Modernity Dealing with the Past. Giovanni Amico and the Late-Baroque Transformation of the Santissima Annunziata Church in Trapani

Abstract

The Carmel church and monastery of the Santissima Annunziata - later the Agostino Pepoli Regional Museum- were among the most important centres of worship in western Sicily. The church is an interesting case study for the coexistence of elements from the fourteenth, the sixteenth and the eighteenth centuries and for the late-baroque transformation led by the Sicilian architect Giovanni Amico. A survey campaign conducted with laser scanning and photogrammetry in the crossing and apses revealed architectural and constructive solutions developed by Amico in his innovative project. The research methodology was based on interdisciplinary approach that integrated the disciplines of the history and representation of architecture. It enabled a deeper understanding of the "nuova idea di architettura" by the architect and offered insights into his approach to the ancient, balancing preservation and function.