John Ochsendorf
My Rome project aims to quantify the safety of masonry vaulting. Which historic vaults are most at risk of collapse in Italy today? No one can say at present. In Rome, I will develop new online analysis tools for masonry vaulting and apply these tools to two detailed case studies: the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli and the Basilica of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva. By working in the Vatican Library and in collaboration with Italian preservationists, I will identify pathologies, assessment methods, and repair strategies for masonry vaulting. This work will contribute to our historical understanding as well as the future preservation of masonry vaulted buildings in Italy and around the world.