Architectural Heritage Research Articles

Spatial transformation of industrial territories: Experience and prospects of Tyumen

Transformation of the architectural heritage of large cities, which also includes that of industrial areas, can be seen as a development and reconstruction driver of modern urban development. In this work, we aimed to propose methods for spatial transformation of urban industrial or mixed areas in the structure of a large city. A structural assessment of the urban planning practice and experience in the city of Tyumen was conducted to identify architectural and planning approaches to the reconstruction of depressive post-industrial areas. Following an analysis of the existing location and concentration of industrial areas, along with their main parameters, and the experience of experimental design of renovated districts, the Babarinka industrial district in the northern part of the city was selected. This district is characterized by its direct interconnection with the city center, a combined type and small-cell structure of the existing buildings, and its historical interrelation with the open space of the river. Typological and morphological features of the existing industrial areas in the city, interacting with the surrounding urban areas in different ways, were determined based on the theory of mixed urban development. A combined assessment of urban planning data enables the key parameters of urban transformation to be determined and the basic planning structures to be identified. The latter include spatial planning, transportation and pedestrian networks, landscaping, and functional zoning. These planning structures determine the key qualitative parameters of the transformation design concept of industrial areas, thus serving as criteria for evaluating various-scale design solutions.

Bioclimatic design approach in colonial office buildings architecture in Algeria

This study investigates the interaction between climate and colonial architectural heritage, focusing on the adaptive design strategies employed in office buildings constructed during the colonial period. Utilizing a bioclimatic approach and referencing Mahony's table, the research conducts a comparative analysis between the recommendations of bioclimatic design principles and the responsive design strategies adopted by French engineers during the colonial era. The objective is to determine whether these colonial-era buildings were constructed in accordance with local climatic conditions. The findings of this study shed light on architecture that effectively responds to climate, serving as an important source of inspiration for contemporary designers. This is particularly relevant at a time when the harmonious relationship between modern architectural design and climate challenges has diminished. This research contributes to a better understanding of the integration of bioclimatic principles in colonial architecture, offering valuable insights for developing sustainable and resilient design strategies in the face of current climate changes. By re-evaluating past practices, it proposes a thorough reflection on the importance of designing buildings adapted to environmental specificities, promoting a more ecological and contextual approach to contemporary architecture.

Spatial correlation between traditional villages and religious cultural heritage in the Hehuang region, Northwest China

ABSTRACT As a typical religious cultural heritage, Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in the Hehuang region of northwest China have strong connections with surrounding villages that practice Tibetan Buddhism. This article investigates the spatial distribution correlation between the two entities using methods such as kernel density, spatial quantity relationship model, gravity center model, and qualitative description. It analyzes the relationship between Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and traditional Tibetan villages at three levels: macro, meso, and micro, exploring the spatial correlation and influence factors. The study results are as follows: Firstly, the spatial distribution of traditional villages and Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in the Hehuang region exhibits a positive correlation with a moderate spatial correlation. Secondly, the distribution of traditional villages and Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in the Hehuang region demonstrates a high spatial balance. Yet, there are instances where certain counties have an abundance of monasteries but lack traditional villages, particularly in Minhe County, Guide County, Hualong County, and Ledu County. Various factors such as economic, policy, and cultural integration contribute to this phenomenon. Thirdly, the location relationship between traditional villages and Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in the Hehuang region can be categorized into three types: Villages separated from Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in villages, and Tibetan Buddhist monasteries near villages. Finally, it is proposed to protect traditional villages in the area based on the principle of protecting cultural diversity. To safeguard Chinese traditional villages in the future, it is essential to comprehensively analyze the spatial relationship between villages and religious architectural heritage, and prioritize the preservation of significant villages located within the influence zone of these religious architectural heritage by incorporating them into the list of protected traditional villages. This study aims to enhance theoretical research on traditional villages in ethnic minority regions and provide a scientific basis for the comprehensive protection and coordinated utilization of traditional villages and religious architectural heritage in the Hehuang region and other ethnic regions.

Evaluating tourist perceptions of architectural heritage values at a World Heritage Site in South-East China: The case of Gulangyu Island

Tourism has become an important economic pathway through which heritage is valued. This paper evaluates tourist perceptions of architectural heritage at a World Heritage Site by combining Global Positioning System-tracking, questionnaire survey, Ordered Probit Model, and marginal utility analysis, and compares it with a broader expert and state led interpretation for optimization of heritage values inheritance by content analysis and matching model. The results respectively reveal the core value of tourist perceptions, and indicate the consistency and the degree of mismatch between tourist perception and institutional interpretation. Management implications are suggested for decision-making and planning optimization of heritage tourism sites.

An experience of the Conservation of Historic Buildings’ Facades in Old Saida City

This article delves into the nuanced experience and challenges involved in conserving historic building facades within an old Saida city neighborhood marked by neglect and limited restoration efforts due to class dynamics and discrimination by heritage curators. Nevertheless, its buildings have been subjected to lack of maintenance and repair which led to processes of degradation with time and loss of some cultural heritage [6]. Focusing on a deprived area, the paper examines the challenges and opportunities encountered in conserving architectural heritage amidst socioeconomic constraints. Damage related to the collapse of building elements necessitates an investigation into the underlying causes to prevent such occurrences. This involves identifying a set of parameters to assess the hazards of façades and public exposure. Through a blend of community involvement in close coordination between the author who drives innovative conservation techniques, UNDP and the Municipality of Saida, the project sheds light on the potential for safeguarding the historical character to the damaged historic Musalkhiyyeh street arcades and façades, Kaniset el-amercani, Musallabiyyeh old market streets amongst with a specific square called “Furn el Saha” in old Saida historic city. The project falls under the UNDP project “Improving Living Conditions in Gatherings Host Communities”. The conservation project aimed to conserve those buildings, and promoted histories of places and people’s memories connected to the selected heritage sites. The project rehabilitated internally and externally for the three selected areas. It addressed both the physical deterioration and build the knowledge about the importance of the sites. By documenting this journey, valuable lessons emerge for policymakers, urban planners, and conservationists seeking to address heritage preservation in marginalized communities. Historic structures design and construction tell us much about the cultures and the history of a community that created them and about the traditions and events from which our society grew.

Architectural Heritage Buildings and Tourism Sustainability in Karangasem Bali

Objective: This study aims to explore and understand the interrelationships between cultural tourism and architectural heritage sites through tourist image and perception. These interrelationships must balance community needs, available resources, executive efforts and regional planning while protecting the environment. Theoretical Framework: Historic buildings are considered important elements in cultural heritage, and architecture is further considered to be one of the most important aspects that attract tourists. As a significant part of cultural heritage and tourism resources, architectural heritage is the most important commemorative, secondary architectural buildings and its natural and artificial environments in ancient areas and characteristic villages. Method: This study's method is based on mixed-method research, which is known as triangulation. This approach entailed gathering initial data, conducting interviews and surveys, and creating house maps. Traditional architectural documentation tools, such as drawings, plans, sections, elevations, and photographs, are required in all three process stages. Results and Discussion: Bali has a diversity of forms and varieties of traditional architecture. East Bali, part of the Karangasem kingdom called puri during the Mindle era of Bali, has preserved several unique architectural masterpieces. In this context, architectural heritage is critical in increasing property values. Preserving architectural heritage is considered environmentally friendly for cultural tourism. Research Implications: This study explores to what extent heritage architecture can be utilized as cultural heritage ideally and efficiently. This can be achieved by building sustainable restoration of archaeological and heritage sites to achieve sustainable heritage tourism. Originality/Value: This research utilizes experiments in countries with cultural heritage to obtain lessons, values and concepts that contribute to achieving an efficient program for sustainable tourism development based on the preservation of heritage areas.

Environmental Aspects and Historical Development of Colonial Architectural Heritage in Aceh

Environmental Aspects and Historical Development of Colonial Architectural Heritage in Aceh

On the fusion between interferometric satellite data and in situ measurements for the monitoring of built heritage

Over the past decades, earthquakes, and other catastrophic events has highlighted the increasingly growing vulnerability of infrastructures, buildings, and architectural heritage structures. In addition to catastrophic events, often related to climate change, another fundamental aspect is represented by the lack of maintenance and monitoring of the asset. In the field of preservation of buildings and infrastructures, Structural Health Monitoring techniques can effectively contribute to the assessment of the health state of structures. In the case of structural monitoring using data-driven approaches, since the information depends on the type of data used, a great resource for knowing as much as possible about the structure is represented by the combination of multiple data. Thanks to the integration of different types of data, it is possible to know the conditions of the structure in more detail as different aspects can be combined. In this context, together with the data obtained from in situ monitoring systems, data obtained remotely, i.e. satellite data, can be used. There are different types of satellite data that can be used to study different aspects, e.g., multispectral data, hyperspectral data, and interferometric data, and they can make different contribution to civil engineering. In this paper, the exploitability of open-source interferometric data is investigated and they are studied for the purpose of their integration with data obtained from a monitoring system installed on a monumental building, in order to monitor and observe structural health.

STYLISTIC ANALYSIS OF EARLY 20TH CENTURY ARCHITECTURE OF IMPERIAL CITY

Calcutta’s established role as India’s premier city from 1774 was increasingly questioned due to its climate and geographic location particularly in the context of British governance and control. By 1857, during the Mutiny, the limitations of Calcutta as the capital became evident, leading Viscount Canning to relocate the British administration to Allahabad. The debate over relocating the capital continued, culminating in 1911 with Hardinge’s proposal to move it to Delhi. This move was seen as a strategic and symbolic shift, with Delhi’s central location and historical significance making it an ideal choice to represent British imperial power. The decision to build a new capital in Delhi, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, was driven by the desire to create a city that embodied both the grandeur of British rule and the historical continuity of India's ancient capitals Jain (1991). Lutyens’ design, characterized by grand processional avenues, monumental plazas, and imposing facades, was intended to project a vision of peaceful dominance and dignified governance. The new city, initially called Imperial Delhi, aimed to reflect the achievements of British rule and serve as a backdrop befitting an empire of Rome’s magnitude. This paper examines the architectural and symbolic values embedded in Lutyens’ design for Imperial Delhi, focusing on its grandiose urban elements and their intended impact. It also explores how contemporary interventions have altered this historic urban landscape, reshaping the legacy of what was envisioned as a majestic symbol of British imperialism. Through this analysis, the paper seeks to understand the evolving significance of Delhi's architectural heritage and its transformation in the modern era.

The Role of Small Localities in the Requalification of Territories: the Case of the Grand Medea Territory, Algeria

Since independence until today, the development of Algerian cities and the spread of their urban agglomerations haveled to the marginalization of small localities that were once flourishing because of their various vocations: rural,historical, cultural, etc. This contribution is part of a new vision of spatial planning based on the architectural and urbanrequalification of heritage resources and structures as a vector of the development of poor and abandoned localities.It will be presented through the example of the large territory of Medea and its surroundings. The research is basedon the identification, recognition, and enhancement of the natural, historical, architectural, and urban heritage of theterritory. It is part of the main orientation of the National Land Use Planning Plan (SNAT 2023) which is the territorialrebalancing. The approach made it possible to develop a territorial revitalization program resulting from the characterof the resources and potential of the site like cork factories, the recovery of abandoned farms, the creation of spas,leisure areas, etc. It also made it possible to develop a reflection on the housing typology to integrate into the ruralcontexts that characterize the Grand Medea’s territory.

Is the Traditional Rural Architecture in the Periphery of Istanbul Climate-Friendly? The Case Study of Şile, Gökmaslı

Nowadays, the decrease in available resources due to excessive use and the deterioration of ecological balance haverevealed the necessity of developing approaches compatible with nature for the whole world. The effects of theseapproaches have been seen for a long time in the construction industry, which constitutes a significant part of energyconsumption, and therefore in the field of architecture. There is an increasing environmental awareness not only ofthe design and implementation phases of new buildings but also of reconsidering existing historical rural settlementsbuilt according to natural and climatic conditions in the past. This paper aims to verify/falsify the theory that it wouldbe beneficial to protect and sustain the traditional rural architectural heritage in combating the negative effects of theclimate crisis, which is widely accepted in the literature. These criteriawere questioned in-depth on a case, which have rural heritage value. The existing physical environment in the Gökmaslı rural settlement of Şile on urban periphery of Istanbul was examined in terms of ecological sustainability, and the possible contributions of the preservation of historical settlements to climate adaptation studies are discussed.

Structural Static Evaluation of Historic Stone Building (Case Study: Zahdeh Building in Hebron Old City)

The historical buildings are of great importance, as they represent the architectural heritage and the image of history.Accurate structural analysis of stone buildings is a real challenge, as the mechanical properties of stone and mortarunits are different and unavailable. The aim of the research is assessment historical stone buildings. An experimentalstudy was conducted to determine the mechanical properties of stone building materials and to modelling validation.A numerical modelling was carried out through a non-linear static analysis based on a macro finite element model,using ANSYS. The result obtained of the model of Zahdeh building is that building can bear its loads in its currentcondition, and it also has the ability to bear loads equivalent to two floors. The proposed methods, are suitable forstructural assessment process and can be applied to similar building models to preserve, both architectural heritageand historic buildings.

Heritage, reinterpretation or imitation? – contemporary inspirations from traditional soft limestone architecture in the Uniejów region

This paper focuses on the possibility of the continuity of traditional values through the architecture’s formal, constructional, and plastic character, based on the analyses of a dozen or so buildings from the Uniejów region in the central part of Poland. A common feature of these structures constructed over the last 20 years was the use of soft limestone. The authors aimed to determine whether and to what extent these structures are consistent with regional rural architecture. In the analyzed area, from the second half of the 19th century to the end of the 1960s, construction based on locally exploited deposits of limestone developed dynamically, unusually in terms of materials for this part of the country. The analysis in this article covered primarily such features of the objects as the area of origin of the stone material, its purpose, the stonemasonry techniques used, the functional program of the object, and its architectural features. The article also discusses whether such contemporary architectural implementations can contribute to the popularization of abandoned stone material in the region and, at the same time, result in more effective protection of traditional construction made of local stone. It is an example of disappearing architectural heritage due to ongoing modernization or demolition

Ancient Habitat of Kabylia : Identities and Originality

The Kabylia region has a rich architectural heritage and is considered one of the most important heritage elementsthat distinguish Algeria from the rest of the world, bequeathed by our ancestors, which attracts the intention despiteits ancient construction and its exposure to many natural factors, remain unshakable. In order to allow futuregenerations to immerse themselves in the culture of their ancestors, they must reintegrate them again and convertthem within the framework of mountain tourism. On the other hand, we note that this habitat has not been the subjectof care and study by specialized researchers, archaeologists and architects. In this communication we invite you to discover the history and architectural structures of villages and houses in Kabylie by focusing on the preparation and organization, as well as the construction techniques and the raw materials used and how can we preserve them?

Conceptual basis of architectural and urban planning heritage development in ethnic regions of Ukraine

The article describes the results of the philosophical and methodological analysis of the definitions - "formation", "concept" and "network" in the context of the preservation of architectural and urban heritage in ethnic regions of Ukraine. The relationship between these definitions and modern ideas about sustainable development and self-organization is revealed by their postmodern interpretation and architectural-sociological orientation. On this basis, two macrocosmic principles - the tectonicity of the formation of cultural focuses and the cyclicity nature of the sustainable development of ethnic regions, and two microcosmic principles - the architectonicity self-organization of the areas of these focuses’ and the ornamentality of their network is theoretically substantiated. These principles form the philosophical foundations of the formation of regional networks of historical centers of architectural and urban heritage on the territory of Ukraine. The principle of cyclicity reflects the recurrence of periodic changes in natural phenomena and stages of sustainable development of settlements and communities. The essence of the principle of tectonicity consists in the non-accidental placement of the overwhelming majority of focuses’ of architectural and urban heritage, which are provincial cities and towns, outside the zones of tectonic rupture dislocations and geopathogenic zones. The principle of architectonicity, which connects the natural and artificial environment, regulates the location of individual focuses’ and areas outside of fully urbanized territories, between highways and railways of national and international importance. The natural component of the architectonicity principle is rooted in the desire of a large part of historical provincial cities, towns, and villages to be located in a functionally and aesthetically attractive landscape environment - on the coasts of seas, lakes, and rivers, on the tops and slopes of hills, against the background of forest areas, etc. The principle of ornamentality integrates macrocosmic cyclicity and tectonicity with microcosmic architectonicity. It has a multi-layered structure, contains potentials, and becomes a regulator of the formation and sustainable development of the investigated network at all levels of its architectonical structure.

Advancing architectural heritage: precision decoding of East Asian timber structures from Tang dynasty to traditional Japan

The convergence of cultural and aesthetic elements in timber structures from China’s Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD) and traditional Japanese architecture provides a rich tapestry of architectural evolution and cross-cultural exchanges. Addressing the challenge of distinguishing and understanding the intricate styles of these structures is significant for both historical comprehension and preservation efforts. This research introduces an innovative approach by integrating the Multi-Head Attention (MHA) mechanism into the YOLOv8 model, enhancing the detection of architectural features with improved precision and recall. Our novel YOLOv8-MHA model not only demonstrates a notable improvement in recognizing intricate architectural details but also significantly advances the state of the art in object detection within complex settings. Quantitative results underscore the model’s effectiveness, achieving a precision of 95.6%, a recall of 85.6%, and a mean Average Precision (mAP@50) of 94% across various Intersection over Union (IoU) thresholds. These metrics highlight the model’s superior capability to accurately identify and classify architectural elements, especially within environments rich with nuanced details, utilizing the enhanced YOLOv8-MHA algorithm. The application of our model extends beyond mere architectural analysis; it offers new insights into the intricate interplay of cultural identity and adaptability inherent in East Asian architectural heritage. The study establishes a solid foundation for the meticulous classification and analysis of architectural styles in timber structures within an expansive cultural and historical context, thereby enriching our understanding and preservation of these traditions.

ArchGPT: harnessing large language models for supporting renovation and conservation of traditional architectural heritage

The renovation of traditional architecture contributes to the inheritance of cultural heritage and promotes the development of social civilization. However, executing renovation plans that simultaneously align with the demands of residents, heritage conservation personnel, and architectural experts poses a significant challenge. In this paper, we introduce an Artificial Intelligence (AI) agent, Architectural GPT (ArchGPT), designed for comprehensively and accurately understanding needs and tackling architectural renovation tasks, accelerating and assisting the renovation process. To address users’ requirements, ArchGPT utilizes the reasoning capabilities of large language models (LLMs) for task planning. Operating under the use of tools, task-specific models, and professional architectural guidelines, it resolves issues within the architectural domain through sensible planning, combination, and invocation. Ultimately, ArchGPT achieves satisfactory results in terms of response and overall satisfaction rates for customized tasks related to the conservation and restoration of traditional architecture.

Synergy of LIDAR and hyperspectral remote sensing: health status assessment of architectural heritage based on normal cloud theory and variable weight theory

Architectural heritage health assessment is the basis of scientific repair and maintenance. However, existing methods do not adequately take into account the fuzziness, randomness and uncertainties unique to architectural heritage assessment. In this paper, a new evaluation model of VM-NCM is constructed by combining variable weight theory and normal cloud model theory. The model enables the combination of qualitative ratings and quantitative calculation, deals with the fuzziness in the assessment process, and resolves the randomness and reflects the uncertainty to a certain extent. Based on constructing the index system combining qualitative and quantitative indexes, the structural index values are acquired by the synergistic coupling of the fine laser point cloud model and finite element structural analysis model. The acquisition of surface index values is completed by the hyperspectral intelligent detection technology of surface materials and diseases. These reduce the generation of ambiguous information in the index detection process. An evaluation study is conducted using the Yingxian wooden pagoda in China as an example. The results show that this method takes into account the fuzziness and randomness in the evaluation process, and obtains more scientific and reliable evaluation results, which provides a research paradigm for assessing the architectural heritage health status.

Review of Aleksander Laslo’s Research on Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth-Century Architecture in Zagreb

Architect Aleksander Saša Laslo (Celje, 1950 – Zagreb, 2014) was one of the leading historians of Croatian twentieth-century architecture, with a research scope centered on the city of Zagreb. Its aim was to investigate the processes of modernisation, tracing the evolution from high historicism and eclecticism through Art Nouveau to proto-functionalism and New Building (Ger. Neues Bauen, Cro. novo građenje) – viewed through building spatial-organisation, construction, and then inevitably form. Laslo’s interest, of course, extended beyond the mere physical structure of the building to wider social, economic, and cultural context, and dynamic knowledge exchange with Central Europe during that time, within which Laslo positioned the architecture of Zagreb. Methodologically, since the very beginning in the early 1980s, Laslo relied on exhaustive research, cataloguing, and contemporary research of Central European architecture. To mark the tenth anniversary of the death of this prominent researcher of Zagreb’s architectural heritage, this paper provides the first review of Laslo’s work, highlighting its comprehensiveness, integrity, and scientific method.

Architectural History and Digital Humanities for the Knowledge and Conservation of the Built Heritage: An Italian Experience

This essay illustrates the ALOA project promoted by ICCD, whose aim is the reconfiguration of the ministerial records for the architectural heritage of Italy with the help of novel information technologies (ontology engineering, controlled vocabularies, interactive interface design, ecc.). By explaining every step of the design of the new instrument, it explores both the backstage and the final output of the new records. A panorama on the national and international experiences on both ontology‑based databanks and controlled vocabularies is also offered, to better understand the relevance of the project.