The Use of Steel in the Functional-Structural Rehabilitation of the Prince Caracciolo of Avellino Building in Naples

The paper presents the functional and structural rehabilitation of an historical masonry building located in the old town of Naples, which is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The building was initially built in the 16th century as monastery and in the 17th century it was achieved by the Prince Caracciolo of Avellino family, who made major modifications. The building has a rectangular plan with a length of about 50 m and width of about 10 m. It has 6 stories, one of which is below the street level; the pitched roof reaches a maximum height of about 26 m. Before the renovation intervention the building was very much degraded, presenting widespread cracks in the masonry walls and vaults and deteriorated wooden floors. The rehabilitation was dedicated on one hand to the retrofit of existing vertical and horizontal structures, on the other hand to adapt the building to the new use, as a Foundation of Contemporary Art. The paper briefly describes the state of the construction before the intervention and its recovery and transformation, with particular reference to the structural aspects, highlighting the versatility, compatibility and efficiency of retrofitting solutions based on steel in the masonry built cultural heritage.