Architettura in laterizio nell’America Meridionale fra XVII e XVIII Secolo. Il caso delle chiese gesuitiche

This paper constitutes of a brief fragment of the ongoing research entitled “Origin, development and conservation of the Jesuit churches in Latin America and Italy: a comparative reading”. This article goes through the design methodology, operating system and construction of the Jesuit churches built in Latin American territory during the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as the historical and current problems related to their conservation. Likewise, through some specific cases, the impact of Italian culture on the development of local architecture during the Hispanic colonial period of South American territory is illustrated. The study focuses on the so-called local ‘declinations’ or ‘variants’ of the Gesù church in Rome, developing a parallel reading of four cases that share both the typological and structural scheme and the construction system and prevalent use of brick in supporting structures, while their roofs present a variety of construction techniques and materials, mainly motivated by the seismicity of each region. Finally, a brief review of the interventions carried out in the Church of San Ignacio in Bogotá during the fourteen years of research and execution of the comprehensive restoration project is presented; a specific illustration is dedicated to the interventions carried out on the brick masonry facade.