ARChiFriars · The Architectural Roofing of Friars' Churches. A New Framework for Studying and Preserving Mendicant Heritage in Florence

The churches of the Mendicant Orders were central to shaping medieval urban landscapes. Yet their timber and stone roofing systems – crucial to both structure and liturgy – remain insufficiently studied. Understanding these complex elements is essential for advancing architectural heritage research and improving conservation practice, especially amid rising seismic and environmental risks.ARChiFriars is a pioneering three-year research project focused on the roofs of four major Mendicant churches in Florence: S. Maria Novella (Dominicans), S. Croce (Franciscans), S. Spirito (Augustinians), and S. Maria del Carmine (Carmelites). It treats roofing systems not only as structural components but as key contributors to the spatial, aesthetic, and symbolic character of religious buildings – material records of craftsmanship and transregional exchange.Combining historical research, building archaeology, and digital documentation, the project develops an integrated method using 3D laser scanning, aerial photogrammetry, structural analysis, and archival studies. At the forefront of digital heritage, it will create the first open-access platform dedicated to Mendicant roofing systems, powered by HBIM (Historic Building Information Modelling) and enhanced with AI-based predictive modelling – a major innovation for preventive conservation.Research will be carried out at the University of Florence, with an outgoing phase at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and a secondment at ETH Zurich, providing expertise in architectural conservation, material culture, and historic building technologies.ARChiFriars will equip the fellow with advanced interdisciplinary skills, international experience, and public-engagement training, contributing to scholarly knowledge and the long-term safeguarding of cultural heritage. Its outcomes will support conservation authorities, researchers, and communities in better managing historic religious sites.