Home 9 Research projects 9 Developing an Architectural Glossary Based on 17th-18th Century Military and Court Construction in the Duchy of Savoy Coordinator: V. Burgassi (Principal Investigator – PI)

Developing an Architectural Glossary Based on 17th-18th Century Military and Court Construction in the Duchy of Savoy Coordinator: V. Burgassi (Principal Investigator – PI)

Abstract 

This research project examines the organization of craftsmen and building sites in the Savoy States during the early modern period, with a focus on developing a glossary of technical terms used in 17th- and 18th-century construction. Drawing on a detailed analysis of technical documents, particularly the Instructions produced by military engineers, the project aims to deepen our understanding of these professionals’ roles within ducal construction sites. This glossary is informed by both primary and secondary sources on Piedmontese building techniques and cross-referenced with major 19th-century construction manuals and recent studies in construction history. 

The project spans multiple research areas, including construction history, architecture, art, archaeology, and philology, using an interdisciplinary approach to provide a fuller understanding of building practices in European court residences of the 17th and 18th centuries. It explores the complex interactions among architects, craftsmen, patrons, and laborers that influenced evolving construction techniques and architectural styles within elite settings.  

This broad perspective facilitates a nuanced analysis of the organizational frameworks governing royal and ducal construction sites, addressing both the hierarchical and logistical dimensions of large-scale projects and the transmission of specialized technical vocabulary across different regions and trades. The study aims to reframe conventional views on construction site management in this period by highlighting regional diversity and the influence of architectural treatises, while also probing socio-political and economic factors shaping these monumental efforts. 

Furthermore, this research has implications for contemporary heritage preservation, offering insights valuable for restoration and conservation of historically significant sites. Through this integrated approach, the project underscores the importance of historical construction knowledge in informing sustainable and accurate preservation practices. 

Participants 

Valentina Burgassi (PI), Politecnico di Torino  

Contact: valentina.burgassi@polito.it 

Short Bibliography: 

Burgassi, Valentina, “Administration in the mid 17th century court of Savoy”, in 8th International Congress on Construction History, Zürich (CH), 24-28 June 2024, pp. 873-880. 

Carvais Robert, Gérer le partage des biens. Une mission des experts du bâtiment de la France modern, in Marie Cornu; Yaëll Emerich. Les communs urbains saisis par le droit, Paris, Mare & Martin, pp.75-95, 2024. 

Carvais Robert, Chateau Dutier Emmanuel, Negre Valérie, Experts et expertises du bâtiment à Paris, 1690-1790. Pratiques des savoirs entre jugement et innovation, ANR (Agence Nationale de la Recherche – France), 2023. 

Burgassi, Valentina, “La struttura burocratica nei cantieri di corte sabaudi tra XVII e XVIII secolo. Organizzazione amministrativa per un progetto dinastico unitario”, ARCHISTOR, vol. 20, 2023, pp. 64-95. 

Burgassi, Valentina, “Méthode de construction d’un glossaire de termes architecturaux se fondant sur l’étude des Instructions des ingénieurs militaires de la cour des ducs de Savoie (XVIIe-XVIIIe siècles)”, Mosaïque, vol. 19, 2023, pp. 22-37. 

Burgassi, Valentina, “Le parole di cantiere nel Ducato di Savoia tra XVII e XVIII secolo e la costruzione di un glossario”, in E. Piccoli, M. Volpiano, V. Burgassi, Storia della Costruzione. Percorsi Politecnici, Torino: Politecnico di Torino, 2021. 

Nègre, Vincent (éd.), L’Art du chantier: Construire et démolir du XVIe au XXIe siècle, Gand: Snoeck, 2018. 

Piccoli, Edoardo, “Dialectique entre tradition et science moderne au milieu du XVIIIe siècle à Turin: Bernardo Vittone et Giovanni Battista Borra”, in Carvais, R. et al. (dir.), Edifice et Artifice. Histoires Constructives, Paris: Picard, 2010. 

Carbone, Paolo, “Il cantiere settecentesco: ruoli, burocrazia ed organizzazione del lavoro”, Studi Piemontesi, XV, 2, 1986, pp. 335-358.