COLLABORATIONS WITH UNIVERSIDADE DO MINHO AND GM SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, SOOCHOW UNIVERSITY
A closer look at the architectural structure that houses the murals at Gare Marítima da Rocha do Conde de Óbidos is enough to realize that there are problems to be solved before any conservation and restoration intervention. This is a fundamental condition for the future treatment to be a lasting success and not a potential focus of new deteriorations.
The presence of moisture by infiltration at the paintings is a persistent problem whose origin should be understood and mitigated; the walls' resistance to vibrations is another concern, taking into account the geographical location of the building. This is the genesis of the academic collaborations that are now starting within the framwwork of ALMADA project, and which aim to provide data for the future integrated actions by the World Watch Fund and the National Laboratory of Civil Engineering in Lisbon.
The first preliminary and diagnostic survey was carried out between the 12th and 14th of November 2022 by a team from the University of Minho, composed by Dr. Alberto Barontini, and master's students Alexa Camacho, Glynnis Flaum, Elisabed Lejava, and Joaquin Ramos. This visit falls within the scope of “SA7 – Integrated Project” of the Advanced Master in Structural Analysis of Monuments and Historic Construction (SAHC), of the civil engineering department of the University of Minho. The investigation aims to assess the building's actual conditions and structural performance, identifying the most vulnerable areas and contributing to conservation policy. On the 14th, there was also the presence of Wu Jie, PhD in Structural Engineering and Deputy Director of the International Research Center for Green Building, Soochow University. This study, which is now starting with the support of the research team of the ALMADA project and APL, will end in March 2023 with the public discussion of the results by the students and delivery of a report with the main conclusions and guidelines .