Restauro conservativo dell’apparecchiatura lapidea, metodi e approcci. Il caso di Palazzo Biscari a Catania

The restoration of stone materials represents an important part of the restoration of historic buildings. It consists of a series of phases which allow for the definition of a complex operational chain that should always involve several specialist figures. The case study presented is the restoration of the eighteenth-century Palazzo Biscari in Catania, known for its rich sculptural ornamentation, emblem of the Baroque. This study has allowed us to implement a method of approach to restoration based on a highly conservative character. This restoration, both in the preliminary and execution phase, has made it possible to pursue very precise operational methods and to use natural materials, in some ways innovative, in compliance with the pre-existing structures. The building has made it possible to combine specific approaches linked by a common denominator: to ensure specialized intervention and healthy conservative restoration to protect the existing stone. The themes that are interesting to the scientific community are: the practical application of a team, coordinated by a chief designer, characterized by specialized collaborations; the choice of executive techniques aimed at applying totally natural materials, specific for stone restoration and unique for each individual case. Through this article we want to share the result obtained, highlighting the different conditions of age and conservation from the start to the end of the work, to bring an example to the scientific community which is, due to its importance and complexity, a reason for comparison with any other similar contexts. It could be useful to stimulate the definition of general and methodological operational guidelines, and valuable as a reference for all operators. In addition to a theoretical discussion, we want to share practical aspects, concretely experienced, which are believed to be necessary in the academic field in order to bring the world of work closer to the theoretical one.