The Proof of Concept aims to implement and extend the knowledge on the geometric design of late Gothic vaults, which was achieved in the basic research, into the practice of restoration of the architectural heritage, providing a technical description of the historical procedures in designing the stone elements that can be directly applied in their reproduction.
The stone constructions of late Gothic vaults are extremely complex in their geometry, with intricate meshes of ribs which in some cases even soar along three-dimensional curves and intersect on multiple levels at the keystones. The underlying design principles and the particular approach to planning the single components are essentially different from modern practice. They pertain to the context of the development of applied geometry in the historical situation at the transition from the Middle-Ages to the Early Modern period. And they have a determinant and characteristic impact on the shape of the artefact.
In our research, we could gain a better understanding about these principles of geometric design, and about how the instructions for producing their single stone elements were formulated. Until now, this knowledge was not available in the restoration practice. Hence, in case of retrofit or the necessity of reproducing damaged stone elements, there was the risk of altering the peculiar geometric features and distorting the character of these unique masterpieces of historic architecture.
A practical implementation of the scientific results, with the potential of significantly improving the quality of maintenance and restoration, is achieved by defining, documenting and demonstrating practical working procedures that reproduce the original design principles. For the development of these procedures, their testing, and their dissemination among apprentices and specialized stone-masons, a collaboration has been established with the Workshops or Fabrics of several major Cathedrals. These are the institutions engaged in the conservation of the most emblematic historical stone constructions, as well as in keeping alive the historical technical knowledge of stone masonry.
In the collaboration and mutual exchange between the scientific team and stone masons who are specialized in historical stonework as well as in traditional methods of setting-out, we have been able to reconstruct in detail every step of the translation process from the geometric design of the entire vault to the drawing and carving of the single components. As result, the shape of the original ribs and keystones is reproduced with absolute fidelity, taking in account the historical context in the development of applied geometry, and employing traditional stone working technique.
The profound understanding of the graphical procedures in the design and of the information transfer from design to construction is the key to the interpretation of these complex stone structures which constitute some of the finest masterpieces in the History of Architecture. This historical technical knowledge, an immaterial cultural heritage recovered, is now again available at the Cathedral Workshops, where it can be applied in restoration and disseminated among professionals, trainee master masons, and apprentices.
