Being passed on to future generations: the instances of Ponte a Santa Trinita in Florence and the Genbaku Dome in Hiroshima for the conservation of architectural heritage at risk.

In the history of architecture and in the design experience applied to pre-existing buildings, a topic that requires a further investigation concerns how to act after a disastrous events; the second post-world war reconstruction of architectural heritage places is certainly one of the most interesting issues of the twentieth century history because, paradoxically, it seems to show a factual contiguity with the cultural environment of that specific historical phase. In fact, if the identified reasons for the reconstruction of Ponte Santa Trinita in Florence are referred to a heteronomous category like mercy, we could not notice anything but the proximity to Curzio Malaparte thought, playing a similar role in his novel “La pelle. Storia e Racconto” (1949) for the reconstruction of the Italian social subject, that came out of the war badly. Certainly, the exclusive circumstances to re-arrange significant parts of the society image in that specific time, constituted an occasion, aware to scholars like Cesare Brandi, Roberto Pane and many other intellectuals, to activate a virtuous process of modernization in expressive traditions, still hostage of figurative iterations, completely far from what was recognized as appropriate to a process of innovation and rationalization. Particularly significant is the condition of worship places for which, since the former years of the second world war, the discussions were held over the proper application of new formal language, whether used as supplement or new figurative act, and the honest disclosure of modern material, first of all the concrete. The indications given by the ecclesiastical hierarchy both in theologically documents, like the encyclical letter on the Mediator Dei liturgy (1947), or in more operational recommendations, like those by the Central Pontifical Commission for Sacred Art, show a specific interest in the modern protection of architectural heritage due to operative suggestions for a better sacred halls re-functionalization. Therefore, the dialectics between aesthetic lies and figurative mercy let us imagine unexplored areas of reflection not only limited to Idealist philosophical indications, perhaps in many ways already passed, but more focused on a prospect for understanding the extant experience to meet the spiritual expectations of contemporary men. In despite of so many cultural efforts made since the fifties of the twentieth century, from the architectural scale to the urban size, till to the environmental dimension, projects are often designed only on roots of theoretical, administrative, technical or economic rules, neglecting the importance of moral foundations, regarding psychological and social reasons, as highlighted by Roberto Pane repeatedly. Therefore, suggesting a study on these instances seems very timely, as we are experiencing a period that, due towar devastations in Afghanistan, Palestine or Iraq, makes necessary give tangible and attentive solutions to problems that await a response; these answers might be really respectful of the Psychology of contemporary citizens, and be able to support effective actions addressed to the conservation of material evidence of cultural traditions.