Transparent Restorations: How Franco Minissi Has Visually Connected Multiple Scales of Heritage

Abstract

The historiography of late-twentieth-century architecture has glorified figures like Carlo Scarpa, Franco Albini, and others for their work on ancient structures. Franco Minissi is known instead for the protection of archaeological sites and also for his controversial use of innovative transparent plastic materials as protective coverings over ruins. By reading his more conventional museum projects alongside his experiments on archaeological sites, this article shows how Minissi expressed his concept of the museum at various scales, from small objects to cultural landscapes. His use of transparent materials was meant to establish a visual connection between all these different sizes of heritage objects, encouraging visitors into a dialogue with the past. As a sensitive museum designer, he always intervened with reversible operations, which has made it easy for contemporary designers to dismantle his work. Yet, as a key figure of the Italian school of critical restoration, his work is worth preserving and continues to offer valuable ideas for contemporary generations.