Presidents of Ticcih and Incuna visit Italian industrial heritage

The seminar Viaducts, bridges and railways across the Brenner Pass. Works of engineering in twentieth century Trentino, was an opportunity to organise a short tour, for two special guests, to discover a significant part of the industrial heritage of Trentino. .

The Fondazione Ing. Lino Gentilini, Studio Associato Virginia and TrattoPunto joined forces to promote Italian industrial heritage.

The occasion arose from the conclusion of the project to describe and digitise part of the graphic heritage of the Ing. Lino Gentilini Foundation relating to structural engineering projects describing the design and construction of the two main works crossing the Brenner Pass, the motorway and railway. The conference presenting the work, sponsored by the Order of Engineers of the Province of Trento, was attended by Italian and international guests. Among the first ones were Silvia Filz, in the dual role of representative of the Order and promoter of the SEDOTTIeABBANDONATI project, Luciano Sassi, who illustrated the conservation problems of the project, and Fabio Campolongo, who presented the situation regarding the recovery and reuse of industrial buildings in Trentino.

International guests were the protagonists of the industrial tour designed with the support of Studio Associato Virginia and which involved people and sites involved in actions aimed at safeguarding and learning about the industrial heritage. Miguel Alvarez Areces, president of INCUNA and Miles Oglethorpe, president of TICCIH had the opportunity, in three days, to understand a part of Trentino's industrial history.

They visited the Museo Etnografico Trentino in San Michele all'Adige where, thanks to the rich layout, they were able to understand the development of Trentino's manufacturing activities (and not only!). They then went on to visit real monuments of industrialisation, both historical and modern, such as the spinning mill in Piazzo and the Manifattura Tabacchi in Rovereto. Sites relating to the most important mountain industry, hydroelectric power, could not be missed, in this case, the Fies power station, the Santa Massenza power station and a visit, via the panoramic path, to the Santa Giustina dam with its nearby hermitage. On the way there and back, some extra Trentino stops, Venice, the Tipoteca Italiana Foundation and the Vas Paper Mill.

In addition to the visit, there were numerous moments of discussion, outside and inside the conference, or through the analysis of the archives and cultural actions of the Lino Gentilini Foundation. Of course, there were also moments of relaxation and refreshment, with generous tasting of typical local products, food and wine above all.

Also on this occasion, TrattoPunto was able to propose a holistic solution of knowledge and valorisation of the industrial heritage that connects subjects and interventions that are too often unconnected; in this case, public institutions, preservationists, financiers and professionals came together, with a common programme for a unique experience, from knowledge, to cultural intervention, to tourist enjoyment of Trentino's industrial heritage.

Photo credit: Francesco Antoniol