Juan P. E. Maschio
Feniks - Transcending Heritage
Oriented to reconstruct each castle, palace, fortress, tower or cultural heritage which nowadays is in ruins, Feniks is still now the most complete database of each single castle and it has the most accurate reconstructions in Slovenia.
The idea is to create a graphic and written database of the architectural heritage which unluckily has been destroyed due to several causes.
Investigating each wall, materials, constructive techniques, archaeological findings, old pictures or local stories we could reconstruct our cultural heritage.
While generations pass, the malts will solve with the rain, the wood it gets putrefied, the roofs collapse.
People took most of the beautiful pieces and put them in their houses.
It could also happen that a constructive company or a new owner could demolished the building forever.
If it survived, water or snow began to penetrate the malt, with low temperatures it turned to ice and then it has expanded.
Malt ceded, cracks and fissures began to appear. Stones began to fall and then walls disappeared.
Later they were covered by leaves and these turned to earth, the castle's materials returned to nature once again and for all the eternity.
Our Mission:
Respect for the past, allows to understand our history.
Dedication, we focus on every detail and recover each piece of the puzzle.
Strength to fight back the irresponsibility and ignorance that demolish fairy tales.
Love brings old memories back.
Patience, we read each stone and understand it.
Wisdom, allows us to put each piece together.
Inspiration, to rewrite a new chapter in the story of each object in the future.
Passion... (the word which describes each letter written before)
Juan P. E. Maschio
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Descendant from Slovenian and Italian immigrants of the 1st world war, he grow in a family which has always been involved with different arts.
During his childhood he showed his interest in different arts such as: painting, music, literature, history, modern technology. But there were two of them that always got his attention: Castles and medieval history.
After his second trip to Europe during 2000 he decides to begin his studies in the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urbanism in the University of Buenos Aires.
Along his studies in Argentina, he develops by himself techniques on using design software, later this will help him to create complex 3d models and virtual reconstructions.
In 2005, collaborates in the Center for urban archaeology in the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urbanism in the University of Buenos Aires, where he got his first contact with the archaeology and restoration. (studying archaeology was the second option he had in mind before his second trip to Europe)
In 2008 he goes to Brasil, where he visits the fortress São José da Ponta Grossa and he begins to become interested in cultural heritage conservation and restoration.
After almost 100 years since his ancestors went to Argentina, he moves back to Slovenia in 2009, where he works for different architects, learning the language by himself.
In 2013 he finishes university in Gorizia (Italy) at the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Trieste receiving the diploma Dottore in scienze dell'architettura. On his final thesis he investigates and gave a restoration solution for Školj Castle. The same year he discovers his truly passion: combining modern technology, studying each millimetre of castle's walls, researching their history and to try to get a restoration solution for them.
The same year he starts Projekt Feniks, Gradovi se prebujajo.
2013
- University thesis: »Školj castle, among ruins and light.« - Establishment of Projekt Feniks, Castles are awakening. First research and reconstruction FKS01/ŠK Školj castle (Park Škocjanske Jame, Divača). - Attended to Castle restoration workshop in Rajhenburg castle (M. Muzej Krško) - Virtual reconstruction FKS02/LU Luknja castle (Prečna, Novo Mesto) - Lecture about Školj castle at the Faculty of Architecture, University from Maribor (invited by Dr. Igor Sapač)
2014
- Virtual reconstruction FKS03/PV Fortress Povir (Povir, Sežana) - Participation on the book Občina Straža, ZRC-SAZU (pictures Luknja castle) - Research of Adelsberg castle FKS05/AD in collaboration with Notranjski muzej Postojna.
- Lecture about Adelsberg Castle, Ljudska Univerza Postojna in collaboration with Notranjski muzej Postojna and ZRC-SAZU.
- Virtual reconstruction watermill Ukno FKS04/UK (Matavun) in collaboration with Park Škocjanske jame.
- Lecture about Školj castle NAŠKOLU = NA(Š) ŠKOLJ (magic, romance and legends over the river Reka) in collaboration with TKŠD Urbanščica and Park Škocjanske Jame. - Lecture about Školj castle NAŠKOLU = NA(Š) ŠKOLJ, Skupnosti Srečanje (Vremski Britof) in collaboration with TKŠD Urbanščica and Park Škocjanske Jame.
2015
- Research of Haasberg Palace (Planina) FKS07/HA, in collaboration with Karst Museum Postonja.
- Establishment of project Slovenian Heritage Sentinels. - Virtual reconstruction of Haasberg Palace, in collaboration with ZRC-SAZU, Dr. Miha Preinfalk and Dr. Igor Sapač
- Exhibition and lecture about Haasberg palace, at TIC Galerija Postojna in collaboration with Karst Museum Postojna.
- Research of Socerb castle FKS08/AD, Kronika magazine 3, 63, in collaboration with ZRC-SAZU and Dr. Miha Preinfalk. - monography about Školj castle for Annales magazine, Anali za istrske in mediteranske študije, Series Historia et Sociologia, 25, 2015, 3, in collaboration with Dr. Igor Sapač.
2016
- Research and virtual reconstruction of Kalec mansion FKS09/AD.
- Lecture about Kalec mansion in collaboration with Kpd Miroslav Vilhar Zagorje.
- Lecture »How to stop the downfall?, The importance of Slovenian cultural heritage.« MSi Mlada Slovenija Ljubljana
- Research and virtual reconstruction of Šteberk castle FKS10/ŠT
- Lecture about Šteberk castle in collaboration with Library Jože Udovič Cerknica.
