Sara Porzilli

The most recent research and work activities are listed below. All the research activities conducted are presented and described in peer-reviewed articles, conference presentations and lectures for students. The topics presented in this document can be deepened on request with additional material (other sources, mother files, videos and similar). Part of the results can be visualised in the Design Portfolio.

The most important research merit achieved concerns the victory of the Marie S. Curie European Individual Fellowship, thanks to which many of the activities presented in this application have been carried out. Details about this experience are illustrated in the CV.

Lamminaho Farmhouse in Vaala Region. An historic rural settlement dated from the middle of the XVIII century.

https://zenodo.org/record/1220657

The dataset collects detailed information about the architecture and the environment of the historic place of Lamminaho, in Vaala region, Finland. The topic is included in the list of the case studies chosen by post doctoral fellow Sara Porzilli, who is working under Marie S. Curie Fellowship at the University of Oulu, Finland (School of Architecture, Department of "History of Architecture and Restoration Studies"). Supervisor: Prof. Arch. Anna-Maija Ylimaula. The study was promoted also by the "National Board of Antiquities (NBA) - Museovirasto "based in Helsinki (Responsible: Arch. Helena Hirviniemi) operating under the Directorate of the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture and "Senate Properties" (Responsible: Dr. Juha Keranen), partner and manager working under the Finnish government for the protection and protection of the Finnish heritage present on the territory of Italy and abroad. The research was dedicated to defining the methods for carrying out survey activities on historical wooden architecture, identifying the fundamental aspects of laser scanners methodologies and photogrammetric activities. The work has produced a detailed info-graphic atlas concerning all the buildings located in Lamminaho. The work had a theoretical approach, devoted on research and archival documentation. The results of the research are going to support all the practical activities of restoration and repair necessary in the process of musealization of the area.

Laser scanner survey of the street facades in Raksila, Oulu, Finland

https://zenodo.org/record/3560913

video: https://zenodo.org/record/1220955

The material concerns the investigation made on the case study of Raksila, wooden historic neighborhood in Oulu, Finland.

For each building it has been elaborated a census card by fixing the information on a sketch book, the analysis has included several specific aspects: dates of construction, function, materials used for the facades, structure, colours of the facades, typologies of frames and analysis of the open areas. For the analysis of Raksila two different types of card have been designed: one type for the residential buildings and another one (more simplified) for the description of the services located around the neighbourhood.

The recognition on field represent a fundamental part in the elaboration of the census card, the operator needs to make an appreciation of the main aspects by producing lists of different typologies connected to a same category, i.e. elaborate different lists of values. Categories and list of values represent the main elements in the formulation of the census card. When the analysis is finished the entire categories analysed with the related lists need to be transfer to a digital card by using FileMaker software. This programme gives the possibility to create detailed digital databases by including specific data sets. After the recognition phase and the elaboration of the card in digital form, the operator can start the acquisition of the information on field. Each building is identified with a specific code that can be elaborated by the operator or, as in this case, by using the existing codification system (for the analysis of the buildings in Raksila it has been used the same codification elaborated by the Municipality of Oulu in order to deliver to them an updated material easily consulted).

When the acquisition of the information is finished the result is a digital archive which can be navigated and used for different types of purposes. Moreover, the software gives the possibility to recover all those cards, which have the same information or group of information. In the final part, they have been then put in mutual dialogue through the support of a 3D model realized on the base of the laser scanner.

This step produced thematic maps and interesting consideration for the understanding of the place with its intrinsic dynamics.

The Alvar Aalto design of Villa Lehmus in Laanila, Oulu.

https://zenodo.org/record/3560930

This house, the so-called Lehmus manager house, is part of a masterplan for the Typpi Oy area, which includes industrial buildings, workers’ housing and different district services. Through this experience it has been possible to make a high metric reliability, thanks to the last version tools offered by Mitta Oy Company. During the elaboration process, specific analysis there have been made on the conservation status of this architectonic heritage. The activities made have been:

• Analysis and archives research.

• Laser scanner 3D survey, photographic documentation and direct survey.

• 2D and 3D drawings to have an updated database about the house.

• Photographic archive which describes the rooms and the exterior space in details.

• Development of guidelines for the conservation and the maintenance of the house, thanks to the proposal of conserving measures and actual standard adjustments. The knowledge, analysis and drawings processes gave life to various project answers and conservation measures of the original project by Alvar Aalto. This experience served to face the surveying last updated methods and the transmission and the knowledge of an unknown piece of art.

The Manor House of Louhisaari, Askainen from the 1655 (main building).

https://flore.unifi.it/retrieve/handle/2158/1112199/296128/Louhisaari_article_PORZILLI.pdf

The activity has been carried out during an international workshop at Louhisaari Manor in Sept. 2017 about the roof structures of the early modern period in Finland. The event was organized by Senaatti-kiinteistöt and the National Board of Antiquities in collaboration with Aalto University.

Villa Nylander in Haukipudas: 3D laser scanning survey and postproduction

https://zenodo.org/record/3560853

The Art Nouveau Villa Nylander in Haukipudas, Oulu. It represents an interesting example of a summer house built in 1904, located in front of the Kiiminki river, 24 Km far from the city centre of Oulu. The documentation activity has been finalized for elaborating the restoration project of the building. The documentation has included photo documentation, inventory of the timber logs, 3D laser scanning survey, post production restitution.

Villa Lante in Gianicolo. Documentation for the elaboration of the new design project of the Finnish Embassy to the Holy See, Rome, Italy.

https://zenodo.org/record/3562357

The work concerns and describes the survey activities and investigations made on Villa Lante, which represents one of the most interesting villa from Giulio Romano period in Rome. The project starts from the conscious need to gather accurate scientific and technical documentation to reduce the inexorable loss of architectural heritage on the Finnish territory, developing intervention strategies for protection. The Finnish architecture and heritage, not only wooden but also of other nature, require a massive updating to be able to undertake projects to support the development of investigation and intervention strategies, aimed not only at the restoration and consolidation of the works, but also the identification of applicable guidelines and in general the study of existing assets to propose new ways of using these assets not only in the area of relevance.

Documentation for Restoration of the Nativity Church in Bethlehem, Palestine Region

The analysis on the Nativity Church has been conducted for elaborating updated material for the Restoration Project. An intensive laser scanning survey, topographic survey, assessment analysis. Elaboration of new technical drawings and technical inventories. The deep investigation done has supported all the phases of intervention on the building. In this project PhD Porzilli has been nominated as Technical Coordinator and Responsible of the project, she has had the role of intermediate between the university and the technicians.

3D laser scanner survey of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Nativity Church in Bethlehem and post-production management. Type of Action: research on field, realization of technical drawings, 3d models, and specific representations for the engineering projects of restoration and consolidation of the architectural complex. Postproduction activities at the department, preparation of scientific papers and presentations.

3D restitution of the stone flooring of the Campo Santo in Pisa

As freelance architect PhD Porzilli has collaborated with Architect Giovanni Pancani for the 3D reconstruction of the stone flooring od the Campo Santo in Pisa. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

3D Survey with Digital Simulations for Structural Monitoring of the Uffizi Museum in Florence, Italy

https://zenodo.org/record/1220595

The research addresses survey methods for monitoring the static performance and evaluating the structural plastic deformations of vaulted systems and architectural elements, mostly subjected to structural reinforcements. To achieve positive results, the most appropriate 2D and 3D graphic representation methods have been identified, to enable the realization of detailed, technical documents. Laser scanner survey activities have been executed along with photo-modeling and extensive photographic documentation, crucial for the operations of photogrammetry and photomapping reconstructions. Post-production and data processing steps have produced substantial documentation of graphic materials through the development of floor plans, detailed measurements of series of sections, photomap reconstructions and 3D simulations.

3D Digital Systems for the Documentation and Representation of the Wooden Heritage Between Finland and Russia. Survey methods and procedures for detailed analysis.

https://zenodo.org/record/2592520

The study of timber Architecture has represented one of the main research themes investigated. The analysis and the documentation have followed many paths, theoretical studies, origin and tradition of timber architecture all over the world, methods of documentation with 3D simulations and reconstruction, monitoring activities for restoration, strategies and analysis for designing sustainable architecture in relation to the past constructive methods.