Notes on the material communication of design intentions: a case study in Molise of particular collective value.

Ongoing research at the University of Molise is looking at the architectural space in which man lives and works. The intention is to catalogue and document such spaces with the aim of making known the architectural heritage of this region and with it the culture of the representation of design. The study’s object is to examine the religious sanctuary of Castel Petroso, a late 19th century building in Neo-Gothic style designed by the engineer Francesco Gualandi. Specifically, our chosen aim was to analyse the project’s documentation and then to verify the level of fidelity between the plans and what was actually built. Therefore, this activity involved the examination and comparison of the documentation drawn up for the design’s approval and for the construction site, but also that prepared in order to keep the desire to see the building completed alive in the hearts of the faithful. Today, this material is housed in the archives of the Curia in Campobasso and in those of the Library of the Archiginnasio of Bologna where all plans from Gualandi’s practice are kept. The research results clearly showed a late development/improvement in the design that occurred during the construction phase, and also showed that although the drawn design is irreplaceable in the definition of architectural thoughts, it is the material model that renders the plasticity of the architectural solutions obvious to the eyes of the profane. The expressive particularities of this form of communication are very appealing to observers and often cause strong feelings of ownership and conservation to arise in their minds.