The colour of buildings
An investigation into the chromatic identity of historic towns, with a case study of Monticelli d’Ongina. Alberto Rossini’s theoretical thesis at the Academy of Architecture in Mendrisio, supervised by Professor Sergio Bettini, connects archival research, surveys and material stratigraphy with architectural conservation.
Reading the historic town
What gives a town its chromatic identity? This research considers colour as a relationship between individual buildings, materials and the wider urban landscape. An analysis of a façade therefore begins with the history of its setting: the transformations, construction techniques and cultural values that have shaped the place.
From archives to material surveys
The study moves from critical approaches to architectural conservation towards a case study of Monticelli d’Ongina. Archival documents are compared with field surveys, photographic records and an initial reading of material stratigraphy. Buildings are selected for their historical and cultural significance within the town.
These observations form the basis of a preliminary colour plan. Proposed interventions consider compatible materials and techniques, connecting the conservation of individual surfaces with the legibility of the historic urban landscape.
A continuing line of inquiry
The thesis establishes a method for future investigation and conservation work. Its purpose extends beyond a single town: archival research and close observation of existing materials become tools for understanding how contemporary interventions can engage with inherited places.
Author Alberto Rossini
Supervisor Professor Sergio Bettini
Institution USI Academy of Architecture, Mendrisio
Case study Monticelli d’Ongina, Italy
