Guest Lecture by Dr. Matthias Brenner at Politecnico di Milano, School of Architecture, Urban Planning and Construction Engineering
Tuesday, November 10, 2026, 10:15–12:15
Room O.2.1 | Campus Leonardo – Building 11
How can we care for and adapt buildings from the recent past, whose architectural and heritage values are still being negotiated? These buildings may be technically complex and materially specific, or symbolically charged, carrying entangled layers of reference, irony, and meaning. At first glance, many appear to be in good condition, yet closer examination often reveals the need for continuous maintenance, strategic repair, and thoughtful conservation.
This lecture explores targeted, minimally invasive interventions in recent architectural heritage. The focus is on complex facade systems whose geometries, concepts, assemblies, and materials challenge conventional approaches to preservation and transformation. Facades are considered both technical assemblies and visible elements that contribute to a building’s architectural meaning.
Digital fabrication is being investigated as a means of developing precise, resource-efficient responses, ranging from bespoke spare parts to potential structural upgrades. Taking a technical and transdisciplinary perspective, the lecture examines how architects, engineers, conservation specialists, and fabrication experts can develop strategies tailored to the specific characteristics of these existing buildings. It also asks how lessons from complex facade systems might inform interventions across the wider building stock. Rather than treating technology as an end in itself, it explores how digitally enabled methods can facilitate critical modification.
Resource efficiency and sustainability are positioned as essential starting points for intervention. Combined with preservation principles, they guide a tactical approach to transformation, extending buildings’ service lives and maintaining their relevance while making informed decisions about what should remain, what may be adapted, and how transformation could be designed.