The Reuse of Abandoned Buildings Between Potential and Opportunities. The Minerva Cinema in Catania

In the context of the ongoing debate on the sustainable development of cities, the theme of the recovery and reuse of disused assets is inserted. The presence of large disused building containers unites many Italian cities, affecting buildings with different uses. Within the urban fabric of the city of Catania, there are numerous cinemas that are no longer in operation and in a state of abandonment. This paper documents the recovery and reuse of the Minerva cinema, located near the historic center of the city, and decommissioned since 1984. The analysis of the urban context in which it is inserted has suggested its conversion into a multipurpose center that can act as a driving force for the redevelopment of the entire area. After carrying out an in-depth analysis of the historical events and the morphological, distributive and technological characteristics of the building, as well as its state of conservation, the required performance in terms of safety, use, comfort and accessibility was identified. All the design choices adopted aimed at the minimum impact on the external perception of the building, which maintains its morphological-compositional characteristics. The use of reversible technological solutions and maximum functional flexibility were the guiding principles in the definition of the project. The study also focuses on the energy performance of the building and the economic evaluation of the intervention.