Heritage Communities: cambio di paradigma?

Projects of conservation and restoration of historical architectural heritage, like all design activities carried out in a specific place, are now in a paradigm shift: projects are gradually becoming more and more a product, involved from the start of the process to the end. This evolution, which sees the growth of associations and groups of volunteers interested in their heritage as a side effect, inevitably produces new processes and concepts, in which the built heritage must be increasingly seen as closely linked to the community of reference, both in terms of production of design ideas and in terms of its use and enhancement. This phenomenon, favored by legislative measures and sector charters, requires an adaptation of the approach on the part of those who carry out their own research on historical architectural heritage. Starting from an examination of the evolution of legislation and the measures that underlie this paradigm shift, the contribution aims to give a useful contribution to understanding what fundamental role the University as a public institution is called upon to play, in this new perspective.