INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE AND URBAN HISTORY

The entire course is divided into two distinct cycles, being the first related to the urban context and the second to the problems of the building. What will be first presented are the different ways in which city and industry have gone over time by defining their reciprocal relationships. It is not only a matter of clear separation – as in the well-known case of Northern England and Scotland- but also of interpenetration between urban and productive aspects. In addition to the classical model -traditionally attributed to Great Britain- it will be brought light to some lesser-known case studies that fall within historically established contexts. These include in particular the city of Paris in the early nineteenth century . Focus will be also put on the port cities, and urban networks ; beyond the city limits, on new nuclei related to " industrial paternalism " or simply to productive opportunities. Attention will be also paid to mobility and zoning schemes due to the introduction of electricity, during the so-called “second industrial revolution”.
The second part of the course will be focused on the main innovative materials for construction as practically applied between 1850 and 1950, in particular in industrial buildings. Selected examples will serve to bring out an overview of what has been achieved at the local level and international context . This type of comparison will provide a critical framework in terms of chronology, diffusion models , reciprocal relationships between housing and industry , including architecture and civil engineering. A section of the course will be devoted to the problems of mass production , and its influence not only on the construction process, but also on architecture, applied arts and the emerging industrial design.