The Fondazione Canova

The Fondazione Canova promotes the preservation and enhancement of the stone architectural heritage of inland areas, recognizing traditional building knowledge as a resource for envisioning new models of development for mountain regions. Through research, training, and fieldwork, the Foundation works to preserve a tangible and intangible heritage that tells the story of communities and their relationship with the landscape, fostering its transmission to future generations.

Its work is based on an interdisciplinary approach that brings together architecture, craftsmanship, culture, and community participation. Workshops, training sites, educational programs, and collaborations with universities, professionals, and institutions help spread expertise related to the restoration of historic buildings, promoting regeneration practices that respect local identity and environmental sustainability.

Among the Foundation’s most representative initiatives is Ghesc_Lab, a permanent restoration and experimentation laboratory in the small village of Ghesc, in the Antrona Valley, where the restoration of stone architecture is accompanied by research, training, and community engagement programs. The village thus becomes a meeting place where memory and innovation converge, capable of attracting students, professionals, and citizens interested in reflecting on the future of inland areas and the value of preserving heritage.

By promoting traditional skills and building cultural and scientific networks, the Canova Foundation helps foster a model of regeneration that centers on the landscape, people, and the transmission of knowledge, transforming historical heritage into a living resource for community development.