The original structure dates back to 1646.
In 1682 the management of this architectural complex was entrusted to the Dominican friars, and in 1693 it was decided to annex a college for the education of young people.
In 1826 Charles Felix wanted to turn it into an Orphans’ Hospice for the purpose of educating and initiating the orphaned and disinherited youth of the Sardinian provinces into various trades.
Therefore, it was equipped with modern machinery that enabled the training of blacksmiths, carpenters, shoemakers, tailors, textile workers and then printers and rope makers with the production and sale of their crafts.
In 1884 the School of Arts and Crafts was established, open to all young people, which gave rise in 1907 to the Royal Industrial School for Mechanical, Electrical and Decorative Industries and, in 1931 the Royal Industrial Institute.
In February 1943 during air raids on the city of Cagliari, the building suffered severe damage.
In 1946 it became home to the Industrial Technical Institute, which in 1964 was named after Dionigi Scano.
In the early 1900s, an additional building was built to house the workshops, separate from the main building and placed at the intersection of S. Eusebio and S. Lucifero streets.
Since 2006 it has housed the Foiso Fois High School of Art and Music.