SERRE PER FLORICOLTURA NELLA PALERMO DEL XIX SECOLO. VALORIZZAZIONE E RECUPERO APPROPRIATO

Abstract

During the nineteenth century the studies of “hygienist engineers” and “healthiness architects” concerning building sunlight exposure, natural lighting quality in confined spaces and visual comfort, found immediate application in both urban planning and building design at big and small scale level. New construction techniques were implemented with experimental use of iron and glass as innovative materials able to create original and transparent enclosed structures. In this context, some “functional” buildings like flowers and greens greenhouses contributed to define a new architectural language and an innovative approach in building envelope conception by means of passionate search for slenderness of the metal frameworks in order to maximize the glass and transparent surfaces. The study of some greenhouses built in Palermo during XIX century allows to know the productive environment of the city and the technical ability of the designers at that time, providing valuable insights for a appropriate recovery of these fragile structures.