Il sapere che abita i luoghi. Dispositivi di ricerca universitaria nel Cultural Heritage.

The Faro Convention situates the relationship between "cultural heritage" and "sustainability" within the broader framework of local community engagement. This connection between economic development and the preservation of cultural heritage can be understood as a fundamental element of an expanded view of urban sustainability (Art. 1, c). The theoretical framework that supports this relationship combines sustainable design, heritage conservation, and economic factors, constituting three key pillars that influence the evolving role of communities in cultural heritage processes within international frameworks. In this context, the recognition of cultural heritage by local communities emerges as both a necessary condition and an objective in achieving a balance between conservation efforts and sustainable urban development. Additionally, the abandonment of cultural sites serves as a critical indicator in understanding the socio-economic processes that shape urban development and the dynamics of heritage preservation. With these premises, the MaTESCA (Materials, Building Techniques, and Structures of Ancient Architecture) Research ClusterLab of the Università luav di Venezia conducts an experimental investigation on abandoned places of cultural interest that intersects research with the tools of the third university mission and has a systemic approach to the reconnection between ruin and society (therefore, between memory and matter) through research activities and actions of public engagement. To date, the MaTESCA Research Cluster has launched framework agreements and commissioned research (scientific responsibility of the author) with Public Bodies such as (to name fiew) the Superintendence of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the provinces of Verona, Rovigo, Vicenza; the Superintendence of Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Landscape for the Metropolitan Area of Venice and the Provinces of Belluno, Padua, and Treviso; Regional Directorate for National Museums – Veneto; the Municipality of Vicenza; the Municipality of Brendola; the Municipality of Schio; the Municipality of Verona; carrying out studies and research on important monuments such as the Valmarana Salvi Gardens and the annexed architectures, the Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, the Arena in Verona, the Teatro Romano in Verona, the Castelvecchio Museum, the Incompiuta (Unfinished) church in Brendola, the Barchesse of the Villa da Porto in Montorso Vicentino, the church and buildings belonging to the psychiatric hospital in Rovigo, the church of San Pietro Martire in Verona, The Church of San Zeno Minore in Verona, the Scarpa Wing of the Antonio Canova Gypsotheca Museum in Possagno, the named “Fabbrica Alta” in Schio. In each of the cases mentioned, the research projects carry out enhancement activities through financed research and institutional agreements aimed at defining preliminary knowledge through the Iuav scientific Laboratories and the identification of conservation strategies, thanks to constant dialogue with the Superintendencies, the local offices of the National Ministry of Culture. Dissemination and public engagement actions involve communities through: dialogue with public bodies, such as municipalities, the involvement of students in the Master’s Degree Course and the Iuav School of Specialisation in Architectural and Landscape Heritage, seminars, conferences, and publications, as well as media outreach, including both print and television, adapted for public communication. From the other side, the connection between ‘Heritage Awareness’ and ‘Sustainability’ has been a central theme in the European project Hersus (Enhancing Heritage Awareness and Sustainability of Built Environment in Architectural and Urban Design Higher Education). This initiative, connected with the Matesca ClusterLab, led by the University of Belgrade in collaboration with IUAV University of Venice, the University of Cyprus, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and the University of Seville, addresses these issues through a multidisciplinary perspective. The paper aims to present the findings of the activities by examining and interpreting conservation and urban development within the context of research that fosters public engagement and advances a new paradigm of heritage awareness, particularly regarding abandoned heritage sites.