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restoration - restaurazione
In 2024, the Fesch Library underwent major renovations. This work was funded by the Heritage Foundation and the Bern Mission, the Collectivity of Corsica, the Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs of Corsica, the City of Ajaccio and private sponsors such as the Dotation Dassault Histoire et Patrimoine.
History of building
Built between 1828 and 1865, the Fesch palace now houses the museum and the heritage library. Construction of the Fesch Palace began in 1828 under the leadership of Cardinal Joseph Fesch. He wanted to create an Institute for the Study of Arts and Sciences. When he died in 1839, he left part of his fortune to continue financing his project.In 1855, the City of Ajaccio decided to install the library in the north wing of the palace and the museum on the upper floor. Consequently, the plans on the ground floor are modified to accommodate the books stored in the City Hall. The work was completed with the financial contribution of Napoleon III in 1865 and the inauguration took place three years later. The extension of the Fesch Palace was followed by the architect Jean CAZENEUVEin collaboration with Jérôme MAGLIOLI.
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HERITAGE lIBRARY IN NUMBERS
Reading Room: 30 meters of lenght by 9 meters large, HEIGH OF ROOF : 10 mètres.
Reading table: 18 meters of lenght.
1865-1868 : installation of book
It has been a classified monument since 1986
the findings before the works:
The library is in urgent need of work to ensure the sustainability of the building for decades to come, and the preservation of the books it holds.
The outdated air handling system no longer keeps old books in proper condition and needs to be completely redesigned.
Electrical and security installations are not up to standard. In the reading room, all wooden furniture needs complete treatment and rehabilitation.
In the lobby infiltration has significantly degraded the fake marble-painted décor of the walls, the staircase and floor slabs show many cracks.
The statues of the lions have been subject to the onslaught of time and the traces of the passage of insensitive visitors.
Restoration Project
The project sought to restore the various spaces in the library to their mid-19th century reference state, while proposing the most suitable and least invasive technical solutions possible.
The work was to bring the existing facilities up to standard, restore the heritage hall’s original character, and enhance the site and its collections.
At the heart of this project is the need to fully preserve the library’s old collections while enhancing their value to the public.
THE PROJECT HAD FOUR MAIN OBJECTIVES:
Preservation of heritage properties and structures
Redesign of the air management and treatment system. The existing equipment was only able to meet heating needs in the winter. There was no real temperature and humidity management, and no air conditioning for the summer period. The major challenge of this work was to completely replace the air conditioning system while integrating it into the reading room without degrading its appearance so as to respect this site classified as a historical monument.
The renovation of the existing building
In the reading room, this concerned all wooden furniture: the shelving, the central table, the two stools and the existing parquet floor which had been covered with a carpet in 1990; but also masonry elements, such as the vaults and the cornice in the underside of the corridor, greatly damaged by the installation of a supply duct in the 1980s. In the upper part, restoration of windows and replacement of glazing with greater technical performance and anti-UV treatment. In the lobby, the restoration was focused on the fake marble decorations on the walls, marble slabs and staircase, railing, front door, and lion statues. Outside, work included the restoration of the facade and the installation of a drain to compensate for the damage caused by the capillary lifts that affected the entrance hall.
Technical
Upgrading of facilities electrical, security, fire systems.
Enhancement of the site
It is through the installation of a completely redesigned lighting system for all spaces, the installation of Wi-Fi and numerous electrical sockets on the ground, allowing students and researchers to have a modern working environment, and the installation of new signage, inside and outside.
Highlights
Work images
Presentation of work
Discover a birth of heritage library
