KNOWLEDGE AND REPRESENTATION AS INSTRUMENTS FOR EVALUATION OF RETROFITTING IN THE HISTORIC CITIES. THE JEWISH GHETTO IN ROME

Approaching with method to the problem of dissipation of non-renewable energy and, in general, environmental pollution is now an imperative condition at the international level. This issue concerns not only the new urban settlements but also the historic cities, with all the difficulties arising from the need for transformations resulting by retrofitting in the historical heritage. In the range of the difficult dichotomy between conservation and innovation, the historical city must address the complex path of the research of an equilibrium between its own essence and the new modernity needs along with a development in line with the environmental sustainability . We can say that now there are already many technologies and procedures applicable for this purpose in the new buildings, so the issue becomes very controllable in the event of new buildings. Likewise, when it is possible to work in a decisive manner on the building, making necessary changes to the plant and architectural level, the action of retrofitting is a simple application. But in the case of historic heritage, how is it possible to operate? What choices such as shares, assessments must be implemented in urban areas characterized by historical or however formal and architectural balance structured, in different historical periods? One possible way could be the analysis of the potential transformations or, better said, analysis of the transformations compatible with the historic cities, resulting by the application of retrofitting techniques, already studied in specific disciplines. In this direction, the "sustainable retrofit" of the historical city, becomes an element able to initiate policies for restoration and urban innovation of the historic cities, to refurbish of the obsolete housing stock and to implement the construction sector. This paper is in the interest of PRIN 2010/PEA4H8, supported in part by the MIUR. It is part of a research carried by Engineering Faculty, civil and environmental department, of the International Telematic University UNINETTUNO about the topic of the role of the representation as an instrument for control and evaluation of the retrofitting transformation in the historical cities, principal through the survey and subsequent graphic simulation as a means of monitoring changes of the architectural heritage.