Explore historic architecture and new interventions with YACademy's 2022 Architecture for Heritage training course

Architects have always been asked to breathe new life into ancient architectures inherited from the past or into historical – often monumental – artifacts that no longer respond to the customs and needs of contemporary society. Nevertheless, the ancient architectures tell our story, therefore, it deserves to be restored with interventions that bring along a hint of modernity and show the trace of the design activity. The “Architecture for Heritage” course has been created on these premises. 

The course aims to train designers who will be able to understand and enhance the memory of historical architectures and take inspiration from them to carry out new interventions that both meet the new needs and are enriched by the link to the past. In a close dialogue between the ancient and the modern, between existing architectures and new interventions, it is possible to comprehend what has been and what is now, redesigning – through architecture – a historical line bound to be continued by future generations.

From September 19th to November 25th students will learn about the most advanced survey strategies and redesign of historical architectures; therefore, they will be able to protect the ancient wonders without giving up on a contemporary approach to the project. They will acquire skills and experience in a field of design that is always present and offers continuous and valuable job opportunities.

The students will analyze the technical and compositional strategies to adopt in contexts that host outstanding existing architectures through the intervention of archaeological and industrial sites, focusing mainly on the accommodation and cultural use of historical buildings. The course consists of 86 hours of lessons, a 32-hour workshop, and multiple lectures by well-renowned professional architects.

At the end of the course, the YACademy Placement office will guarantee each student a proposal for an internship/collaboration within the partner studios.

SPECIAL LECTURES FROM...

• Andreas Fries of Herzog & De Meuron - The regeneration of the heart of Basel: the refurbishment of Stadtcasino

• Jorge P. Silvia of Aires Mateus E Associados - Presences and absences: the Catholic University of Louvain

• Valerie Mulvin of Mccullough Mulvin Architects - Ireland, between ancient and contemporary: Trinity College, Rush Library, and Kilkenny Museum

• Edoardo Tresoldi - Ghosts of architecture: the Paleochristian Basilica in Siponto

• Benedetta Tagliabue of Miralles Tagliabue Embt - Sewing up the urban fabric: Santa Caterina Market

• Alberto Veiga of Barozzi Veiga - Elegance and discontinuity: Ribera del Duero 

• David Chipperfield of David Chipperfield Architects - Behind the scenes in Venice: Procuratie Vecchie 

• Federico Pompignoli of OMA - From industry to art: Fondazione Prada

• Yvonne Farrell & Shelley Mcnamara of Grafton Architects - Pritzker architecture in Ireland

WORKSHOP 

DESIGN OF A VISITOR CENTER AMONG THE RUINS OF THE PRIORY OF ATHASSEL

Led by Valerie Mulvin of Mccullough Mulvin Architects

The project, conducted under the tutorship of McCullough Mulvin Architects, will concern the design of a visitor center in the ruins of Athassel Priory, a Norman monastic complex listed among the most iconic ruins in southern Ireland. Immersed in an idyllic countryside and crystallized in a state of ruin for more than 700 years, the priory is certainly the ideal context to measure the relationship between antiquity and contemporary architecture. The uncertain boundary walls, the open aisles, the open Gothic pointed arches, and the abandoned cloisters represent a rare and charming opportunity to experiment with contemporary languages and architectures capable of unique expressiveness both on a technical and a compositional level. A museum space, a cafeteria, a bookshop, a conference space, or even accommodations scattered through the countryside and ruins will be the suggestive elements of a program capable of generating new experiences and perceptions of historic architecture while adhering to a formula that is consistent with the Irish spirit: reserved and deeply deferential towards its ruins.

BUILD YOUR PROJECT

Over the past years, numerous projects of YACademy’s students have been realized. For this reason, starting from 2022, systematically, the students will have the possibility to take part in a further educational step: the production of what they have designed during the workshop phase. Construction is an important step of architecture; therefore, YACademy offers its students the opportunity to take part in the production process of their ideas. The students will gain practical and on-site experiences and the ownership of projects built for excellent clients, destinated to the media attention, and able to define a game-changer in their professional career.

INTERNSHIPS

At the end of the course, the YACademy Placement office will guarantee each student a proposal for an internship/collaboration with some of the studios better matching the topic of the course, with the likes of: Herzog & De Meuron, Aires Mateus, Grafton Architects, Barozzi Veiga, David Chipperfield Architects Milano, Edoardo Tresoldi, Embt Miralles Tagliabue, Geogra, Mad, Mccullough Mulvin Architects, MVRDV, and Zamboni Associati Architettura

GENERAL INFO:

• Registrations open until the 15th of July, 2022

• 5 scholarships with full coverage of the enrollment cost 

• Opportunity to participate in these courses remotely

• Languages: Italian with simultaneous interpretation into English

• APPLICATION WEBSITE

YACADEMY

YAC is an organizer of design and architectural projects for young architects and designers, recent graduates, and students. Over the years, YAC has broadened its experience of work and collaboration with the main architectural firms of contemporary architecture, dealing with diverse and numerous topics of architectural design. Nowadays, YAC’s expertise can serve young designers better, providing them with the creation of high-level educational programs aimed at polishing the skills of the students and offering them a valuable connection to the labor market. Thanks to the close relationship with internationally renowned professional and academic actors, YACademy is the perfect frame to complete or specialize one’s skills and create an important link with the most internationally-renowned architectural firms. The location of the courses, also available from remote connection since 2020, is the prestigious headquarters of YACademy: a medieval building located in the heart of Bologna’s historical city center, close to the Two Towers and next to Piazza Santo Stefano; namely,, one of the most picturesque areas of the city. 

In collaboration with: FITT, MANNI GROUP, TERREAL, URBAN UP l UNIPOL, CESARE ROVERSI

For more information visit: www.yacademy.it
Contact: [email protected]