Refresher Course for Nature Guides: Understanding and Interpreting the Traditional Architecture of the Ossola Valley
The Ossola Valley preserves a unique architectural heritage, made up of historic villages and stone buildings that tell centuries of relationships between communities, landscape and traditional construction techniques. This heritage deserves to be understood, interpreted and carefully passed on.
For this reason, within the framework of the INTERREG VI–A Italy–Switzerland Programme, and in particular the BLITZART project, Fondazione Canova has launched the design of a refresher course dedicated to nature guides. The aim is to provide practical tools to deepen knowledge of, and effectively communicate, the key elements of Ossola’s vernacular architecture.
The course—scheduled for spring 2026—will offer an integrated training programme including:
- terminology and technical references for accurately describing stone buildings;
- historical interpretation of villages and their settlement patterns;
- in-depth study of traditional construction techniques, from masonry systems to the use of local materials;
- guidance on the conscious restoration of buildings, in light of contemporary needs and best practices developed and validated by Fondazione Canova.
The training proposal is rooted in the experience gained at the Ghesc Village Laboratory, a site dedicated to the study and experimentation of stone construction techniques, and is integrated into broader project actions aimed at enhancing Alpine areas through culture, education and participatory processes.
In the coming months, the final programme schedule and registration details will be published.
Interested guides are already invited to take part in a preliminary meeting, designed to gather needs, expectations and suggestions that will help shape the final structure of the course.
