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PurposeThis article aims to raising awareness on the potential of the application of the Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) methodology – developed by ICOMOS in 2011 – with a focus on UNESCO World Heritage sites that are characterized by a widespread presence of vernacular architecture, one of the most vulnerable and fragile typologies of heritage.Design/methodology/approachStarting from a theoretical introduction about the recognition of vernacular heritage into the international non-governmental panorama, and the dynamics that are mostly affecting it, the present contribution focuses on the case study of the Chora of Patmos (Greece), a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1999. The research has been carried out as follows: (1) comparative analysis of selected literature for the theoretical part; (2) field research; (3) interdisciplinary research for understanding the features of the site and assessing potential risks; (4) project design and assessments of the potential impacts.FindingsThe pivotal application of the HIA method on the case study of Patmos highlighted the importance of the methodology as an essential tool for facilitating management and safeguarding WH sites from possible threats due to development projects on vernacular architecture.Originality/valueThe originality of the research presented here lies in the connection between three different topics: vernacular architecture, Heritage Impact Assessment and Sustainable World Heritage Management. In fact, its goal is to bring cultural heritage management and sustainable development closer together, by emphasizing that HIA should not be used as a tool to hinder development, but as a practice for shaping and evaluating projects that might alter or compromise the integrity and authenticity of WH sites in a sustainable and balanced way.

Sant'Antioco es una pequeña isla situada en el suroeste de Cerdeña (Italia). Históricamente ha estado ocupado por fenicios que inicialmente fundaron la ciudad de Sulki a lo largo de su costa sureste, luego cartagineses y romanos más tarde. Finalmente, durante las primeras décadas de 1700, Sant'Antioco fue ocupada por una comunidad de pescadores de origen genovés procedente de Tabarka, Túnez. Estas múltiples influencias culturales han determinado a lo largo de los siglos un patrimonio cultural muy peculiar en un territorio bastante pequeño donde aún hoy en día conviven diferentes costumbres e incluso diferentes idiomas.La historia, la arqueología, la artesanía tradicional, la comida y la música son un rico patrimonio aún vivo, pero aún poco reconocido por los propios habitantes de Sant'Antioco.In this frame, and with the goal of raising awareness on the richness of the local heritage, the Departments of Architecture DIDA (Florence) and DICAAR (Cagliari) have planned several coordinated activities and integrated strategies. These include a first joint seminar opened to university students of both Faculties finalized to the documentation of the local tangible and intangible resources; the involvement of the younger population (secondary school students) with regular meetings finalized to attract and empower them toward their heritage; develop new digital tools, including serious games, in order to better spread the acquired data and reach the biggest number of people. Se espera que el compromiso comunitario inicial prepare el terreno para una futura mejora de todos los recursos locales que giran en torno al patrimonio cultural de la isla que podría conducir al desarrollo de un turismo más responsable y sostenible.

The Historic Center (Chorá) of Patmos, located in one of the Dodecanese Islands of Greece, was inscribed in the World Heritage List in 1999. The morphological feature, the housing typologies and the building techniques that characterize the Chorá provide an authentic and astonishing expression of the stylistic and typological models of the vernacular architecture of the Greek islands. This paper presents part of the research carried out on the Chorá of Patmos, within the 3D Past project, funded by the European Creative Europe program. The first part illustrates the results of the research concerning the analysis of the material components of the architectural heritage of Patmos: the urban structure, the evolution of the main architectural typologies, the feature of the main building systems. The second part of the paper presents the application of the Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA), a tool for the management of site transformations and in particular for identifying, forecasting and evaluating the impact of potential development on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the properties. In the case of Patmos the application of HIA can provide an important contribution to manage changes and future transformations in order to preserve the cultural significance of the site and ensure its sustainable development.

[EN] The project "VerSus+ / Heritage for PEOPLE", founded by the European Commission as part of the Creative Europe Culture Programme (Ref. 607593-CREA-1-2019-1-ES-CULT-COOP1) during the period 2019-2023, focuses on the transmission of knowledge to all branches of society and the general public. Its aim is to raise awareness on what constitutes the basis for the conservation of the tangible and intangible heritage as well as for a more sustainable contemporary architecture. This in-depth transmission of the lessons from vernacular heritage to future society is to be carried out in specific defined contexts, such as islands and archipelagos (geographically limited territories that are accessible to collaborators and administrative, technical and social agents), where vernacular heritage is under pressure, subjected to the transformations of contemporary life, particularly mass tourism. These pilot experiences should serve as a real testing ground for the implementation of actions for social participation, dissemination, education, communication, and promotion in different contexts and through different media. This project aims to reach out to society in order to showcase the sustainable qualities of the examples identified, through the establishment of an operative approach that can be adjusted to different contexts. The experiences on each island are expected to have repercussions throughout the region and, in turn, throughout the country in question, improving the perspectives and opportunities starting from best practices, and promoting the development of local skills. In addition, promotion and support from partners and associate partners will allow these experiences to be applied in other similar European and international contexts., The "VerSus+ / Heritage for PEOPLE" project was co-funded by the European Commission as part of the Creative Europe Culture Programme (Ref. 607593-CREA-1-2019-1-ES-CULTCOOP1) for the period 2019-2023.

This publication brings together the results of the project 3DPAST: Living and virtual visiting European World Heritage, co-funded by the Creative Europe EU programme. The research highlighted the exceptional character and quality of living in vernacular dwellings found in World Heritage sites. This was possible by seizing the cultural space of European vernacular heritage, located in Pico island (Portugal), Cuenca town (Spain), Pienza (Italy), Old Rauma (Finland), Transylvania (Romania), Berat & Gjirokastra (Albania), Pátmos (Greece), and Upper Svaneti (Georgia). New digital realities grant the possibility to visit and to appreciate those places, to non-travelling audiences, who lack the opportunity to experience this unique heritage in situ. Creative potential is highlighted in 3D models and digital visualisations, which associate outstanding local knowledge with the vernacular expression of World Heritage.

In the Mediterranean area, since the early civilizations, the courtyard house was the most prevalent architectural typology. Also known as patio houses, spatial organization in these dwellings is defined by a central open-air space from which the living rooms are generated. The house has an introverted layout; the rooms are disposed surrounding an internal courtyard, the overriding architectural feature. The courtyard is the generator space of all the residential cells, opened toward it, and represents the central core of the house, its principal unit. Still the courtyard allows the natural ventilation and enlightenment of the house's internal space. Courtyards have been used in several dwelling types according to each climatic region and to the local culture it belongs; the architecture of the courtyard house varies depending upon geography, religion, or ethnic culture, economic conditions, the extension and morphological structure of the site and the regularity of the urban system. Its widespread acceptance is due to its capacity of response to various environmental, social and cultural requirements. The architectural layout of the courtyard house provides the dwelling with an inner open space that functions as a distribution element, as well as a cloister opened to the sky while protecting it from environmental threats. The essay provides a recognition of the typologies usage from the origin to the roman Domus, to the islamic courtyard house, to the main variants of the courtyard house in the Mediterranean Region, till the courtyard house as a model for future resilient housing.

Vernacular architecture represents a great resource that has considerable potential to define principles for sustainable design and contemporary architecture. This publication is the result of an overall aim to produce a valuable tool for analysis regarding vernacular heritage through different assessments, in order to define principles to consider for sustainable development. This was possible through a comprehensive reflection on the principles established and the strategies to recognise in different world contexts. The present publication was the result of an in-depth approach by 46 authors from 12 countries, concerned with the analysis and critical assessment of vernacular heritage and its sustainable perspective. The book presents 8 chapters addressing operational definitions and synopses advances, regarding the main areas of vernacular heritage contribution to sustainable architecture. It also presents 15 chapters and 53 case studies of vernacular and contemporary approaches in all the 5 continents, regarding urban, architectural, technical and constructive strategies and solutions. VERSUS, HERITAGE FOR TOMORROW: Vernacular Knowledge for Sustainable Architecture is the result of a common effort undertaken by the partners ESG | Escola Superior Gallaecia, Portugal, as Project leader; CRAterre | École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Grenoble, France; DIDA | Università degli Studi di Firenze, Italy; DICAAR | Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Italy; and UPV | Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain. This is the final outcome of VerSus, an European project developed from 2012 to 2014, in the framework of the Culture 2007-2013 programme.

The present work reports the results of investigations carried out on earthen constructions in the villages of Tamnougault, Tissergat, Amzrou and Tamngrout, in the Drâa valley (Morocco). This study aims to illustrate the techniques characterizing the local building culture, in order to understand its origins and motivation. Constructions show the use of both rammed earth (pisé) and adobe, used separately in different parts of the building. Floors and roofs are made with palm wood, canes and earth. The built heritage of the Drâa valley is an excellent example of high quality architecture, but also of how the local people and culture were able to respond in an excellent way to the environmental challenge, when the context was very poor in natural resources.

The workshop has been organised with the contribution of three different Institutions such as COST, University of Florence and Florens Foundation. Within the COST, the Action IE0601 - "Wood Science for Conservation of Wooden Cultural Heritage" - has performed an important role in carrying out the Workshop, both conceiving the idea and supporting its organisation. COST Strategic Workshops are instruments typically dedicated to launch new felds of research and or relevant topics. The present Workshop has been proposed in order to achieve the following aims:• To stimulate the discussion process and awareness on the importance of the safeguard of Cultural Heritage, and for highlighting its Cultural, Social and Economical importance. • To support the strengthening of an ERA in the fi eld of Cultural Heritage, and to establish research topics to be suggested as possible programmatic lines of the 8th FP. • To inform political stakeholders on the necessity to support research and European co-operations in the fi eld of Cultural Heritage.

Documentation for conservation and development. New heritage strategy for the future collects the contributions to the 11th International Seminar (Florence 11-15 september 2006). The seminar showed the research realized on specific themes regarding the analysis, documentation and exploitation of both architectural properties and material and immaterial heritage with the purpose of its conservation and future development. Scientific knowledge, work and documentation about architecture and urban environment, the relationship with territory, as well as material and immaterial heritage, become formidable instruments for the comprehension and exploitation of the universe of data and signs given by history and culture, regarding in substance human life that founds and takes place in a certain geographic area.

The paper focuses on the importance of knowing the building fabric of minor urban centres as this is tightly linked to the problem of keeping buildings safe, in order to prevent abandonment due to disastrous events. The study aims to identify the essential information for the characterization of the built heritage, to allow its classification on the basis of distinctive categories for knowledge and conservation purposes. Together with the historical data that can be found in the archives - which are often very lacking for building complexes belonging to minor historical centres - an adequate level of knowledge can only be achieved after acquiring data on the geometry of the building structure, materials and construction techniques, as well as their state of conservation. The combined study of this information is essential to adequately assess the seismic risk of the urban centre, being able to assess the seismic vulnerability and therefore to develop prevention strategies. The assessment and preservation of cultural heritage are intimately connected to the innovative processes of knowledge acquisition and management. This process is presented on a case study, as an analysis of the seismic vulnerability of some of the building aggregates in the city of Isola del Gran Sasso, in the Abruzzo region, at the foot of the Gran Sasso mountain range

In all Europe, many small and medium residential areas have to face different challenges, i.e. depopulation process due to working needs and the increasing in ageing of permanents residents, combined with the economic recession. In Italy, according to recent statistics, in a few decades about three thousand municipalities will undergo desertification processes so that their local traditions and cultural identities will be lost. The municipality of San Giovanni Lipioni is a small residential area in province of Chieti, where only 150 people live today, and it is experiencing this situation. The paper describes how knowledge dissemination and new digital technologies in the territorial analysis could help in order to widen the built heritage awareness and support the urban socio-economic development. The strategy herein proposed consists of an expeditious survey of the urban routes by shooting and filming the small residential centre using drones and action cameras, creating a system of virtual itineraries that allows a full immersion in the village context, accessible by using web platforms. Moreover, the state of conservation of a group of uninhabited buildings has been evaluated and analyzed, to elaborate synthetic factsheets about the state of preservation, construction features and other useful contents, in order to outline the interventions for functional refurbishment.

Amongst the dynamics of the abandonment of historic towns in our country, those resulting from seismic events have manifested repeatedly over the centuries. Not least was the earthquake which struck L’Aquila and Central Italy in 2016, pitting the scientific community against several emergency scenarios whereupon the need emerged to consider how to reconstruct the destroyed heritage. Cornillo Vecchio, one of the 69 hamlets of Amatrice in the province of Rieti, represents a symbolic case, whereby the earthquake of August 24th 2016 and those of the following days almost entirely destroyed the inhabited historic centre, leading to its complete abandonment. Along with L’Aquila and Amatrice, the town of Cornillo was the focus of a study workshop organised by the Federico II University of Naples School of Specialisation in Architectural Heritage and Landscape in May 2019, during which, with the scientific coordination of professors Renata Picone and Giulio Zuccaro, it became possible to better understand the condition of both the historic centre, which was almost entirely destroyed by the earthquake, and of important religious sites in the area, such as the church of Santa Maria di Filetta and the Sanctuary of the Icona Passatora in Amatrice. With the aid of advanced technology it was possible to specify the materials, constructive techniques, state of conservation and damage mechanisms of artefacts, thereby achieving a degree of understanding sufficient to develop guidelines for both urban and architectural restoration. This paper seeks to illustrate the results of this experience, which has considered the historic town of Cornillo within its urban dimension in a critical and informed manner, with the intention of providing support to the understanding of the territory and its emergencies, thus creating a basis for the scientific approach to emergency scenarios which can benefit from a combination of different sources of knowledge and multidisciplinary teamwork.

This paper introduces a well-defined working pipeline oriented to a multidisciplinary approach to analyze the structural behaviors of the Archeological Heritage through complementary and integrated studies. The geometrical and deterioration data pertaining to a medieval tower in “Monte Lucio” (Reggio Emilia, Italy) were joined in an accurate 3D model to be used for structural analysis, starting from the complementary use of a terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) with UAV air photogrammetry. Meanwhile, an interdisciplinary collaboration between different professional figures such as archeologists and chemists was established to get information relating to masonry stratigraphy and mortar typology. This allowed the material characterization fine-setting for parameters then embedded into structural models, usually the most complex operation in historical buildings. This led to classify the different brick typologies and the elevations’ characteristics in a 10x10 cm pixel matrix, identifying each slice uniquely by using different colors. The matrix was then imported in MATLAB, assigning coordinates and mechanical characteristics to each pixel, according to material typology. Finally, the model was imported in Abaqus Unified Fea to perform “Pushover analysis” and to calculate the distribution of horizontal forces to evaluate possible prevention measures to be taken. In conclusion, through the adoption of different combined digital survey technologies and multidisciplinary data sharing, the proposed workflow proved to be efficient in the case study presented.

In Italy, but also in the East Europe, many small and medium residential areas have to face different challenges, i.e. depopulation process due to working needs and the increasing in ageing of permanents residents combined with the economic recession. According to recent statistics, in a few decades from now about three thousand municipalities will undergo desertification processes at the expense of the loss of local traditions and cultural identities. Even if a national law, into force since 2017, focuses on the needs of permanent residents in small municipalities in order to foster demographic balance and optimize built heritage, a collaborative solving approach is not available yet. The main purpose of the paper proposal is to describe the role of new digital technologies in the territorial analysis, in order to widen the built heritage awareness and to support the urban social economic development. The illustrative case study has been identified in San Giovanni Lipioni, a small residential area in province of Chieti, where only 150 people live today. The strategy proposed consists of an expeditious survey of the urban routes by shooting and filming the small residential center using drones and action cameras. This process would create a system of virtual itineraries that allows a full immersion in the village context, accessible by using web platforms. Moreover, the state of conservation of a group of uninhabited buildings will be evaluated and analyzed. The study of technical and architectural solutions aims to elaborate synthetic factsheets to be completed with information about the state of preservation, construction characteristics and other useful contents in order to outline the interventions needed for the functional refurbishment of the examined building. This innovative knowledge framework wants to enhance social and cultural territory valorization in accordance with the development of sustainable principles and environmental compatibility and, at the same time, to strengthen local communities spirit.

Natural air conditioning design is a sustainable strategy to meet the need of ensuring indoor environmental quality, by helping to establish indoor temperatures and humidity levels within acceptable values and guaranteeing an adequate natural ventilation flow rate. The adjective ‘natural’ is to indicate that, according to the holistic perspective of sustainability, having indoor environmental quality conditions must necessarily be accomplished through passive strategies, so as to minimize the contribution of machines powered by pollutant sources. In this way the three sustainable pillars will be simultaneously met: the social, by promoting the well-being and the satisfaction of basic needs; the environmental, by preserving the biological quality; the economic, through the exploitation of natural, free and renewable resources. Natural air conditioning design can be metaphorically defined as a dialogue: between human living and comfort needs, on the one side, and the natural climatic constrains on the other. The natural conditioned (or free running) building is the mediator who tries to reconcile the positions of the contenders.

3D models have gained great popularity for their capability to open a realistic view on the former, ancient image of archaeological sites. Virtual reconstructions, virtual anastilosis, 3D animations, still images of the original shapes of towns and their main monuments became widespread inside museums, interpretation centres and exhibitions. Those kind of 3D models are used for diffusion, dissemination practices and are in general built by means of common computer graphic applications, characterized by effective polygonal modelling tools, state of the art mapping/texturing, and robust lighting and material/surface simulation algorithms (radiosity, global illumination, unbiased render engines, etc.). The aim of these models is not so far from being a geometrically simplifi ed representation of the reconstructive hypothesis (in other words, low polygonal models), where the role of textures, reproducing the aspects of masonry walls, frescos, mosaics, is fundamental to let visitors and tourists understand the formal appearance of ancient monuments or urban realities. 3D assets and items of this kind are the same of those used inside real-time applications (videogames) or broadcast and cinematographic animations; the methodology used for their creation is almost standardized and in general does not deal with the aims of a scientific documentation of the built heritage; at the contraryarchaeologists and architects make their drawings, photos, sketches and surveys (made traditionally or with technological devices such as laser scanners or Structure From Motion applications, SFM) with a different focus, where quantitative aspects (not just visual appearance) are the main purposes. The purpose of this paper is to open a view on the current state of the art on a proper use of 3D models in archaeology in order to provide useful 2D/3D representations for documentation and dissemination of scientific results.

International audience

Il progetto per il riuso della Rocca muove i primi passi a seguito del convegno internazionale "La reanimation des chateaux au service de la societe contemporaine", svoltosi nel settembre 1979 a nel Castello Reale di Wawel a Cracovia in Polonia. In quell'occasione fu dichiarato che "les musees dans les chateaux sont la forme plus noble de reutilisation...une installation de musee n'est pas tojours sans inconvenient pour la structure".

This paper presents some of the results produced by a joint research program on the architectural forms and urban heritage of the 19 th and 20 th century in the Mediterranean. It concerns a specific component of the Mediterranean cultural heritage that has been shaped by the exchanges and circulations between its two shores. Such " heritage " is currently in the process of being recognized, at varying rhythms and degrees, in the entire region. Focusing mostly on Algerian, Tunisian, Egyptian and Syrian cases, this text shows the evolution of juridical approach to cultural heritage, especially in the case of recent architectural and urban legacies., Questo testo presenta i risultati di un progetto di ricerca sulle forme achitettoniche e urbane che i Paesi mediterranei hanno ereditato dal secolo XIX e XX. Si tratta di una parte specifica dell'eredità culturale mediterranea che è stata formata nel quadro degli scambi e delle circolazioni tra le sponde del mare nostrum. Questa eredità materiale è attualmente in corso di riconoscimento e valorizzazione, con ritmi differenti secondo i Paesi che hanno dei processi giuridici e storici propri. Occupandosi prioritariamente di casi siriani, algerini, tunisini ed egiziani, questo testo mostra l'evoluzione dell'approccio giuridico al patrimonio culturale, specialmente quando si tratta di eredità architettoniche ed urbane recenti e spesso coloniali.