suz in rome



21 giugno 2006

026 climatizzazione

I recently read a book called Ciao America! by Beppe Severgnini.

The author, an Italian, lived in Georgetown (in DC) for a few years, writing about the humor of American culture. I wouldn't say it's a great book, but it's an interesting read. I have it at home if anyone wants to borrow it. He also wrote a similar book about Italians, and a third about the Brits, although I have read neither.

In the book, he was incredulous about the level of addiction to air conditioning in the US, which I agree with. But now that I am here in Italy I have a new appreciation for air conditioning. Neither my office nor my home has air conditioning. At home, it's fine because of the thermal mass of the walls and the fact that I am on the 2nd floor of a 10 story building. And I'm only there in the early morning and evening.

At the office, however, I am on the 4th floor of a 4-story building, with an office window facing south-east. And it is HOT. By mid-morning, I am sweating.

Quite a change from working in Georgetown where there is so much air conditioning that you get blasts of cold air from all of the shops and restaurants all down M Street.

025 colosseo in 4 foto


1. Overall image for context (not photoshopped)


2. Brick wall introduced (unknown date), presumably
to stabilize the end condition of the wall and prevent collapse.
This type of intervention is not en vogue among preservationists
and conservationists today. Pros: structural stability,
life safety, easy to distinguish that this is not original,
clearly marked with date of intervention on placards.
Cons: does not retain monument in original form,
is not a reversible intervention, does not adhere to
"minimal intervention" policy and is a severe change
to substructure and foundation system. (The foundation of
the Colosseum consists of at least one more layer of arched
walls subgrade.)


3. End bay - this arch is obviously collapsing. Without the
intervention of the brick wall as backup, this portion of
the wall would surely have collapsed.


4. Close up view of the cracking and displacement
of the masonry. I don't know how the stones have been
attached to the newer brick wall. One of the important
precepts of preservation/conservation is to use compatible
materials in both chemical compatibility and mechanical
(displacement) compatibility. (If I have some time, I could
get the answer in the library here of course!)