Vernacular heritage protection by the Superintendence of the Aosta Valley

The contribution wants to illustrate the role assumed by the Superintendence of the Aosta Valley to protect the vernacular architecture in the Valley. The particular morphological formation of the territory has been deeply conditioned by the forms, the building techniques, and the materials used. The first actions of protection promoted by the Superintendence have tried to address the urban planning characterizing the local regulatory plans through rules aimed at safeguarding the building heritage with a classification of buildings in categories. In 1986, the Superintendence then began research into historical rural architecture, recognizing this heritage as an integral part of the landscape and material testimony to the history of the Aosta Valley. Following an experimental phase, which allowed for the finetuning of the survey methodology, coordinated action of knowledge was promoted. Using special courses for young people, the surveyors were trained and for over twenty years they carried out a census of rural architecture throughout the region. After collecting and organising the material, exhibitions were held, and publications were prepared to illustrate the construction techniques and the buildings’ peculiarities to provide technicians with a better understanding of the architecture and the development of projects more attentive to their characteristics.