This weekend a workshop on the art of stone working, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and pending confirmation of university credit for students, will begin in Cassio di Terenzo. The architect Del Lesto (Manifattura Urbana) stated: “We are challenging young people to open their minds to the future.” President Tedeschi (AEVF): “MU understands the values ​​of Culture and Heritage”.
Five workshops will cover the general principles of the main themes of Architecture and Engineering, including: the recovery of the necessary manuals skills; the study and diagnostics of the monuments; the requalification of buildings as well as the promotion of the Via Francigena. These are the formative activities that Urban Factory will offer students and recent graduates in summer 2016. The workshop will take place in the temporary headquarters of the association at Workout Pasubio of Parma. Three of these workshops are already benefitting from the patronage of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage Activities and Tourism – Superintendence of Fine Arts and Landscape for the provinces of Parma and Piacenza; two workshops are awaiting confirmation by the University of Parma, and may include the possibility to obtain university credits for students who wish to take part.
Architect Sandro Del Lesto, executive member of Manifattura Urbana, speaking during a press conference on the calendar of educational events that the association intended to propose, underlined that, as had been done for all previous workshops organized and coordinated by MU, the didactic, and theoretical lessons held in the morning would alternate with afternoons of practical workshops, in which participants would be divided into groups depending on the activities. In the evening, the association would accompany the students to local eateries: a convivial moment to cement the union of the group and, at the same time, to allow participants to learn about and appreciate the richness of Parma, not only from the point of view the landscape, but also from the profile of its agribusiness, encouraging the revival of the economy of our territories
The first workshop on stone processing will begin on Saturday 21, May and Sunday, 22 May in Cassio of Terenzo: four days will be spent with the stonemasons (divided into two weekend, since the course also includes Saturday 28 and Sunday, 29 May) for those who cannot attend the educational lessons during the week. The full workshop will take place from Monday 23 to Friday, May 27 and will be opened by Terenzo Mayor Danilo Bevilacqua, speaking at the presentation to the Wo – Pa with sculptor Paolo Sacchi, who will have the task of leading the students in the discovery of the secrets of one of the oldest traditional arts of the Apennines.
The teaching will focus on thematic areas of: concepts and tools for stone processing; history of the use of local stone over the centuries, including applications and examples; geological characteristics of the types of stone in Val Baganza; stone restoration; virtual reality and new technologies on one study of stone processing; planning of a virtual museum. A rich and qualified team of teachers include: Paolo Sacchi, Sandro Del Lesto and Philip Olari – MU archaeologist, Association Vice President of the association of Social Promotion ACMÈ Social and workshop organizer – students can count on the participation of geologists Giovanni Michiara and Paolo Vescovi, Dr . Marco Bazzani and Silvia Simeti of Archè Restorations. The will be a guided visit to the quarry “La Cassio Stone” by owner Giulia Magnani who will demonstrate to the students its beauty and secrets.
« Scommettere sui giovani, sulle loro potenzialità e sulla loro competenza per noi è altamente significativo perché vuol dire aprire la mente al domani – ha concluso Sandro Del Lesto – e siamo pronti a dare il massimo per condividere insieme ai ragazzi una estate di formazione e crescita reciproca sia umana che professionale ».
“We are investing in young people as their potential and expertise is highly significant for us. It means opening their minds to the future – said Sandro Del Lesto – and we are ready to do our best to share with the students an educational and enriching summer.”
Alberto Maieli
