Refurbishment between tradition and innovation. The Church of “Pio Monte Dei Morti” in Pomarico (Italy)

To undertake a suitable intervention, three questions have to be answered: “whether”, “where” and “how” to restore. The fourth question could be added, in which the economic aspect dominates: “when” to restore. To be able to respond adequately to these questions, it is necessary to proceed by developing specifications step by step, starting from a detailed knowledge of the entire building, the level and causes of degradation, and by finishing with the “operational” description of the proposed interventions as well as to define the functional organization of the liturgical space. The preliminary data acquisition phase, the direct survey of the building characteristics and condition are accompanied by the research on the project documentation and the events that have affected the structure during its life. Then, it’s necessary to plan the restoration of built heritage as a system in which technical and cultural variables create a balance between decisions and processes of conservation and transformation. This methodological approach has been tested in the restoration intervention of the Church of “Pio Monte dei Morti” in Pomarico (Italy). The church, dated XVI century, is of great importance for the pastoral and social activities in Pomarico, becoming a key element in the story in the city. To use an application methodology, more respectful of the built heritage that do not attend a simple “uncritical transposition” of construction concept of building, it means to restore the monument its importance and value