Reuse of heritage in port areas: “Casa del Portuale” in Syracuse

The wealth of the port areas does not only lie solely in the working activities settled in its docks but also in its historical heritage.In the last years the port areas have taken a leading role in the planning of coastal cities that have promoted projects of waterfront requalification, to enhance building constructions and port infrastructures. However, the absence of instruments and methodologies aimed at checking compatibility between buildings and new functions can cause a the loss of identity. Heritage in port areas must be considered as a resource to be valued and protected, through reuse interventions that do not cause the loss of the cultural value.The present study aims to define a method for controlling the decision process, in order to check the preservation of values in the reuse of port areas heritage buildings. The object of the proposed research study is the “Casa del Portuale”, built in 1950 on St. Anthony pier of Syracuse port (Sicily). The method includes an analysis of the interaction between economic system, physical system and social system. This step aims at identifying the new functions, according to the sites’ development trends, the aptitude to be used and the transformation constraints of the building. The second step checks the compatibility between users’ requirements and building’s performances. The result is a method for controlling the reuse project, to respect building’s identity.