Sostenibilidad y la Evolución Constructiva de las Cubiertas en el Gótico Meridional

The roofing systems of the Gothic cathedrals of the French Midi and the Spanish Levant are characterized by their flat profile and are the result of sustainable climatic adaptation, as opposed to those of Northern Europe. Their constructional features, based on the Roman tradition of weight-reduction with fired-clay lightweight elements and with opus caementicium, were described by Leon Battista Alberti and called trespol. Thermal expansion problems led to a modification of the construction system from the end of the 14th century onwards, using a flat roof over partitions with a ceramic finish, in the manner of the terrat. After the Council of Trent, and with the need for civic/urban representativeness, the laqueada tecta with pitched profile returned, seeking formal resemblance to the Basilica of Constantine. The formal adjustment of these roofs with imbrex curved Arab tiles (teja árabe) on apses and aisles caused serious pathologies because of the very low pitch. Interventions at the end of the 20th century introduced the criteria of the Nara restoration charters and, together with new construction techniques, made it possible to recover the original flat profile. The processes of constructing and deconstructing these roofs are grounded in the evolution of construction techniques and in their sustainable adaptation to their climate.