Towards a History of Construction

Edoardo Benvenuto was born in Genoa on December 11, 1940. From 1965 to 1974 Edoardo Benvenuto worked at the Istituto Ligure Ricerche Economiche e Sociali (ILRES) as a researcher in Urban Studies, and also had an illustrious academic career in the Faculty of Engineering at Genoa University. In 1975 he was called to teach at the new Faculty of Architecture in Genoa; he became ist Dean in 1979 and remained in this post until 1997. While carrying out his institutional work, Benvenuto also maintained his interests in other studies concerning scientific, philosophic and theological thought. In recognition of his great devotion to work both as a teacher and researcher, in 1996 he was elected member of the UNESCO Committee for Exact Sciences; he also collaborated with the Committee for Culture. In 1997 the Order of Architects in Genoa made him an honorary member of the "Roll of Honour". In 1998 he became President of the Ligurian Academy of Science and Letters. He died in Genoa on November 27, 1998.
On the first anniversary of the death of Edoardo Benvenuto, the Association "Associazione Benvenuto" chose to commemorate his scientific personality by holding an International Seminar "Homage to Edoardo Benvenuto" in Genoa from November 29, to December 1, 1999. On that occasion scholars of structural mechanics, architectural restoration and history of science, mathematics, architecture and construction presented the results of their research, thus reflecting the multiplicity of the interests he cultivated. With these proceedings, the Edoardo Benvenuto Association wishes to add its contribution to the research programme begun in 1993 with the Symposium "Between Mechanics and Architecture", organised by E. Benvenuto and P. Radelet de Grave and held during the XIX International Congress of History of Science, Zaragoza 1993.