Nell’ambito della “Legge sul Diritto d’Autore” (Law 633/41), the Directorate-General for Contemporary Creativity of the Ministry of Culture is the office that issues the "Declaration of Important Artistic Character" for works of contemporary architecture on condition that they are the product of genius, endowed with the character of creativity that is resolved in their novelty and originality.
The peculiarity of Law 633/41 is that it does not directly protect the works, but the author. More precisely, it reserves to the author (the designer(s)) the possibility of deciding - in the case of restoration or restructuring - how to modify his work (even when the modification is necessary for functional reasons) and of refusing any proposal that would prejudice the original characteristics and initial quality of the work itself (so-called "moral right"). The law provides that the author cannot oppose any changes that may be necessary to the work, but if the work is recognised - pursuant to art. 20, paragraph 2 of Law 633/1941 - as having an "important artistic character", it is exclusively up to its author to study and implement such changes. Therefore, the Directorate-General for Contemporary Creativity is entitled to formalise the decree of recognition of important artistic character, only at the request of the author/s.
Although indirectly, therefore, Law 633/41 protects contemporary architecture. Compared to the architecture of the past, it risked not being protected in any way, since it was outside the time limits (70 years) imposed by the protection of cultural heritage.
Only with the entry into application of the Cultural Heritage Code for the first time in the Italian legal framework, an action for the protection of contemporary architecture has been introduced, by including these works among the assets subject to specific protection provisions (Art. 11, comma 1, lettera e).
La Legge 633/41 tutela quindi le opere dell’ingegno creativo attraverso il riconoscimento all’autore di alcuni diritti, sia morali sia connessi allo sfruttamento economico dell’opera. Sono tutelate dalla legge:
- works of sculpture, painting, drawings, engravings and similar figurative arts, including set design;
- drawings and works of architecture.
In the case of architectural works, the law lays down specific provisions in order to reconcile the protection of copyright with the requirements related to their use (Art. 20, comma 2).
Complete list of works that have been recognised as having an important artistic character (ultimo aggiornamento del 15.01.2024)
PROCEDURA PER OTTENERE LA “DICHIARAZIONE DI IMPORTANTE CARATTERE ARTISTICO”
The procedure for recognising the important artistic character of works of contemporary architecture is defined by the Circolare n. 29 del 2021; la procedura prevede l’invio di una application signed by the author(s) of the work to the competent Superintendency and, for information, to the Directorate-General for Contemporary Creativity, complete with personal, historical, technical and bibliographical data and current photographic documentation.
Si precisa che, a seguito di approfondimenti e chiarimenti intercorsi con l’Ufficio Legislativo, la Direzione Generale Creatività Contemporanea non è titolata a dichiarare il riconoscimento dell’importante carattere artistico di un’opera di architettura su istanza presentata dagli eredi dei progettisti della stessa. Pertanto, la Circolare n. 29/2021 sostituisce la Circolare n. 5/2016.
Modello A1 – Richiesta riconoscimento (by the author)
Modello B – Comunicazione avvio del procedimento
Ultimo aggiornamento in data 15 January 2024