Prefiguring the reuse of historic hospitals: an approach methodology to design in the digital age

Italy has a relevant stock of historic hospitals, only partially categorized by care type (former psychiatric hospitals, former sanatoriums, etc.). They are not even listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as individual buildings. Since Middle Age, hospitals landmarked our cities and gone through ages with scientific progress, and relevant transformations. They never broke the link with the community and often suffered management issues (higher maintenance costs, new regulations, increasingly high-performance requirements, new health protocols) until they were abandoned or changed to new use, thus often losing historic value. With the current emergency, we must rethink the role historic hospitals can still play, as receptors of new services for the community. The theme of historic hospitals is within the general reuse of heritage stock, but with particular attention to revitalisation for new health functions or mixed functions. This paper describes a methodology to explore the potential of such hospitals in terms of value for enhanced health functions to meet a growing demand for local services other than acute hospitals. Methodology and tools for the adaptability evaluation of historic buildings as new local health services applies to a sample of case studies to explore potential solutions. This can ensure a right balance between financial and functional sustainability and preservation requirements. Emphasis is on identifying a successful mix of applied design solutions and exploitation of heritage value.