Dal naturale al digitale: strategie di design per la reinterpretazione dell’architettura rupestre

Rupestrian architecture constitutes a paradigmatic case of vernacular adaptation and bioclimatic logic, deeply embedded in the geological substratum of the landscape. This article examines how digital tools, such as LiDAR, photogrammetry, and parametric 3D modelling, can enhance documentation and conservation practices, generating novel design vocabularies informed by ancestral morphologies. Through selected case studies — including Matera and Lalibela — the paper outlines how immersive technologies contribute to a multi-sensorial reinterpretation of subterranean space. Finally, ethical implications related to digitising and reusing cultural heritage are discussed, framing rupestrian architecture as a living medium for post-digital, site-sensitive, and sustainable design innovation.