Il caso SESC Pompéia: dettagli costruttivi del lavoro di conservazione di Lina Bo Bardi / SESC Pompéia: constructive details in Lina Bo Bardi conservation work

Abstract

The SESC Pompéia complex in São Paulo, Brazil, is the outcome of a pioneering adaptive reuse project led by Lina Bo Bardi between the late 1970s and early 1980s. Despite extensive scholarship on the work, detailed analysis of its material and construction strategies remains limited. This study addresses Bo Bardi’s conservation approach, which demonstrates a profound respect for pre-existing structures and their original constructive logic, even in the absence of legal heritage protection. Notably, the preservation of structural elements such as timber trusses and Hennebique-type reinforced concrete reflects her alignment with emerging theories of critical restoration. Through a comparative analysis of the factory’s original state and the completed project, this paper investigates the architect’s conservative and innovative design choices. The aim is to assess the theoretical and formal implications of these decisions from the perspective of restoration theory, highlighting construction as a key factor in future conservation strategies.