Integrated strategies for preserving and enhancing the historical heritage of the University of Pavia

The University of Pavia owns an extensive real estate portfolio, largely consisting of historic buildings still hosting teaching and research activities. This implies a continuous challenge in keeping them efficient, sustainable and completely usable. Indeed, these heritage buildings, alongside an undeniable charm, bring with them deficiencies regarding safety, accessibility, energy efficiency, etc. This work presents an interdisciplinary strategy addressing the issues involved in the management of the multiple needs of conservation and use, complying with modern standards. The legal requirement of a seismic safety assessment was the occasion to launch a comprehensive review of the state of the University building heritage, considering together the different aspects involved, in a perspective of economic sustainability, combining preservation needs and valorisation. The steps of this strategy included a preliminary screening of all the buildings, by simple methods and tools. The aim was to gather homogeneous and comparable information, useful to identify critical structures and/or repeated issues, to allocate resources for deeper analyses and implementation. The case study of San Felice Palace, which presents emblematic features and deficiencies, is illustrated in more detail, with complete seismic safety and accessibility analyses leading to proposals of enhancement interventions.