IH4Future - Material culture, scientific culture: industrial heritage for the future
The former Vale de Milhaços Gunpowder Factory (VMGF) - 19th-21th centuries - located in Seixal is classified as a monument of public interest. This factory preserves in situ an operational set of equipment of which, a steam machine from 1900 is still capable of producing and distributing mechanic energy to 14 workshops through a teledynamic transmission system. Nevertheless, this site presents conservation issues concerning the wear of the materials, stock off of materials (equipment's and lubricants'), etc. making sometimes difficult the licensing process of equipment that works under pressure. The operational maintenance of this unique heritage requires the identification of replacement materials with the characteristics of the original materials. In the project IH4Future we will proceed with the scientific study of the VMGF, namely with the material characterization of representative equipment/objects. These results will contribute to informed conservation-restauration diagnostics and to the musealization process of the VMGF, with scientific based knowledge on the industry history and technological development. The promotion of Industrial Heritage tourism in the Municipality of Seixal will add value to the local industrial past, enhancing the residents’ identity and encouraging the localization in an increasingly globalized world.
To achieve the goals of this project, a team formed by specialists in analysis (LIBPhys-UNL), research (CENIMAT|i3N) and in conservation of materials (Archeofactu) as well as in its historical contextualization (industrial and technical) (NOVA IHC-FCSH) and museological valorisation (Seixal Municipality/Seixal Municipal Ecomuseum) in a project called Material Culture, Scientific Culture: Industrial Heritage for the future (IH4Future).
Funding:
205.207,03 € | Projetos de Desenvolvimento e Implementação de Infraestruturas de Investigação inseridas no RNIE – 2017 Project number: 030292 LISBOA-01-0145-FEDER-030292
