Sistema de Informação para o Património Arquitetónico (SIPA)
Information System for Architectural Heritage (SIPA)
[2012]
With the generic goal of establishing and developing a technical-scientific partnership aimed at studying, cataloguing and promoting Portugal’s tile heritage, the collaboration agreement between the Housing and Urban Rehabilitation Institute (IHRU) and the School of Arts and Humanities of the University of Lisbon was signed on 20 December 2012. The agreement focused primarily on the compatibilization of the inventories of both institutions – Information System for Architectural Heritage (SIPA), and Az Infinitum – Azulejo Indexation and Referencing System. The agreement also stipulated the processing of data from the architectural inventory of Lisbon’s downtown area, with the Az in charge of documenting Pombaline tile patterns.
Currently overseen by the Directorate-General for Cultural Heritage, SIPA remains a very important instrument for cataloguing cultural heritage, and the Az Infinitum provides a link to this resource in all its entries, thereby connecting the inventory of fixed heritage to what is in effect the largest heritage database in the country. Both institutions maintain their active engagement in the mutual exchange of images and technical support, whenever required.