Methodologies for the valorisation of research applied to the fortified heritage. The INFORTREAT project

This contribution focuses on data communication and on the enhancement of research outputs developed within the PRIN2022 INFORTREAT project. Among the numerous challenges addressed by the project – ranging from the study of architectural treatises to field applications through advanced surveying and parametric modelling techniques – emerges the need to valorise information and results for their dissemination and reuse, both within and beyond the scientific community. At the core of the work lies the definition of a dynamic digital infrastructure – or information architecture (IA), the structural framework of a digital system – designed to facilitate the retrieval of materials and to collect useful information for future investigations in the field of fortifications, in accordance with the principles of Open Science. The system is based on the data collected during the study of selected treatises considered fundamental for discipline. Accessible through the project’s website, the database organises this information to create links between the addressed themes, thus enabling cross-searches by multiple keywords and allowing the extraction of data on specific topics from different sources and authors. The platform, open and dynamic, goes beyond the mere restitution of objective data, as it also integrates interpretations elaborated by the research group through in-depth studies. The systematisation of these materials not only highlights disciplinary relationships among the authors of historical treatises but also simplifies access to data, gathered within a single digital space. The proposal therefore illustrates a research and design methodology oriented towards the creation of a system able both to valorise the work already carried out and to support and enrich future investigations. Thanks to its flexibility, the platform is conceived to be implemented and expanded over time. As such, it envisages a system which – like the fortifications under study – can withstand the passage of time, evolving and fostering the active participation of the scientific community dedicated to the study of fortifications.