"Icebox" courtyard, Cà Granda, the University of Milan

Via Festa del Perdono, 7 20122 Milano

Restoration of the façades

The restoration of the fifteenth century "Icebox" courtyard, former Cà Granda Hospital, mainly involved interventions on the surfaces of the north-western and south-western sides, and on the stone elements of the remaining two sides, characterized by an evident state of degradation of the surfaces, consisting especially of terracotta, stone, and plaster elements. The operations included: dry and deionized water removal of loose dirt from all surfaces; removal of salt efflorescence with cellulose pulp soaked in deionized water; biocide treatment of all surfaces; consolidation of brick and Angera stone surfaces with ethyl silicate; cleaning with aqueous solutions of ammonium carbonate and micro sandblasting of the stone elements; consolidation of scale and terracotta element; removal of mortar from joints and remake of cracks; water-repellent protection on all surfaces; removal and reconstruction of the plaster of the vaults and on the walls , deteriorated by water infiltrations. All operations were essentially maintenance or restoration works of a wider intervention like the the one carried out by Liliana Grassi.

By Fabio Pigozzi