“Diversity” in typo-technological choices for hypogeum architecture

Living and working in regions of Southern Italy, such as Puglia and Basilicata, where rock civilisation permeated both natural landscape and towns (for example: “Sassi” of Matera or the old town centre of Ginosa, Laterza, Massafra), it seems really strange not to look upon this very rich patrimony of “genetic differences” as a building science. Rock civilisation culture in architecture represents a powerful instrument to think to of the planning process as an intellectual reasoning able to subvert common and consolidated structures on the base of old/new assumptions, verified through the methods at our disposal (historical method and/or scientific ones). If we thoroughly change the point of reference as regards sub divo architecture, all that we can consider banal and natural there, must be reconsidered, discussed and “re-planned”. First of all, as for to the exposure of the rooms, it is no more free on all sides and it has to be qualified in relation with the climate. On the other hand, there are aspects related to the open view on the landscape, to accessibility and to the possibility to run along (out, in, on) and so on. Finally, there are more technological aspects: how are insulations arranged in order to minimize dispersions in winter and overheating in summer? How to treat the soil on the building and surrounding areas? How to realize night winter insulation of the windows working as solar collectors during the day? How to defend the windows from excessive radiation in the summer? These are questions the planners have to answer to in relations with the general definition of the planning. This is a way to foster the development of the research on the field, linking practical sciences to architecture, in view of the absolute lack of rules in the international regulations on the energetic certification of underground buildings. Moreover, our method makes it possible to define new paradigms for contemporary architecture, appreciating even more “diversity”, especially when it comes from the rediscovery of a very rich historical heritage.