Ricerc@Sapienza

For several decades now, the Italian legislation has been responsible for the delicate issue relevant to the possibility for all categories of users to access and use buildings, historicalarchitectural heritage and urban locations. Today, some fundamental concepts have been acquired, and, in general, in the new building design accessibility is considered as a fundamental requirement, and therefore an intrinsic part of the criteria to be adopted in this area, directing the choices from the idea phase to the total enjoyment by all.
A different and more complex approach, however, is when it comes to existing buildings or a built space over the centuries. Without delving into the specific problems of restoration, there is no doubt that every intervention on an existing building, such as the one on an established urban location, is variously organized, having to deal with multiple aspects of different nature.
Obviously, the attempt to overcome architectural barriers can only start from the knowledge of the building, materials and construction techniques, together with the search for solutions that do not only take into account the regulatory requirements, for the definition of an, architectural intervention, under all respects, that can dialogue with the built environment allowing, at the same time, wider accessibility.
Tackling with this problem in the general context of fruition undoubtedly poses a series of difficulties linked to many factors, but it can represent an interesting stimulus for the designer allowing him to seek new and special solutions, closely linked to the building or the urban location where they operate. Therefore this becomes an opportunity for invention, experimentation and research.