Beyond preservation: A PAT framework for sustainable heritage management in historic cities

Heritage or Historic BIM (HBIM), a specialised application of Building Information Modelling (BIM) for the preservation and management of historic buildings, offers transformational opportunities for the heritage conservation sectors. However, this has not been fully explored, with HBIM applications mostly used as mere archival documentation for heritage architecture. As such, this study proposes to investigate the opportunities and challenges in adopting HBIM in preserving and managing heritage buildings. The study adopts a qualitative research strategy comprising literature review and expert interviews to explore the perspective of heritage conservation stakeholders on HBIM. The collected data were analysed using thematic analysis to identify the current state of HBIM adoption, its benefits, and its challenges. Findings reveal that while HBIM offers significant opportunities, such as improved archival documentation, visualisation, and maintenance planning, its adoption remains limited due to high costs, lack of expertise, and resistance to new technologies. This study acts as a reference point illuminating the need for increased awareness, training, and investment in HBIM to fully harness its potential, positioning it as a crucial tool for the sustainable management of heritage assets. This study originality is in its primary focus on HBIM, an application that has been under explored unlike BIM.

Methodology for an HBIM workflow focused on the representation of construction systems of built heritage

Beyond conserving urban heritage, the concept of historic urban landscapes (HULs) aims to tackle poverty and inequality, as well as to improve the quality of human settlements, through a people-centered approach in the context of rapid urbanization. This paper demonstrates the adaption of HUL tools and methodologies to investigate a slum in a historical city—the informal settlements along the Mae Kha Canal in Chiang Mai. An on-site field survey of the characteristics of the settlement’s composition and interviews with stakeholders, local authorities, and inhabitants were conducted. The analysis revealed that there is a gap between the desired strategy of the Mae Kha Canal agenda and the actual conditions of the location. The aforementioned contrast is discussed to suggest alternate options for upgrading the informal community while preserving its ancient walls, in line with HUL principles. The conclusion highlights the benefits of introducing the HUL approach in a slum setting and provides recommendations for deteriorated neighborhoods elsewhere that are either surrounded by or adjacent to historical features needing resilience.

Due to evolving climate patterns and the deterioration of infrastructure in historic cities, these urban locales confront escalating flood-related risks. A profusion of academic discourse has separately explored the subjects of urban flooding and historic urban landscapes, but an integrative, systematic review of both areas concurrently remains scarce. This review presents a holistic perspective of the convergence between urban flooding and historic urban landscapes, meticulously evaluating 101 scholarly articles sourced from the Web of Science database spanning from 2006 to 2022. The disciplinary classification encompasses 24 categories. A careful examination of the methodologies employed in these articles reveals flood vulnerability mapping as a prevalent tool in urban heritage conservation, while nature-based solutions emerge as potent strategies for mitigating urban flooding challenges. The insights derived from this review shed light on the present state of affairs regarding urban flooding risks in historic cities, and provide a wealth of information beneficial to decision-makers and practitioners engaged in urban stormwater management.

This chapter presents methodologies of documentation to be used for historical urban landscapes, according to the 2011 UNESCO Recommendation on Historic Urban Landscapes. This study proposes a protocol for the typological and parametric representation of townscapes, also introducing the application of a Building Information Modelling (BIM) tool for the planned reconstruction. This process aims to promote in-depth knowledge of the site condition: open data collection, typological survey and visualisation of the city’s evolution and conformation prior to the earthquake. A further step is the application of information technology (IT) models to combine adequate technological retrofitting and resilience measures while taking into account the character of the places being reconstructed. As a consequence, it is important to make simulations to visualise typological, aggregative and functional solutions with respect to the regeneration of social capital in the places where it is expected by the local community. The strategy presented here proposes that in decision-making processes, project information modelling through Heritage BIM and the simulation of different reconstruction scenarios is included. Toolkits will be used to visualise and disseminate the recommended building solutions based on architectural repertoires such as pattern books, included in the masterplan. The heritage information modelling system allows simulations that integrate environmental modelling, semantic representation and typological documentation of each settlement. The main outcome is the typological and parametric representation of identity characteristics based on algorithmic simulations and the application of Heritage BIM architectural libraries and typological models to the reconstruction design. The project also supports the regeneration of Amatrice’s local identity through documentation of its urban landscape, its material expression as an impulse for the regeneration of memory and the inclusion of the community within the process.

Cities -- Historic cities -- Inhabited Historic cities; their protection, nomination and preservation are the focus of this thesis. The UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) adopted in 2011, and the “Cronocaos” exhibition (Rem Koolhaas and Shohei Shigematso, New Museum NYC, 2011) which raised some criticism about preservation limiting contemporary architecture and urbanism interventions, triggered this thesis. This thesis, however, posits that the new Recommendation is in fact a natural continuum of previous standard-setting documents developed gradually from the mid-twentieth century to today, and is well connected to current trends rather than being too ambitious and "going too far". A thorough study of the HUL approach and the new Recommendation, along with contemporary sources, provide an understanding of the current professional discourse, and further supports this suggestion. The thesis findings illustrate that various aspects, such as setting, context, environment; social values and local communities; constant change, contemporary interventions, as well as integrated conservation, planning and management policies included in the 2011 Recommendation were addressed by previous recommendations, declarations, and charters, dealing directly and indirectly with urban heritage. The new Recommendation expands upon some of these issues, clarifies others, and adds new ones. Furthermore, the similar characteristics of cultural landscapes and historic towns as "living properties", and the relationship between the two concepts, demonstrated by the Operational Guidelines for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention, support applying the landscape approach to the HUL. By providing a traditional and innovative toolkit, the 2011 UNESCO Recommendation, which is essentially a management plan, will hopefully minimize "the gap existing between the ideal world of the “Charters” and the practical realities," (2010 Preliminary Report). Overall the Recommendation retains strong ties to former international standard-setting documents, demonstrating that it is indeed a natural continuum rather than a disconnected and overly-ambitious preservation trend. This continuum has the potential to be integrated into twenty-first century environmental, ecological and sustainability approaches, and is thus appropriate for its time. Such integration holds promise for improvement of local communities' quality of life - of our life.

Cirebon City is an old city which is rich in heritage buildings from the Dutch colonial era which still survive today, one of which is the Cirebon City Hall building. As a cultural heritage building, based on the results of field visits, the City Hall building does not have complete drawing documents and material specifications. This is thought to be experienced by most other cultural heritage buildings. In answering the above problems, along with the development of Architecture, Engineering, and Construction technology, the planning process to building maintenance and repair can be managed digitally using a variety of Building Information Modeling (BIM) based tools. In the case of cultural heritage buildings, the principle of BIM technology used is Heritage / Historical Building Information Modeling or H-BIM. H-BIM is used for heritage and archeology, documentation, research, conservation, renovation, and asset management as digital information data on cultural heritage buildings. This research begins by conducting a survey of building geometry measurements and identifying building materials, then compiling the information based on the principles of HeritageBuilding Information Modeling (H-BIM). The documentation resulted in a digital model of building reconstruction complete with other non-geometric information of more than 1500 building elements. This information is organized based on the classification of building elements in the BIM. The data in the BIM format is used as a cultural heritage building document asset which can then be used in making maintenance and restoration plans for the building. Besides that, the 3dimensional geometry model of the building can be used as a virtual museum for cultural heritage buildings

This paper explores the comprehensive perspective of Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) through the evolution of cultural landscape theories as well as World Heritage cultural landscapes. It analyzes the adaptation of HUL in Chinese cultural, political and social context. In particularly, it proposes a thematic framework for the application of HUL in historic cities in China. The framework consists of three main themes and several sub-themes embracing dimensions such as perception of landscape, land-use, ways of life, spiritual or social-economic associations with landscape, and tools which can be used for identification of value. The research attempts to highlights the contribution that the HUL approach could make to the existing planning and management system for the conservation of historic cities in China.

PurposeThe UNESCO recommendation under the historic urban landscapes (HUL) title and Operational Guidelines (OPG) were used to create dynamic protective boundaries to maintain the integrity and authenticity of Isfahan's heritage waterways. Accordingly, by using GIS and Isfahan urban layers, three protective zones were proposed and evaluated; the central zone, the functional zone and the visual zone.Design/methodology/approachHeritage waterways in historic cities are not adequately protected against the negative impacts of urban development, and there is a lack of a dynamic protective system to protect their integrity and authenticity. The problem can be observed in Isfahan, a historic Iranian city, where the boundaries of urban heritage waterways (Madi canals) are usually rigid and arbitrary. This study aims to develop a practicable paradigm for determining protection boundaries for Isfahan's Jolfa Madi, an urban heritage waterway.FindingsCompared to the current protective boundaries, the authors found that proposed protective boundaries create a greater amount of protection space, which makes a strong connection among the ecological, historical and socio-economic characteristics of the urban context. Furthermore, the protective zones based on the HUL approach give Isfahan's urban planning policy the opportunity to consider participatory tools, financial tools and regulatory systems.Originality/valueMany studies have emphasized a fixed-width buffer or an arbitrary distance from the urban waterway's axis (urban heritage) or its banks. Although these protections include technical conservation or setting restrictions on the adjacent buildings and blocks, studying crucial concepts such as urban dynamic, urban heritage context and producing a particular technique for protected boundaries has not been investigated. In this article three dynamic boundaries are delineated with various functions in order to provide urban heritage with dynamic preservation and sustainable development for the historic urban landscapes.

In the architecture, engineering and construction sectors, Building Information Modeling (BIM)-based procedures have become adopted more and more. In fact, the development of suitable BIM models facilitates the management of the design and construction phases and improves the efficiency of the maintenance policies during the life cycle of the building. Although the BIM method is mostly implemented in the building industry for new constructions, in recent years, the deployment of this technology has also attracted increasing attention for existing structures to rebuild their geometry and gather relevant data, especially for historical buildings; in this case, we refer to Heritage BIM (HBIM). A HBIM procedure requires a multidisciplinary approach involving not only historical, conservation, and restoration considerations but also suitable maintenance and repair plans, duly balancing the structural needs with the preservation of the historical value of the building and its content. Although the integration of the structural assessment in the HBIM process would be highly beneficial, its practical implementation is often in the early stages. In the paper, an original parametric procedure for the assessment of existing masonry buildings is proposed in the BIM environment. The procedure combines E-PUSH, a software program for the structural analysis of masonry structures under seismic and non-seismic actions with an appropriate BIM approach, so improving the management of gathered data through cognitive phases. The assessment process is, thus, simplified since data required for the structural analysis are directly retrieved from the BIM model, and the structural analyses and verifications are performed without using external programs. The proposed BIM workflow is finally illustrated and discussed referring to a relevant case study, the seismic vulnerability assessment of the “Bernardo Rucellai” school in Florence (Italy).

The foundations of the heritage protection - its paradigm, have been created in the first half of the 20th century. This paradigm is officially still in force - primarily because we do not have a coherent concept, which could link the requirements of the traditional protection of historic monuments and the diversity of today’s circumstances. Therefore, international document that introduces new elements, deserves particular analysis. This document is the Historic Urban Landscape Recommendation, which formulates a new approach to heritage and its protection. HUL Recommendation was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO - the most important international meeting on culture; this is the Recommendation – such a type of document should be implemented by the Member States (which is explicitly formulated in the text of Recommendation); its subject is historical city – the most important part of heritage. From this point of view, the HUL Recommendation deserves special attention.

Abstract. Traditional Chinese classical architecture, a crucial part of China’s architectural heritage, has unique artistic and historical value. Its protection is increasingly recognized, but relying on timber structure, it faces threats from natural forces and human activity, making physical preservation fragile. A key conservation challenge is faithfully documenting architectural heritage throughout its lifecycle and overcoming barriers to audience engagement for sustainable value transmission. Digital technologies have enhanced heritage conservation efficiency. Heritage Building Information Modelling (HBIM) generates comprehensive datasets for sustainable management, while virtual reality (VR) offers immersive public interpretation. WebVR, a VR application, enables accessible online heritage experiences via web platforms. Integrating HBIM and VR shows potential: HBIM provides foundational data for VR, and WebVR expands accessibility on portable devices. Focusing on Yangxin Hall in the Forbidden City, this study develops an HBIM-VR-WebVR framework for heritage information access, management, and transmission across conservation phases. User experience surveys validate the framework, which supports heritage conservation and public engagement, offering reference for similar projects.

A historic urban landscape has to be preserved wholly, not only as a cultural heritage site, but also as an environment and a neighborhood. However, cultural heritage sites have their own unique social-commercial environments, and these are not easy to integrate during the preservation process even though they are located in the same area. To examine ways of overcoming the difficulty in integrating the preservation of heritages, this study analyzes the historic urban landscape preservation of St. Augustine, Florida in the United States. The preservation of St. Augustine's historic urban landscape can be identified by its unique system of government-academy cooperation. For integrated preservation of the historic landscape of St. Augustine, Florida's state government owns the properties, which are not designated but have a heritage value, and are located next to the nationally designated heritage sites. The properties receive trust administration by the University of Florida. This cooperation between the government and the university can benefit both stakeholders. To the government, the relationship gives the benefit for professional, long-term management for the properties and their environments. To the university, the cooperation provides a place for practical education, funding, and opportunities for research and management. The government-academy cooperation model argued for this study can be applied to many Korean historic cities' urban landscape preservation planning.

Historic urban landscapes are bio-physical imprints of past generation’s activities as well as a matrix for those of current and future generations. Pressures of economic development, while benefitting modernization, have led to loss of traditional practices in cultural landscapes, which reflected customs, values and belief systems of communities. This article explores alternative ways of seeing historic cities particularly with respect to the historic urban landscape paradigm. Chamba town, Himachal Pradesh, a pilgrim centre, market town and historic capital of the Chamba region, recently celebrated the millennium of its establishment. This historic town has distinctive location and is characterized by exceptional cultural and natural resources, landforms, bio-diversity and intangible cultural heritage. With a current population of 25,000, it is growing as a major town centre and pushing the boundaries of town limits and residential areas. Unregulated new development which is not designed for earthquake resistance, absence of delineation of ecologically sensitive zones, marginalization of traditional knowledge and aspirations of the primary custodians have resulted in fragile state of being, both naturally and culturally, and have altered the traditional regime of this historic town. This article examines the fragile relation between humans, nature and culture of Chamba and need for sustainable planning and management system for heritage resources within mountainous regions, with responsiveness to constraints and challenges. The authors reflect upon economic shifts, cultural transformations and infrastructure development, which adapt traditional knowledge designs to address urban needs for historic urban landscapes.

Historic Urban Landscape is a historic city management approach that is considered more comprehensive in balancing between social and economic development and cultural heritage conservation. UNESCO adopted the Recommendation on The Historic Urban Landscape on 10 November 2011 at the UNESCO General Assembly. As an approach that can be adopted by various countries, this approach recommends four main tools, namely civic engagement, knowledge and planning, regulatory system, and financial tools. This research aims to identify civic engagement tools in the management of the historic city area called Kawasan Sumbu Filosofi in the Special Region of Yogyakarta. This research uses a qualitative approach with a type of case study research and is descriptive in nature. Data collection techniques were carried out through interviews, observation, and literature studies. This research reveals that civic engagement in the management of the Kawasan Sumbu Filosofi in the voice area has been granted and guaranteed through various regulations. In terms of access, the government has provided a space for discussion, but the information the government provides still predominates in this forum. Concerning the aspect of control, community control over the surrounding environment has not been built. In general, the quality of community participation must continue to be encouraged to realize sustainable urban development and preservation.