floors and above them to underline the social hierarchy, were richly embellished and finely furnished.

MEB3: Let’s talk about techniques, guilds, and materials used.

C.C: To realize these architectural projects, it was necessary to be knowledgeable in the mastering of first quality execution and materials, elements that we can judge and study from the writings that were preciously preserved in the libraries of the Chivalric Orders, such as the order of St Maurice and St Lazarus (l’ Ordine del Mauriziano).
This remains an important point of reference for scholars and professionals like me, who are passionate about their work, want to know the history, and use the methods followed by the “Maestranza” of workers who contributed to the realization of what has now become our historical and cultural heritage.

MEB3: What happened after the baroque period?

C.C: This taste for beauty, this search for decorative details and elements to enrich their homes was perpetuated in the centuries following the eighteenth century. The practice continued and evolved according to fashion and was adapted to different architectural styles that developed in the nineteenth century and twentieth-century reaching the Deco style.
Turin became the capital of Italy with Vittorio Emanuele II of Savoy from 1861 to 1864 when the capital was moved to Florence. With the loss of political importance, the city reacted by initiating industrial development that characterized it until the 1980s. Initially, Turin’s important industry centered on the textile sector, followed by that of the automobile.

MEB3: What was the effect of the wars and its aftermath on the architecture of the city?

C.C: The advent of World War II and subsequent decades brought reconstruction that deliberately erased the classic taste of the “old Turin” by imposing the culture of the new, of the modern rationalism that reflected the life of the Italian family fascinated by the future within the factory.
Ancient crafts no longer found demand, and they become obsolete. Artisans of excellence abandoned their shops and left their ancient knowledge handed down jealously for generations to go to work on assembly lines.

MEB3: When did the appreciation for the historical heritage start to make a comeback?

C.C: The beginning of the end of this enormous socio-cultural impoverishment took place in 1986 when the urban planning law on the protection of historic centers changed its vision. It was from this moment that the desire to redevelop the areas that had previously been depreciated and neglected received a renewed focus. Artisans rediscovered treasures hidden under false coverings that obscured their true artistic identity for decades through restoration.
Many buildings that had not been placed under the supervision of the “Soprintendenza” (Cultural Heritage protection entity) have now been placed under the Soprintendeza’s protection umbrella as cultural assets of historical importance and are subject to strict regulation concerning construction or restoration.

MEB3: What are the requirements and skills needed to undertake a discovery and restoration project?

C.C: Today, the conservative restoration on these protected assets requires historical research, technical reports, projects, and essays by qualified restorers. Additionally, as works of art and integral elements forming part of the fabric of the building, it is also essential that the architectural project is drawn up by an architect to fulfill all requirements.
My double training (as an architect and licensed art restorer) allows me to be independent in the decisions and drafting of the paperwork to be presented. Once the necessary authorizations are obtained, then it is possible to carry out the intervention and restoration.

MEB3: What kind of projects have you done?

C.C: I have been involved in many projects and restorations for public administration and for private citizens who wanted to rediscover the city center as an ideal place to meet and exchange with its abundance of employment and social opportunities. The industrial crisis, with its gray atmosphere of dormitory neighborhoods inhabited only by commuters, has metamorphized to a place to visit precisely because of its historical and artistic beauty.

MEB3: Is there a general policy of the city to promote the discovery and restoration of these properties, is there plan to encourage people to move back to the city center?

C.C: Unfortunately, despite the positive changes of this new-found awareness, there is not yet a general policy of the city that promotes and encourages the recovery of ancient properties. The administrators themselves are unaware of the potential we hold within our homes because they do not have the training and sensitivity to understand it. The initiative of private restorers undertakes this work and commitment despite the higher cost and the extended time that this entails. 
In a country like Italy, with its artistic heritage, there continues to be no desire to consider this sector as a potential driving force for our economy, although virtuous exceptions exist.
The only real incentive for private citizens is the positive response of the real estate market. In particular, in the historical center in the last decade, a strong recovery has taken place, which has overcome moments of crisis that have blocked most sales in different districts of the city. This renewed interest has created a new fashion for the young and old, to return to the appreciation of the beauty of the squares of the historic center and the pedestrian streets crowded with bars and shops. This is a model of life we often find repeated in foreign cities that do not have historic quarters. Nevertheless, they reproduce the same types of buildings because they recognize their social importance.

MEB3: How did you train as an architect and art restorer?

C.C: Today, the work of the restorer is still a niche profession, and the professional schools educate very few individuals. More recently, the collaboration between school and companies has returned, enabling this work to become a true mission, a passion, and a lifestyle. My experience began during my university years when I wanted to obtain a degree in architecture with a specialization in restoration. Aware that it was essentially a practical profession, I tried to discover the secrets of the great masters, artists, and artisans through books and work experience, those who worked hard to make frescoes, gilding, stuccos, sculptures, etc. After twenty years of experience in this field, I obtained the official title of Restorer of Cultural Heritage.

MEB3: Do you have indications of a possible presence of a fresco in a space when you start restoring a property?

C.C: My architectural studies have been very helpful in recognizing potentially interesting buildings for my work.
I have been able to see with more clarity the restoration path to follow, even in cases where the past has erased any trace of value. This aspect is very important in the initial phase when we decide how to orient ourselves in the search for buildings and apartments to restore. I have been able to achieve my expectations and have never been disappointed thanks to study and experience.
Knowing the historical periods and understanding how the environments were built are the important elements that lead on the correct path to discover new treasures. It’s also very gratifying to see the astonishment in the faces of the owners of old buildings when they see the heritage that has been hidden for decades; their environments completely transformed after the discovery of frescoes, ancient ceilings, and chests of drawers, gilding, stuccos, etc. right in the house where they have lived for years with their family. It is something indescribable.

MEB3: Do you have an idea of the number of frescoed ceilings and walls that could still be intact?

C.C: Undoubtedly, in the historical center of Turin, there are still many cases of richly decorated spaces hidden by painting, smoothing, and false coatings. Theoretically, in almost all the buildings in particular in the noble floors and the floors immediately above, there exists the potential to preserve the ancient decorative elements. The potential of losing them would be because of fire and flooding, unfortunately quite frequent in the past due to the lack of maintenance and to wood being heated by chimneys, with the potential risk for the structures.

MEB3: What is your reaction when you encounter a hidden gem?

C.C: The emotion of bringing to light an ancient painted coffered ceiling, concealed for centuries by false ceilings, is something unique and priceless. The final satisfaction of being able to see a magnificent work of art shine as it was intended, satisfies all the effort that this work demands. Following many years of initial mistrust, today, most customers who approach our achievements are aware of the added value that an artistic find can have for an apartment. Owners appreciate our work and love this type of environment, and the atmosphere that reigns in the house, and they would not return to living in something modern.

MEB3: Could you tell us about the restoring approach that you follow?

C.C: Restorations are always done conservatively, and we try to avoid invasive and irreversible choices. We analyze the techniques and materials of the past and perform mimic integrations, which is a technical term that means precisely the comparison of restoration work with the original work.
The materials that are used for conservative restoration are always consistent with the ancient ones. In the past, the range of products that we can find on the market today didn’t exist. Only natural materials were used, and the majority were local products. This enabled the traditions that were acquired to continue, and this also reduced construction costs.  
Our work also consists of searching for original materials and application techniques. This enables us to recover ancient knowledge by recreating cultural gaps due to decades of concealment.

MEB3: You also train young apprentice students on these techniques; do you see a growing interest in this field?

C.C: The growing interest in this sector and my passion for it are not enough. I believe that it is important at some point in one’s journey to be able to find successors, young people to transmit what has been learned.
Therefore, over the past several years, I have devoted my energy to giving trainees and new collaborators the chance to help me during the construction phases. They can experiment in the field and learn that which is not taught in professional schools.
There are a few people endowed with the determination and ability to learn a job, which is much more similar to the lifestyle of centuries past, rather than from the present time. Sometimes the work isn’t comfortable. It isn’t done in designer clothing, and there are few distractions. This craft is undertaken carefully in rooms with an elegant atmosphere, and confrontation of the impossible achievements of the great masters always exits. This is something most rare.

MEB3

ARCH. CRISTINA CORVINO
RESTAURATRICE BENI CULTURALI

E-mail: info@arteoatelier.com or info@arteoliving.it
www.arteoliving.it
www.arteoatelier.com

Read the full article on Art Market Magazine Issue #45