BENGHAZI (LIBYA) (ITALPRESS) – The mission of the Italian-Libyan Chamber of Commerce to Benghazi, which took place from November 9 to 12, concluded today. The main focus of the visit was the reconstruction of the city’s historic centre, built by the Italians during the first decades of the 20th century. The project has now been entrusted to a selected group of Italian professionals and companies specialising in the design, restoration and reconstruction of historic buildings.
The Italian design team, together with companies Renco S.p.A., Pasqualucci S.r.l. and Piacenti S.p.A., presented five concepts to the Libyan Development and Reconstruction Fund, chaired by engineer Belgassem Haftar. The proposals concern five buildings to be restored or reconstructed in the Al Sabri and Old Town districts.
Meetings at the Fund’s headquarters provided an opportunity to launch a workshop with the organisation’s technical staff, aimed at obtaining detailed feedback on the work carried out within a short timeframe, paving the way for the actual design phase.
Discussions between the two technical teams covered several key issues, including the preservation and enhancement of the existing architectural heritage; the training of specialised professionals; the ability to work within tight deadlines and in a coordinated manner; working methodologies; historical analysis integrated with the study of original designs, architectural volumes and building typologies; the optimisation of restoration techniques and construction technologies; functional diversity; and the integration of buildings into their urban surroundings.
In the coming weeks, the Fund’s technical experts and Italian companies, together with the professionals involved, may work side by side to begin designing the buildings.
The Italian delegation, led by Director General Francesco Muraca, also carried out further site inspections in Benghazi’s historic centre, together with the Fund’s technicians and engineers, in order to better assess the planned restoration and reconstruction works.
The project in the heart of Benghazi’s historic centre represents one of the most significant and visible components of the extensive reconstruction effort recently launched in eastern Libya. It also serves as a model for the renewed relations of trust and cooperation between the two shores of the Mediterranean.
– Photo: Italian-Libyan Chamber of Commerce –
(ITALPRESS)
