The University of Cagliari, Department of Civil, Environmental Engineering and Architecture (scientific coordinators: Donatella Rita Fiorino ed Elisa Pilia), in collaboration with the University of  Portsmouth (scientific coordinator: Tarek Teba) and Historic England are organising a transdisciplinary workshop that brings together academics, professionals, as well as PhD, Specialisation and Master students to work together on envisaging adaptive reuse and regeneration strategies for a significant defence heritage site, Fort Cumberland, a multi-historic layers’ military structure that sits on the coastal edge of Portsmouth. 

This activity will demonstrate how research and design can together contribute to successful and resilient revitalisation of complex military heritage structures.  Through site visits, community and stakeholders’ workshops and co-design activities, the work will produce strategies to preserve the established cultural values of the Fort while responding to its current challenges and future development requirements. Also, the workshop aims to prove how Design as a Creative Act in Conservation can ensure balance between change and preservation, respect the heritage continuity and support the contemporary social and cultural value and vitality of the site through Interdisciplinary approaches, compatible use and sustainable strategies and interventions.

The Workshop Plan: 

– Sunday, 3rd August: Arrival to Portsmouth 

– Monday, 4th August: Opening Session, Groups creation and Site visit in Fort Cumberland

– Tuesday, 5th August: focus group discussions with local communities and relevant stakeholders 

– Wednesday 6th, Thursday 7th and Friday 8th August morning: co-design workshops between participants and local representatives 

– Friday afternoon, 8th August: groups presentations of final outputs and celebrating the completion of the workshop.

– Saturday, 9th August: check out from accommodation

The workshop is open to Master’s degree students (LM4), students on the School of Specialisation in Architectural and Landscape Heritage programme (4 CFU), and PhD students in Civil Engineering and Architecture (6 CFU).