The Preservation of Tile Vaults: Traditional Construction in Modern Architecture
摘要
Tile vaulting is a Mediterranean technique with bricks that has proven to be a versatile and durable architectural technique, valued for both its functionality and aesthetics, and it is not at odds with rationalist architecture, which is more receptive to the use of straight lines and planes. Architects from different periods, such as Rafael Guastavino, Luis Moya Blanco, and Antonio Bonet Castellana, have explored and expanded the limits of this technique, adapting it to various contexts and eras. Guastavino brought the Spanish tradition to the United States, transforming public and private architecture with his innovations. Moya Blanco kept the tradition alive in Spain, integrating it into 20th-century projects. Meanwhile, Bonet Castellana demonstrated that tile vaulting remains relevant and appealing in modern design. Furthermore, tile vaults are a sustainable option in modern architecture due to their efficient use of materials, environmental impact, and energy efficiency. Rehabilitating the tile vaulting technique allows for a fusion of architecture and construction, ensuring the continuity of a construction method that has traversed various cultures. This broad range of rehabilitation possibilities includes everything from the recovery of the bricks that form the technique to the simple restoration of the spaces themselves.