Heritage Area Research Articles

Value-based optimization model for cultural route design: Ancient Water Supply Heritage of Istanbul (Türkiye)

Cultural tourism has become an increasingly growing human activity in today's world. Therefore, various cultural/natural heritage areas or buildings face large tourist crowds, causing physical, social, or cultural deterioration. Cultural routes, which provide a systematic approach and planned tourists move, can reduce the negative effects of overtourism. This study aims to develop an optimization model as a supportive tool for the cultural route design process. The proposed optimization model aims to maximize cultural experience while satisfying constraints on heritage values, building types, historical eras, and general routing rules. Moreover, this model, creating optimized cultural routes, is expected to contribute to regulating economic income and tourist density. As a case study, the ancient water supply systems of Istanbul, inherited from the Roman and the Ottoman empires and currently overlooked, are investigated. Heritage values, mentioned in the extensive literature, are reviewed and the values/attributes for this study are appointed according to the characteristics of the case heritage assets, and their environment. The values of the case structures are evaluated with value analysis after field study. An optimum cultural route for Istanbul's historical water supply heritage, according to the objective and the constraints of the model, is obtained by solving the model with the case data. The resulting route can make this overlooked heritage of Istanbul recognized and spread the tourist density in the city center. The model is flexible, allowing for easy modification of the objective function, constraints, and values when designing routes across various heritage sites. This model can be used not only in the design of new cultural routes but also in optimizing existing routes.

Integrated Community-Based Tourism for Balanced Regional Development: A Case Study of Kayutangan Area and Kampong Heritage in Malang City

The tourism sector holds the potential to act as a mechanism for achieving balanced development within a region. The collaborative efforts between Kayutangan and Kampong Heritage area, a partnership established since 2018, have brought about substantial economic benefits for the advancement of cultural tourism in Malang City. This research is aimed at assessing the sustainability of destination management in urban contexts, with a particular focus on Community-Based Tourism (CBT) practices. To conduct this study, an integrated approach has been adopted, involving interviews with various stakeholders, including destination managers, local business owners in the Kampong Heritage area, entrepreneurs in the Kayutangan area, and local residents. The data collected from these interviews has been subjected to analysis using Inskeep’s theory, complemented by an interactive model of community-based management. The findings of this study underscore several management aspects, particularly the capacity to effectively oversee and provide necessary tourism facilities. However, the results also reveal a noteworthy limitation. There appears to be a lack of collaboration between Kawasan Kayutangan and the Kampong Heritage, with management efforts seemingly fragmented. Furthermore, community engagement in the management process remains relatively minimal. Keywords: community based tourism; collaborative effort, community engagement

A taste of rural: Exploring the uncaptured value of tourism in Basilicata

Rural communities often struggle to adapt to societal and economic changes, but their cultural heritage can play a pivotal role in tourism development and establishing expectations for future development. Drawing upon community-based tourism theory, this study offers a fresh perspective on the untapped value in rural areas by considering the unique cultural identity and culinary heritage of Basilicata, Italy. It investigates the facilitators and inhibitors of social and economic progress as perceived by tourism vendors and tourists, examines how tourism contributes to the development of the rural web, and explores the uncaptured value between entrepreneurial activities in culinary tourism and political, governmental, and administrative measures. Aligning with the heritage areas movement, this study draws attention to the importance of preserving landscapes, local identities, and common goods. The results clarify the impact of tourism's localness on rural regions, particularly through tourism activities and local sourcing practices, and aim to inform strategies for employing tourism to develop rural areas.

Threats and Membership of Kandovan in UNESCO

This research aims to explore the heritage and tourist zone of Kandovan in Iran, currently undergoing the UNESCO registration process, but facing rejection due to threats in the area. The primary goal is to offer valuable insights to the Kandovan municipality and officials, assisting them in recognizing and mitigating the prevailing threats to secure the designation of Kandovan as a UNESCO heritage site. The examination of the heritage zone in Kandovan, Iran, involved a comprehensive approach incorporating a literature review, interviews, and on-site observations. Interviews were conducted with Kandovan officials to inquire about the heritage criteria, existing challenges and threats, future initiatives, and notable transformations. Field observations were employed to assess the physical characteristics and layout of the heritage area, residents' interactions with the heritage sites, and issues affecting tourists, including accommodation shortages and architectural concerns. The findings of this study have identified the threats present in Kandovan, as acknowledged by UNESCO. The majority of these threats have emerged as a consequence of the expanding urbanization and tourism activities in Kandovan, emphasizing the need for effective management and controlled development in the area.

Global Research Trends and Future Directions in Urban Historical Heritage Area Conservation and Development: A 25-Year Bibliometric Analysis

Global Research Trends and Future Directions in Urban Historical Heritage Area Conservation and Development: A 25-Year Bibliometric Analysis

Taking Advantage of the Aesthetic Values of Asiri Art Decorations to Enrich and Sustain the Printing of Modern Women’s Clothing Supplements to Preserve Saudi Heritage Using Artificial Intelligence Techniques

Sustainability is the result of modern-day design philosophy as a result of major industrial developments and many conflicts and wars. This concept is what prompted this research to focus on the possibility of achieving the principles of sustainability practically - in field reality - through the use of artificial intelligence techniques to create contemporary designs derived from the Saudi Asiri heritage and employ them in printing sustainable clothing supplements. Heritage-inspired design has cultural meaning and importance, and its purpose is to transmit our heritage to our emerging generations, and therefore it is considered a type of sustainable thought. The Asir region in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a rich heritage that is greatly influenced by the charming nature of the place. The Asir region is distinguished by the art of the “Asiri Cat,” which consists of engravings, lines, and aesthetic formations engraved by women specialized in this field. They inherited this art from the women who preceded them. Asiri art is distinguished from other arts. The use of bright natural colors such as blue, green, orange, black and white, as the Asir region is considered one of the important heritage and tourist areas within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has played a pivotal role in enriching the cultural and creative stock not only of the Saudi citizen, but also of the Arabian Gulf region. This is what prompted us in the current research to delve into the analysis of the creative and artistic aspects of Asiri art inscriptions and to benefit from the aesthetic values of Asiri art decorations in contemporary artistic designs that achieve sustainability for the purpose of exploiting them in the manufacture of plastic fittings for clothing supplements to serve small industries. Many diverse designs have been implemented using different printing techniques. From (direct drawing method - stencil printing - pictorial screen printing) the use of different types and colors to implement different products to produce clothing accessories that are closely related to the structure of form and content of Al-Qat Al-Asiri art, and depends on its aesthetic philosophy about the heritage and cultural references associated with the place and the artist’s own vision. To revive Saudi heritage. The research aims to take advantage of the geometric and floral decorative elements in Al-Qat Al-Asiri’s artistic engravings as a source for enriching and sustaining printed designs for women’s clothing supplements that are characterized by authenticity and contemporaryness, and preserving popular motifs by reformulating them. In keeping with the times, and preserving its most prominent features, in a way that enhances belonging and preserves the community’s heritage and values. From extinction, endless horizons of creativity and innovation have been achieved in the field of printing clothing supplements, and sustainable plastic repetition, which the designer or art practitioner resorts to in general, and the field of printing in particular, as a creative pluralistic plastic method.The research followed the descriptive and analytical approach in identifying the origins and characteristics of the Asir artistic inscriptions (the cat), analyzing their vocabulary, reformulating them, and drawing inspiration from them to enrich the printed designs of women’s clothing supplements, in addition to the experimental approach in the applied study through the use of different techniques and materials. The results of the study concluded that there are various aesthetic values in the Asiri cat engraving that can be used to create contemporary designs on clothing accessories using different printing techniques, in order to preserve the Asiri heritage in the southern region of the country. The study recommended the need to pay attention to studying heritage and the arts it contains because of its great importance, as it stimulates appreciation of traditional art and preserves it.

Green architecture in tourism sustainable development a case study at Laweyan, Indonesia

ABSTRACT The degradation of local culture is often a consequence of tourist kampung development. However, Laweyan stands out as an example where a tourist village was developed while successfully preserving both the environment and local culture. The research aims to formulate a strategy that promotes a green environment by exploring the potential characteristics of local cultural heritage and emphasizing sustainable preservation. By utilizing an exploratory descriptive method and analyzing the potential and characteristics of the area, the study identified several strategies for developing cultural heritage areas in tourism kampung. These strategies include promoting green communities, establishing green open spaces and infrastructure, implementing green waste management, adopting green transportation, prioritizing green water practices, incorporating green building techniques, and utilizing green energy sources. The implementation of green architecture is one of the key factors for success in sustainable village development. The concept of green architecture involves integrating building design and the environment with the aim of maintaining a balance between quality development and environmental preservation. The successful implementation of these strategies relies on a collaborative social approach that raises awareness and encourages active participation from both the community and the government in preserving the authenticity of the local culture.

The Role of Creative Communities in Supporting Development of Urban Heritage Tourism Kota Tua Jakarta

Kota Tua Jakarta or Jakarta’s Old City is a Cultural Heritage Area as well as a National Vital Object. This area is managed by the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government as a historical tourist destination. The increase in tourist visits to this area is caused by various things, one of which is the existence of tourist attractions developed by the local creative community. The role of the creative community has not been identified thoroughly. This study aims to explain the role of the creative community as a supporting tourist attraction in Kota Tua area. In addition, identifying this role is also important to help the government plan regulations that have an impact on optimizing tourism potential. This study was conducted using a qualitative method with descriptive data presentation. The results of the study show that the creative community also plays a role in developing tourism in Kota Tua ​​Jakarta. The role of the creative community is not only in providing new experiences, but also in being able to enliven the attractive atmosphere in the area of ​​cultural heritage sites that have developed into tourist destinations. The creative community has also become a tourism identity in the Kota Tua ​​Jakarta, apart from the physical side of the interesting colonial-style building architecture.

The Influence of Cultural Heritage Status on the Quality of Life of Slum Settlement Community

Surabaya is a fast-growing city facing challenges in infrastructure development, posing a threat to cultural heritage and historic areas. The Kalimas area has been abandoned, negatively impacting the environment. Cultural heritage is valuable as it instills pride, holds significance in civilization, and can improve the quality of life (QOL). The World Health Organization (WHO) defines the quality of life as an individual's perception of differences in life based on culture and the surrounding environment. This study aims to determine the impact of physical conditions in slum settlements on the QOL of the community and identify the slum settlement variables that can improve residents' QOL. The study uses a quantitative approach with analytical techniques such as literature review and multiple linear regression to analyze land characteristics, socio-economic factors, and physical characteristics. QOL is measured using the WHOQOL questionnaire. The data collection methods include secondary data from the Department of Housing, Settlement Areas and Land, and Bappedalitbang of Surabaya City, as well as primary data from observations, questionnaires, and interviews with the research sample. The results indicate that slum settlement variables significantly affect four domains of QOL: physical health, psychology, environment, and social relationships. However, physical characteristics partially do not affect the psychological, environmental, and social relationship domains.

Dynamics of Cultural Landscape on Idjen Boulevard as an Icon of Heritage Street Corridor in Malang City - Indonesia

The dynamic development of the city has brought about significant physical and environmental changes in Malang City, impacting the increasingly blurred identity of heritage areas. One such area is Idjen Boulevard, representing an icon of the heritage road corridor in Malang City. To comprehend the evolving nature of these heritage areas, it is essential to conduct studies documenting their past conditions and dynamics across various historical periods: the Colonial period, the Old Order period (the beginning of Indonesian independence), the New Order period, and the Reformation period. This comprehensive approach aims to understand the changes that occurred in each time periodization within each zone/road segment. These insights are crucial for determining future development control steps through targeted regulations. The research employs the Interpretive Historical Urban Landscape method, focusing on thirteen components that constitute the Cultural Landscape. This method involves analyzing the results of observations, both from literature and field sources, supported by tools such as CAD Mapper, Google Earth, Google Street View, GISTARU (an interactive urban spatial detail plan), and SketchUp. These tools are instrumental in obtaining findings about the hierarchy of changes in cultural landscape components and the dynamics within each zone of the specified observation unit.

Sustainability conservation strategy of Kotagede Heritage Area on the effects of climate change

Sustainability conservation strategy of Kotagede Heritage Area on the effects of climate change

Sustainable tourism in cultural heritage areas: dualism between economy and environmental preservation

Sustainable tourism in cultural heritage areas: dualism between economy and environmental preservation

The Influence of Contamination from Concrete Materials on the Growth and Accumulation of Metals within an Invasive Weed (Salix spp.)

Urban riparian vegetation is frequently dominated by invasive weeds, whose growth is often attributed to the elevated nitrogen and phosphorous in urban waters and soils. However, less recognition is given to other urban contaminants that may influence riparian vegetation. Previous studies have indicated that the dissolution of concrete modifies water and soil geochemistry and potentially enhances the growth of invasive species. This study investigated the relationship between urban water quality and the growth of an invasive urban riparian weed, willow (Salix spp.), to examine the contribution and influence of concrete materials. The study used water from endangered upland peat wetlands within and adjoining the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, many of which are in urban catchments and suffer degradation from water pollution and invasive weeds. In this study, willow cuttings were grown in a laboratory using four water treatments: pristine (non-urban), urban, and non-urban water exposed to two different concrete materials. The urban and concrete-exposed water treatments were associated with increased plant growth measures in addition to increased concentrations of barium and strontium that bioaccumulated in plant tissue.

Conservation Policy of Visual Quality in Connecting Area Between Historical Areas

Alun-alun Contong, a historical area in Surabaya, connects popular historical areas via a tram line. Today, it features commercial buildings from the Dutch East Indies era, which is dominated by contemporary style. Therefore, historical appearances have become degraded and disconnected from their surrounding areas. Based on the case study, this research tries to construct specific historical conservation policies on connecting areas that have not been discussed before. The mixed method involves several tactics that involve two phases: assessment of the building facade element and serial vision analysis as an internal and external identification. The results show the visual quality condition and potential of an area between two historical areas as a modality of the Alun-alun Contong conservation policy. The research findings enable conservation policies to use this method at other locations to improve or restore connectivity, strengthen visual quality, and ensure the sustainability of the entire urban heritage area.

Multifactor evaluation of architectural value in historical and cultural heritage area——the case of Dingzi Street, Hanzhong, Shaanxi, China

Historical and cultural heritage areas gradually disappear due to rapid urbanization, urban renewal, and transformation. With China's urban development shifting from incremental planning to stock optimization, protecting historical and cultural landscape areas has gained considerable attention. The development and preservation of these areas have become pivotal research issues. A multi-value-oriented evaluation index system has been established to recognize the haphazard and scientifically unfounded updating and reforming of buildings within historical and cultural landscape areas. This system draws upon and organizes evaluation indices for historical buildings from domestic and international contexts. An empirical test assessed the protection efforts in the Dingzi Street Historical and Cultural Landscape Area in Hanzhong, Shaanxi Province. The results emphasize that the protection of buildings in historical landscape areas should consider the potential for development and construction, the enhancement of residents' living environments, and the economic impact on neighboring areas. In the renewal construction of historical landscape areas, the evaluation of most buildings focuses on economic value, utility, and the feasibility of renovation implementation. The study's conclusions are essential for enhancing the scientific and practical aspects of renewal and renovation methods for buildings in historical and cultural landscape areas. This research provides valuable insights into balancing development and preservation in the evolving urban landscape of China

Research on the construction of intangible cultural heritage corridors in the Yellow River Basin based on geographic information system (GIS) technology and the minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model

Objectively and accurately identifying the spatial structure and protection scope of intangible cultural heritage and constructing intangible cultural heritage corridors are crucial for the comprehensive systematic protection of intangible cultural heritage and the synergistic development of the region. However, the current research on intangible cultural heritage is limited to the protection and development of intangible cultural heritage in specific locations or specific areas. Thus, systematic and holistic research perspectives are relatively limited. Therefore, this study employs geographic information system spatial analysis and the minimum cumulative resistance model to construct an intangible cultural heritage corridor in the Yellow River Basin. This study aims to establish a systematic protection method and framework for intangible cultural heritage. The results show the following: (1) The intangible cultural heritage in the Yellow River Basin has a large-scale centralized distribution and small-scale scattered distribution, which provides an important spatial basis for the construction of intangible cultural heritage corridors. (2) Overall, intangible cultural heritage corridors can be more effectively constructed in the eastern region of the Yellow River Basin than in the western region, with 84.6% of the area being suitable and 15.4% being unsuitable. (3) Based on the suitability analysis, the "18 + N" corridor system of intangible cultural heritage in the Yellow River Basin, distributed across the eastern, central and southern regions, is constructed. The major corridor has a suitable width of 60–100 km, a total length of 11,935 km, and an area of 625,976 km2–919,942 km2, and can connect 634–711 intangible cultural heritage sites in series. On this basis, this study proposes a multilevel construction system for intangible cultural heritage corridors in the Yellow River Basin that integrates the "network structure–spatial scope" and "element–axis–region" levels. This approach culminates in a pattern of intangible cultural heritage protection and development in the Yellow River Basin characterized by "connecting points into lines, distributing in groups, and linking regions." This study reveals that combining geographic information system spatial analysis tools with a minimum cumulative resistance model effectively identifies potential heritage corridor networks and clarifies the hierarchical relationships of heritage element protection in the study area. This approach provides a reference model for the comprehensive protection and systematic development of intangible cultural heritage in the Yellow River Basin. Furthermore, the effectiveness and universality of this framework make it applicable to the protection and development of other similar international heritage areas.

A Novel Approach for Autonomous Densely Spaced Acquisition of Buried Objects in Intertidal Environments—Field Examples From Avaldsnes, Norway

ABSTRACTUnderwater archaeology relies on expensive and time‐consuming invasive methods for identifying and excavating objects buried in the seabed or identifying layers in shallow and intertidal environments. Especially shallow and intertidal environments are challenging due to locally high levels of sedimentation that offer good conditions for preserving organic material, that is, archaeological objects, in stabile and low‐oxygen environments. We present a system capable of dense (25 cm × 25 cm) survey coverage that enables nondestructive decimetre‐scale visualization of buried objects and sedimentary layers lying in the subsurface. The system comprises an autonomous surface vehicle (ASV) equipped with a single‐channel 2D Chirp sonar. A description of the vehicle design is presented, and results from five field tests demonstrate the ability of the system to collect high‐resolution acoustic data in a variety of shallow water environments. The system shows an example of the linearized zero offset reflectivity inversion dataset, visualizing a known buried shipwreck from the medieval period in Avaldsnes, Norway. The ASV system holds global implications as it can serve as a noninvasive first‐stage survey in sensitive heritage or archaeological areas. Areas where traditional methods are challenging, or invasive methods are dissuaded.

Busting the dust: Evaluating local vs distal sources in Quaternary sediments at Thirlmere Lakes

The Quaternary sediments preserved within the Thirlmere Lakes system, Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, Australia, are an important regional environmental record representing at least the last two interglacials. Understanding the source and evolution of these sediments, both temporally and spatially, is an essential component of the site's reconstruction. In this study, we evaluate this question using physical, mineralogical, elemental, and isotopic analytical techniques. Four distinct lake sediment facies all show bi-modal distributions of coarse sand and clay to fine silts, representing various mixtures of catchment Hawkesbury Sandstone and Ashfield Shale. Clays are predominantly kaolinite-dickite, however, the 7 Å dehydrated form of halloysite is prominent in an orange-yellow oxidised lake facies unit. The relative distribution and concentration of rare earth elements, including yttrium (REY), is heterogeneous across all the lake facies, varying between both lakes and with depth. This variability suggests a geochemical signature reflecting a combination of mixed sources and secondary mineral precipitation, driven by catchment geomorphology and specific site conditions. Slightly positive Ce anomalies in the oxidised lake facies, combined with the greater halloysite representation, represents a period of dry conditions and sub-aerial exposure. Evaluation of catchment, regional and continental REY ratios, Eu anomalies and εNd data implies a predominant internal catchment source signature, with any external contributions restricted to the local Bringelly Shale and the immediate south-eastern Australia, including the Murray River Basin. Geochemical and isotopic values for these proposed internal and external sediment sources predicts that an aeolian source from outside the immediate catchment represents a maximum of 30% of the fine-grained sediment fraction.

Response of soil microbial homeostasis to soil ecological stoichiometric balance in a World Natural Heritage area

Soil microbial biomass stoichiometry homeostasis is essential for microorganism survival and ecosystem stability. Despite its importance, research on soil microbial homeostasis in Natural World Heritage Sites (NWHS) is lacking. This study analyzed ecological stoichiometry and microbial homeostasis in surface (0–20 cm) and subsurface (20–40 cm) soils across various vegetation types in Fanjing Mountain, an NWHS in China. The objective was to explore microbial homeostasis in relation to soil ecological stoichiometry and identify key influencing factors. Results indicated that microbial biomass stoichiometry in surface soil is higher than in subsurface soil for 5 vegetation types, mirroring nutrient stoichiometry but contrasting enzyme stoichiometry. Vector length (VL) suggests higher C limitation in subsurface soil for all vegetation types, while vector angle (VA) shows P limitation in surface soil of certain types and N limitation in subsurface soil across all types. Random forest analysis revealed that the microbial carbon-nitrogen ratio (MB C/N) was mainly contributed by C/N (14.11 %), SOC (12.31 %), pH (10.52 %), NH4+-N, SWC, NO3--N in the surface soil, and NO3--N (15.74 %), altitude, SWC, SOC, C/N in the subsurface soil, whereas for the microbial carbon-phosphorus ratio (MB C/P), altitude (12.16 %), SWC (9.86 %), and AP were the main contributing factors in the surface soil, and in the subsurface soil, altitude (10.49 %), C/P, SWC, SOC, and TP. This study provides insights into ecological stoichiometry, homeostasis, and nutrient limitations in Fanjing Mountain, aiding vegetation nutrient balance management in NWHS.

Transformational Leadership in Local Heritage Area Development (Case Studies in Medan Kesawan Area and Semarang Kota Lama)

Transformational Leadership in Local Heritage Area Development (Case Studies in Medan Kesawan Area and Semarang Kota Lama)