FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 18th 2024 — Today marks the official commencement of CONCRETO, a visionary international didactical project committed to Empowering the Green Rehabilitation of European Concrete Architecture.
Developed under the esteemed Erasmus+ Programme, CONCRETO, under the lead of the Scientific director Irene Matteini, unites 13 partners from 4 European countries and Turkey in a collaborative effort to champion sustainable practices for the regeneration of concrete structures.
Inspired by the Renaissance concept of the “Artist’s Shop” or “La Bottega”, the CONCRETO ALLIANCEembarks on a 36-month journey to revolutionize education and enterprise collaboration. This innovative apprenticeship program, designed to be learner-centred, will enable students and professionals to acquire and apply skills through hands-on experiences on real-life examples, evolving from students to apprentices.
Over the next three years, CONCRETO will bring together 84 students and more than 30 teachers from three European countries. The programme’s activities will also extend to a UNESCO site in Ivrea, Italy, where students will engage in active study, research, and hands-on exercises on selected architecture as part of their final project – the CONCRETO MASTERPIECE. This project aims to contribute significantly to the green sustainability of the UNESCO Site.
The CONCRETO initiative seeks to transmit and disseminate its innovative approach at a European and international level, fostering cross-sectoral knowledge flow and promoting best practices. It envisions a new skill set that equips professionals to become the experts of tomorrow, addressing the pressing need to rethink the management and transformation of existing architecture.
CONCRETO was conceived and implemented by a large-scale European ALLIANCE, promoting transnational cooperation between academia, vocational training, and professionals in the field. Led by the Pier Luigi Nervi Foundation, the international consortium includes 2 Modern Heritage Preservation Organizations: Pier Luigi Nervi Project (PLN), DOCOMOMO International, 3 Higher Education Institutions: Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ – METU), Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) 5 Trade Associations: Association of Turkish Consulting Engineers and Architects (ATCEA),Consiglio Nazionale Architetti, Paesaggisti e Conservatori Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España (CSCAE), Colegio de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos (CICCP), Fondazione Consiglio Nazionale Ingegneri (FCNI) 3 Vocational Training Organizations: Fundación Laboral de la Construcción (FLC), Istituto per l’Istruzione Professionale dei Lavoratori Edili della Provincia di Bologna (IIPLE), Turkiye Cumhuriyeti Mesleki Yeterlilik Kurumu Baskanligi (MYK).
Aligned with the New European Bauhaus initiative, CONCRETO aims to address the challenges identified by the Renovation Wave, emphasizing the green regeneration of the existing European Building Stock. The learning activities within CONCRETO begin with distance learning and gradually transitions to practical experiences, culminating in a full-immersion hands-on experience transforming students into apprentices with the CONCRETO MASTERPIECE at the UNESCO site of Ivrea. The city encapsules a collection of significant modern architectural works designed and built during the 1930s and the 1960s, representing a unique example in Europe of a modern company town.
All materials produced during the partnership will be accessible online through an open-source platform. The CONCRETO Guidelines, the core of sustainability, and a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) will be codified and shared on the CONCRETO ACADEMY platform, offering a permanent opportunity for knowledge growth and exchange.
CONCRETO believes that establishing unified and sustainable best practices in modern architectural preservation strengthens our common European identity. This initiative not only marks a significant step towards a greener future but also opens up new creative possibilities and career opportunities for young designers, builders, and city planners across Europe.
Want to learn more, visit the CONCRETO website:
For further information, please contact:
CONCRETO Communication Officer: arch. Cristiana Chiorino
cristiana.chiorino@pierluiginervi.org
+39-3483169465
Fondation Pier Luigi Nervi Project
www.pierluiginervi.org
Rue de Vrière,9
1020 Brussels
Belgium