Historical Continuation

Memory informs the future

Place revitalised by ancient building knowledge

Memory informs the future

the foundation’s mission

Building on history

Training Knowledge Valorisation

Traditional stone architecture represents a heritage to be preserved with care and expertise. Historic villages tell the story of construction techniques consolidated over time, the result of artisanal knowledge handed down for generations. Fondazione Canova operates to conserve and valorise these buildings, promoting recovery through research and training.

From our Ghesc Laboratory Village to international collaborations, the heart of the Foundation is fieldwork experience.

From the first experience of valorisation and recovery of the village of Canova, started in the 90s, the idea of the Ghesc Laboratory Village was born: a place where experience, care, and training meet to keep stone architecture and traditional construction techniques alive.

Today, Fondazione Canova is a point of reference for those who believe that the past still has much to teach.

Conservation is the opportunity to create a bridge between history and innovation, between ancient knowledge and modern technologies.

Where knowledge takes shape

Our mission is clear: to preserve and valorise the historic architectural heritage, combining a practical approach with academic research. To do this, we collaborate with universities, architects, and institutions, creating a network of cultural and professional exchange that crosses borders and transforms into a meeting between distant cultures and knowledge.

The heart of the Foundation is fieldwork experience. Here, learning means touching the stone, understanding the secrets of working it, and discovering how historic buildings can be recovered while respecting their identity. We prioritise physical involvement over a theoretical approach drawing from the vast knowledge of ancient techniques and the use of sustainable materials.

Our value lies in the constant integration between practice and research, between the work of the hands and that of the mind.

training, research, and conservation activities

A workshop of

knowledge experimentation research

Field Schools

Workshops and immersive experiences, both practical and theoretical, where students and professionals can learn intervention techniques directly on site.

Architecture tours

An opportunity to explore the historic villages of the Val d’Ossola and understand their history, construction techniques, and materials.

Consultancy

Consulting services for the recovery of villages and stone buildings, in full respect of traditional construction techniques and with the integration of modern solutions aimed at conscious and sustainable renovation.

The Canova International Architect Encounter

An annual meeting established in 2001 that brings together architects and scholars from around the world, creating an international network dedicated to the exchange of ideas and reflection on the role of vernacular architecture in the changes of our time.