Admission
Limited positions
When
18 - 26 July 2025
Where
Florence, Italy
Reuse the Ruin – Summer Architecture Workshop is an intensive summer course specifically oriented to provide a complete experience in architectural restoration, from the theory to the details. The course is open to students and graduates from the fields of architecture, interiors, design, landscape, and art.
It is a multidisciplinary experience meant to give you a complete framework of the issues inherent to the restoration project through various activities: lectures and reviews by international architects, such as Garces De Seta Bonet, Zamboni Associati, AMAA Office, Studio Wok, CN10 Architetti and Italian University Professors; an applied design studio about the reconstruction of the Roman Theater of Fiesole, with a site inspection and a final public exhibition of the projects. Furthermore, an introductory online course, on demand, about the history and theory of restoration.
This experience allows you to deal with the reuse of an abandoned ruin through the lens of the architectural project. After a site inspection, you will be asked to design a reuse proposal for the ruin. New knowledge acquired during the lectures can be implemented daily in the workshop sessions — learning-by-doing — under the supervision of the academic and international firms’ teaching staff.
Average rating 4.5 out of 5 based on 65 feedbacks over four workshop editions.
Teaching Staff
Garcés De Seta Bonet
Daria de Seta has taught at various European universities and is currently a professor of “Design of Spaces” at Elisava in Barcelona. Since 2011, she has been associated with Garcés-de-Seta-Bonet, leading major projects such as the extension of the Picasso Museum in Barcelona and the Strasbourg Palace of Justice. Her work bridges architectural practice, research, and curation, with contributions to exhibitions, publications, and collaborations in the field of museum conservation.
Bak Gordon
Ricardo Bak Gordon is the founder of Bak Gordon Architects. Known for his refined, context-driven designs, he has worked on residential, cultural, and public projects in Portugal and beyond. Moreover, he lectured at several universities and institutions such as Universidad de Navarra, Accademia di Architettura di Mendrisio, IUAV di Venezia and Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Barcelona. He is currently teaching at the Integrated Master Degree in Architecture at Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) in Lisbon.
AMAA
AMAA, founded in 2012 by Marcello Galiotto and Alessandra Rampazzo, is a Venice and Arzignano-based architecture office. Known for research-driven projects in architecture, interior design, and adaptive reuse, AMAA explores materiality and innovative construction. They’ve gained international recognition, including participation in the Venice Architecture Biennale, focusing on sustainability and repurposing abandoned sites.
CN10 Architetti
CN10 architetti is an architectural firm founded in 2004 by Gianluca Gelmini. The studio specializes in architectural design and the restoration of historical heritage across various scales of intervention. Over the years, CN10 architetti has participated in national and international competitions, earning several awards and recognitions. Gelmini has taught at Polimi, University of Parma and Accademia di Architettura in Mendrisio.
Zamboni Associati
Zamboni Associati is an architecture studio founded in 2010. Based in Reggio Emilia, the studio works on a variety of projects aiming to create innovative and quality solutions. ZA has participated in national and international competitions and has received several awards and recognitions for its work.
Studio Wok
Studio Wok’s research is led by the concept of habitat, understood as the quality of living. A quality that derives from a constant, active and accurate research: architecture, design and landscape are the basic elements of a practice that seeks to create dedicated projects, on both residential and urban scales, with consistency and care.
Prof. Maurizio De Vita
Full Professor of Architectural Restoration at the University of Florence. From 2013 he is Director of the Specialisation School of Architectural an Landscape Heritage at the University of Florence. He has been Visiting Professor at the Syracuse University School of Architecture in New York.
Local architects and scholars
Participants will be guided daily by a teaching staff from the architecture practices of Florence, as Filoferro Architetti, and scholars from the Universities of Florence and Pisa.
Final Review Critics
The public final review will be led by internal and external critics and guests.
Program
LECTURES
The lectures provided a complete framework of knowledge about architectural restoration, through the analysis of a few selected themes and projects, explained by qualified professors and the best international firms that work on the topic of reuse and restoration.
DESIGN STUDIO
After a site inspection of the Rocca di Pietrasanta, participants, divided in teams, developed a reuse project under the supervision of the teaching staff and the lecturers.
EXHIBITION AND PUBLICATION
At the end of the workshop, there was a final review with external guests and an exhibition of the reuse projects, open to the public.
Introductory online courses
Participants could access an e-learning platform that provided a global introduction to architecture restoration theory, history, and Italian masters. The lessons could be taken autonomously on demand, at home, anytime before the workshop.
Study case: The Roman Archaeological Area of Fiesole
Location: Palazzo degli Affari
Teaching staff portfolio
Learn with the masters
Second edition
Summer Architecture Workshop 2022
The second edition about the Castle of Montemassi took place in Florence in July 2022. The lectures were at Cinema La Compagnia and the workshop took place at Villa Vittoria.
Third edition
Summer Architecture Workshop 2023
The third edition of the workshop, about the Pieve di Santa Vittoria of Sarteano, took place in Florence in July 2023. The lectures and workshop took place at Palazzo degli Affari.
Fourth edition
Summer Architecture Workshop 2024
The fourth edition of the workshop, about the Rocca di Sala di Pietrasanta, took place in Florence in July 2024. The lectures and workshop took place at Palazzo degli Affari.
