Abstract
In Greece, the appreciation of industrial buildings is relatively recent, with the legal authorities having recognized their historical value by listing them as monuments. Nineteenth century industrial buildings can be identified as cultural monuments of the past, as well as assist in the reconstruction of urban landscapes. Additionally, individual initiatives, organized by volunteers, present the necessity for documentation through relevant research projects. The reuse of industrial buildings for cultural activities has lately become a common practice. In Athens, a large number of buildings dated to the industrial revolution and that present historical and architectural features worthy of being preserved have been recorded. Following the philosophy of smart cities, this paper presents a digital inventory of the industrial buildings located in the historical center of Athens; many of which have recently been adapted to host cultural activities. Τhe use of smart technology, by creating a digital application for smart phones, will provide access to a continuously enriched registry, via interactive maps. This initiative will promote the buildings’ past and present use and, moreover, the creative concept of their multiple functions. The suggested model of cultural management is applicable to every industrial building in Athens.
Highlights
Apart from the historical constructions from antiquity and those built during the Medieval and the Byzantine periods, including Ottoman buildings, a large number of buildings dated in the industrial revolution (19th century) can still be traced and incorporated into our modern cities, presenting historical architectural features worthy of preservation
Cultural heritage consists of monuments, building complexes, and spaces, provided that they consist of heritage of a universal value from a historical, artistic, or scientific point of view
Following the philosophy of smart cities [32], this paper presents a proposal for a digital inventory of the industrial buildings found in the historical center of Athens that have recently been readapted to host cultural activities
Summary
Apart from the historical constructions from antiquity and those built during the Medieval and the Byzantine periods, including Ottoman buildings, a large number of buildings dated in the industrial revolution (19th century) can still be traced and incorporated into our modern cities, presenting historical architectural features worthy of preservation. The UNESCO convention was a follow up, as the 1954 “Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict”, adopted at The Hague (The Netherlands), was the first international treaty with world-wide adoption focusing exclusively on the protection of cultural heritage in the event of armed conflict [2] It covered immovable and movable cultural heritage, including monuments of architecture, art, or history; archaeological sites; works of art, manuscripts, books, and other objects of artistic, historical, or archaeological interest; as well as scientific collections of all kinds, regardless of their origin or ownership. The re-use of industrial buildings for cultural activities, as a solution to the problem of protecting these buildings, has been a common phenomenon over the past two decades, ensuring sustainability and their ecofriendly presence in the city In this way, industrial spaces become hosts of culture and heritage and continue to play an essential role in the city’s storytelling [7]
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