The Roof: The First Line of Defence
Historic roofs quietly protect Europe’s built heritage, yet the skills needed to conserve and restore them are becoming increasingly rare. As a specialist in the restoration of historic roofs, what do you think is today most at risk: the buildings themselves, or the knowledge and craftsmanship that make it possible to keep them alive?
Roofs do not display style, the pursuit of perfect order or the desire to make a good impression. The beauty of architecture is, in a way, suspended there. Roofs are often regarded as nothing more than a functional necessity, a technical element with no architectural value.
Nothing could be further from the truth! I truly believe that roofs play a fundamental role in the material history of architecture. This is demonstrated by the fact that the greatest architects studied and understood even their smallest details. The beauty of roofs is not merely superficial; it is a pure beauty, offered to everyone, quietly whispered to those who know how to see it.
In restoration projects and even in the literature on the subject, roofs are often considered secondary elements and therefore left on the margins of attention. Yet they are the essential part of any building: if you want a building to collapse, all you have to do is remove its roof!
Today, the time has come to regard the roof as the true fifth façade of a building and to restore importance to what has long been the “Cinderella” of architecture. The key lies in the ability to intervene intelligently and cautiously, deepening our knowledge of traditional materials, using the most advanced investigation techniques, adopting a humble and respectful approach, rediscovering precious lost practices, and ensuring regular maintenance without the usual costs and inconveniences.
The greatest risk today is precisely the loss of the craftsmanship associated with maintenance, the lack of attention paid by those who design buildings, and the disappearance of practices that have been handed down for centuries. In Italy, as early as the Middle Ages, there were specialised masons known as Conciatetti, whose task was to care for roofs. Today, only a few remain, and it is our responsibility to ensure that their knowledge does not disappear altogether.
