Sustainable façade rehabilitation protocol for residential buildings in historic districts: The Spanish Quarter of Naples, Italy

Abstract

European historic centers are home to many residential buildings that reflect the history, culture, and construction traditions of their respective countries, forming a valuable architectural heritage to preserve for future generations. However, their private nature often leads to negligent maintenance, resulting in advanced states of degradation, causing the ruin and demolition of some structures. This article highlights the need to establish sustainable rehabilitation master plans aimed at preserving these buildings and ensuring the quality of life for citizens, in line with the principles of the New European Bauhaus. A façade recovery protocol is developed to restore their urban dignity, which includes a technical data sheet model, applied in a case study: the Spanish Quarter of Naples. The analysis enables a diagnosis of the entire building complex, identifying common damages across different construction systems and materials. An extensive bibliographic study provides a range of sustainable, traditional, and innovative therapeutic interventions with proven effectiveness. This protocol serves as a reference manual for technicians involved in rehabilitation projects, not only for the Spanish Quarter but also for other similar cases.