Historical Area Research Articles

Merinos in Poland – an analysis of breeding condition, selected performance traits and perspectives for the protection of genetic resources in relation to the country’s total sheep population

The purpose of the study was to analyse the breeding condition and performance traits of merino sheep belonging to three breeds in 2008-2022. The experimental material consisted of data derived from annual reports published by the Polish Sheep Breeding Association on breeding of three merino breeds: Polish Merino, Coloured Merino, old-type Polish Merino and data on the number and distribution of flocks, as well as data on the implementation of the sheep genetic resources protection programme from the database of the National Research Institute of Animal Production covering the period of the last 15 years. Analysing the population size over the last 15 years, significant changes were observed in the breed structure of the Merino sheep population. The implementation of conservation programmes and the opportunity to obtain subsidies for conservation breeds have had an impact on the breeding of these breeds in our country. Currently, the largest share of the merino sheep population is represented by the old-type Polish merino. Merino breeding has a regional and large-scale profile, concentrated in the historical areas of their maintenance, in Wielkopolska and Kujawy, usually in flocks of about 100 dams. Reproduction rates expressed by maternal prolificacy were found to be in line with the breed pattern. The Polish merino and the old-type Polish merino were distinguished by similar parameters of reproductive traits and higher fertility as well as rearing indices than those of the coloured merino. The coloured merino is the breed with the highest fertility and breeding performance. Body weight of lambs was higher for the white varieties. However, reproductive and meat performance indices show the potential of merino sheep in the context of lamb production, which is currently the main focus of sheep production in Poland.

Cartography, Conversation, and Critical Cultural Justice Inquiry: Participatory Mapping and the Reimagining of Kingston and Arthur’s Vale Historic Area, Norfolk Island

Informed by critical cultural justice inquiry, this article reflects on participatory mapping activities undertaken on Norfolk Island that were aimed at capturing practices, routes, and emotions associated with Kingston and Arthur’s Vale Historic Area. We discuss how participants understood the parameters of mapping tasks; adapted and individualized activities; engaged in collaborative practice; and exercised reflexivity. The article finds that participatory mapping captures variances in how participants relate to and engage with Kingston. The article emphasizes the importance of recording conversations during participatory mapping to offer greater nuance and insight into visual data recorded on the maps.

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

Terrorism Risk Assessment for Historic Urban Open Areas

Terrorism Risk Assessment for Historic Urban Open Areas

Evaluating social sustainability of urban regeneration in historic urban areas in China: The case of Xi'an

Urban regeneration involves a highly contested process of social transformation. Examples from China have shown that this process has led to poor social sustainability. Previous studies have not adequately addressed the issue of poor social sustainability. This study aims to address this gap by developing a set of valid and reliable performance indicators for assessing the social sustainability of urban regeneration initiatives in China's Historic Urban Areas (HUAs). Through an extensive literature review and a Delphi survey, critical social sustainability factors facilitating urban regeneration were identified. An assessment tool was subsequently proposed, comprising eight themes, 29 indicators, and a corresponding point-scoring system. Finally, Xi'an was selected as a case study to apply and test the applicability of the tool and to evaluate social sustainability performance to further explore improvement strategies. The results show that adequate housing, housing quality, participation in regeneration initiatives, and safe design were the most critical indicators determining the social sustainability of urban regeneration. Additionally, the results reveal indicators with limited contribution to achieving social sustainability in Xi'an. The research findings have policy implications for pushing socially sustainable urban regeneration initiatives in China.

Transforming Academic Libraries into Hubs of Innovation and Entrepreneurship: A Case Study of a New Library Model

In a data-driven era, academic libraries must evolve beyond traditional roles as spaces for reading and storing information resources to become platforms promoting learning, research, innovation, future skills, and entrepreneurship. Based on the triple helix model of innovation, this paper highlights the new library model in a case study aimed at transforming traditional academic library services into enterprising, innovation-driven activities. For over ninety years, Thammasat University Library has been located on Rattanakosin Island, an historical area of Thailand. More recently, the library business model has evolved to meet modern needs. This qualitative research uses a case study to explore library strategies to create space meeting requirements of diverse user groups: students, faculty, staff, alumni, businesspeople and the community, including older residents. Service innovations responding to user demands are prioritized by drawing on the expertise of librarians. These changes generate new revenue for the library and enhance the space design and use through the Life Space concept. Co-working spaces, learning areas, inspirational corners, and performance venues make the library a platform for inspiring creativity, learning, life enhancement, and business ventures. The Thammasat University Library has also become an innovative bridge linking university research with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), facilitating knowledge transfer and research commercialization. These findings may serve as guidelines for academic libraries seeking to adapt the Library of Life approach to be centres catering to readers of all generations and stations in life.

Towards Sustainable Development of the Old City: Design Practice of Alleyway Integration in Old City Area Based on Heritage Corridor Theory

Urbanization has increasingly led to the overlapping of old and new spaces in historic city areas, creating challenges in preserving valuable urban heritage. To meet the requirements of the effective protection, utilization, and sustainable development of these historical spaces, this study introduces a comprehensive framework grounded in the theory of heritage corridors. The proposed framework subdivides and connects fragmented historical spatial resources through the “point–line–plane” dimensions, fostering sustainability across the environmental, ecological, and cultural domains. To validate the effectiveness of the framework, we apply it to the historic city center of Wuxi. This case study demonstrates that integrating spatial resources within the old city enhances the overall quality of urban living spaces in the historic district. The findings suggest that the heritage corridor framework is a feasible and systematic approach for the sustainable renewal of historic urban areas. Furthermore, this study offers valuable insights for advancing Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG 11), particularly in promoting inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities.

Shaping Tourism Strategies through Local Perceptions: A Case Study of Muharraq

Bahrain, a longstanding tourist destination in the Gulf region, has seen its economy benefit significantly from tourism. However, the improper development of tourism has led to negative impacts on urban tourism in historic areas, risking the loss of authenticity. This study aims to explore factors influencing the development of tourism strategies in Muharraq city, focusing on residents' perceptions. A qualitative approach was used, including a comprehensive literature review, interviews with residents to capture their views on tourism-related issues, and a self-administered questionnaire with key officials and stakeholders. The study identifies critical factors affecting tourism development and offers recommendations for enhancing cultural tourism in Muharraq. The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers to create sustainable strategies that balance economic growth with cultural preservation, ensuring that Muharraq remains a culturally vibrant city while promoting sustainable urban tourism. This research contributes to the broader field of urban tourism studies by highlighting the importance of local perceptions and participatory approaches in shaping effective tourism policies. By addressing key elements that influence tourism development, the study supports the creation of strategies that safeguard heritage while fostering sustainable growth in one of Bahrain's most culturally significant cities.

Heritage, urban form and spatial resignification in the production of sustainable Olympic legacies: an urban design analysis of the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games

The Olympic Games have been associated with many urban transformation projects throughout their history, often focusing on city expansion. Recent sustainability concerns, however, constitute a pressing challenge, with the regeneration of central areas fulfilling a key role in existing urban agendas. In this paper, the legacy of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at two proposed centralities was analysed, namely, the Olympic Park, intended as a future neighbourhood to the west of the city, and Porto Maravilha (PM), an urban project aimed at revitalizing a central, historical area of the city. By comparing the Olympic Park and the first provided areas in PM, in terms of selecting urban design criteria through qualitative in loco assessments, this paper focused on analysing the impacts of urban forms and heritage on the consolidation of these two centralities, as well as encouraging social interaction and integration into the city. The analysis results indicated that urban design attributes such as human-scaled, mixed-use, context-based urban spaces could interfere with social interaction and the usability of spaces. Moreover, the repurposing of heritage buildings contributed to urban cohesion for legacy transformation. Hence, novel insights into urban design and heritage could become important for future editions of the Olympics so that host cities may fulfil their sustainability agendas.

Evaluation of the influence of climatic changes on the degradation of the historic buildings

While climatic change has been a widely studied topic, its impact on cultural heritage degradation remains a gap to overcome. The environment can contribute to the degradation of historic buildings and materials decay, especially temperature and humidity. So, characterizing the micro-climates of a landmark zone and understanding the influence of the recovery layers, building disposition, and street characteristics on environmental parameters are the first steps to investigating resilience strategies for heritage conservation and micro-climates. Thus, this paper presents a new approach to assess the influence of climatic warming on historic building degradation, combining multiscale experimental data and numerical modeling. The environmental parameters of the historic center of Aracati downtown, such as concentration of CO2, relative humidity, temperature, and air condition, were characterized and used together with urban volumetry to discuss the influence of on the urban microclimate and relate the data to the physical degradation of cultural heritage. An uncrewed aerial vehicle was used to register the volumetry of the historic center, and the data was used to simulate the wind conditions. Following this, numerical analysis was used to investigate the rising damp and thermal tension distributions under temperature variation over the years (from 2023 to 2100). The methodology’s applicability was demonstrated in recurrence with the Nosso Senhor do Bonfim Church, one of the most representative heritage constructions from Aracati downtown. Finally, the new methodology contributed to understanding how urban volumetry contributes to the climatic conditions of a historic area and demonstrates that the increase of the temperature can significantly affect the rising damps and the development of stress tension.

Transformation of Modern Urban Park Based on User’s Spatial Perceived Preferences: A Case Study of Kowloon Walled City Park in Hong Kong

Urban parks enhance residents’ quality of life and health by fostering a harmonious relationship between people and nature, so effective park design needs to prioritize ecological protection, sustainable landscapes, and practical spatial structures to achieve these benefits. This study takes the typical case of urban park renovation and reconstruction—Kowloon Walled City Park—as an example to conduct research and divides the interior of the park into four types of areas: contemporary built-up area; historical relic area; natural–folk custom area; and ecological conservation area. Based on 405 valid questionnaire data for respondents, this study conducts empirical research using a combination of the Semantic Differential (SD) method, Importance Performance Analysis (IPA) model, and unordered multivariate logit choice model, comprehensively describes and analyzes individual spatial perception and preferences, and further discusses the potential factors affecting individual perception preferences. The results show that there are differences in many characteristics between different areas in Kowloon Walled City Park. At the same time, people generally prefer park areas that integrate modern and traditional elements, natural and cultural environments, and pay attention to the balance between naturalness and sociality in park design. These results provide useful information for planners, developers, and others, as well as data for designing urban park construction with higher practical value and natural benefits.

Isotope-Based Characterization of Soil Elemental Mercury Emissions from Historical Mercury Mining Areas: Driving Pathways and Relative Contributions.

Photo-, microbial, and abiotic dark reduction of soil mercury (Hg) may all lead to elemental mercury (Hg(0)) emissions. Utilizing lab incubations, isotope signatures of Hg(0) emitted from mining soils were characterized to quantify the interplay and contributions of various Hg reduction pathways, which have been scarcely studied. At 15 °C, microbial reduced Hg(0) showed a negative mass-dependent fractionation (MDF) (δ202Hg = -0.30 ± 0.08‰, 1SD) and near-zero mass-independent fractionation (MIF) (Δ199Hg = 0.01 ± 0.04‰, 1SD), closely resembling dark reduced Hg(0) (δ202Hg = -0.18 ± 0.05‰, Δ199Hg = -0.01 ± 0.03‰, 1SD). In comparison, photoreduced Hg(0) exhibited significant MDF and MIF (δ202Hg = -0.55 ± 0.05‰, Δ199Hg = -0.20 ± 0.07‰, 1SD). In the dark, Hg isotopic signatures remained constant over the temperature range of 15-35 °C. Nonetheless, light exposure and temperature changes together altered Hg(0) MIF signatures significantly. Isotope mixing models along with Hg(0) emission flux data highlighted photo- and microbial reduction contributing 79-88 and 12-21%, respectively, of the total Hg(0) emissions from mining soils, with negligible abiotic dark reduction. Microorganisms are the key driver of soil Hg(0) emissions by first dissolving HgS and then promoting ionic Hg formation, followed by facilitating the photo- and microbial reduction of organically bound Hg. These insights deepen our understanding of the biogeochemical processes that influence Hg(0) releases from surface soils.

Contemporary Demands of Scenes in Urban Historic Conservation Areas: A Case Study of Subjective Evaluations from Foshan, China

A historic area situated within contemporary urban space must adapt to modern lifestyles and aesthetic sensibilities to sustain its vitality and facilitate effective heritage transmission. A key criterion for evaluating adaptation is its ability to fulfill people’s ‘demands’ for it. This paper focuses on people’s demands as its core, employing the post-occupancy evaluation theory and the scene theory to develop a subjective evaluation framework for scenes within urban historic conservation areas. An application case study uses the typical historical area of Foshan, China, as an evaluation framework. The discussion encompasses spatial vitality, extraction of scene elements, construction of an indicator set, satisfaction evaluation, and differences in evaluations across areas and individual indicators. The research findings reveal several key points: (1) People’s attention and demands regarding scene elements in urban historic conservation areas are multifaceted. (2) There is a high degree of tolerance among people towards urban historic conservation areas, with varying preferences for different areas. (3) The approach to area protection and development needs diversification. (4) People’s overall perception of an area is influenced by various elements within the scenes. The application of this evaluation framework can aid in understanding people’s “demands” and their underlying reasons while also providing assistance for future optimization efforts related to urban historic conservation areas. Furthermore, the subjective evaluation framework has potential applicability for research into other historical cultural street areas.

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.

ENCODING RESTRICTIONS AS AN OBJECT OF CADASTRAL SYSTEMS IN UKRAINE

Transparency and uniformity of registration of land use restrictions are interdependent and complementary aspects critical for ensuring effective management of land resources. The interaction of transparency and uniformity creates conditions for accessibility, comprehensibility, and better perception of data. The study analyses land use restrictions identification during their registration in the State Land and Urban Planning Cadastres to determine the uniformity of the registration. The analysis mainly focuses on the main attributes of the land use restrictions, such as code and name. Based on the research results, we established that the classification of land use restrictions for registration in various state cadastral systems, particularly State Land and Urban Planning Cadastres, is mostly not identical and requires coordination. There is an unjustified duplication of some land use restrictions and ambiguity in assigning them to specific categories. A particular problem is coding land use restrictions as registration objects without considering the hierarchical spatial organisation of restriction zones and the principle of logical construction. There is also an inexplicable duplication of some categories of land use restrictions, as in: the protected archaeological territory (codes 06.06.3 and 16.04), the historic and cultural protected territory (codes 06.06.5 and 16.03), the historical and cultural reserve (codes 06.06.4 and 16.02), the historical area of ​​the inhabited place (codes 06.06.2 and 16.07). In addition, there are minor differences in the names. It is worth noting that correctly identifying land use restrictions is essential for developing local urban planning documents due to the requirements of integrating information from various sources and updating them regularly. Transparency and uniformity of registration of land use restrictions in the State Land Cadastre and Urban Planning Cadastre are the main factors contributing to the effective management of land resources, ensuring legal certainty, attracting investments, and protecting the rights of land owners. They also contribute to reducing corruption, increasing trust in public authorities, and protecting the environment. Keywords: restrictions, code, state land cadastre, urban planning cadastre.

Cultural Sustainability in the Historic Environment: An Application of Structural Functionalism Theory

ABSTRACT Approaches to cultural sustainability in the historic environment aims to recognise and leverage their inherent cultural potential. Historic areas have been the focus of increased attention due to their significant cultural capacity compared to other urban areas. This study aims to develop a conceptual model for cultural sustainability in historic environments, using Structural Functionalism Theory as its analytical framework. Cultural sustainability is conceptualised as a comprehensive construct, with its components drawn from various charters, declarations, and international protocols related to the preservation of historic sites, established by organisations like the Organisation of World Heritage Cities, UNESCO, and ICOMOS since the 1990s. Some components have also been chosen based on prior research. Through documentary research and literature reviews, the functions of each component are aligned with Structural Functionalism Theory. The research results offer a detailed analysis of the cultural sustainability system. In this framework, symbolic capital, cultural neighbourhoods, authenticity, and value serve the functions of adaptation, goal attainment, integrity, and latent pattern maintenance, respectively. This analysis follows the principles of the Structural Functionalism Theory by examining the distinct functions and roles of these components at the secondary level. The historic environment of Dardasht provides a practical example where the model has been applied.

Understanding the attractiveness of types of historic districts in Bandung: implementing heritage conservation based on public perception

ABSTRACT Cultural heritage conceptually addresses the conservation of physical and non-physical dimensions. Heritage conservation generally intends to create pleasant spatial experiences and socio-culturally friendly living environments while accommodating contemporary needs. Conservation frameworks for protecting urban fabric driven by physical authenticity and expert judgment need to pay increased attention to public-based assessment experiences to improve people’s perspectives on the quality of urban historic areas. The notions of inclusive conservation posit that community understanding is essential for appreciating historic urban areas due to various social, cultural, historical, and political conditions. According to public narratives and perspectives, this study describes the types of urban historic districts perceived as attractive. The investigation uses the qualitative method to analyze data from 170 participants obtained through an online questionnaire and content analysis methods with open, axial, and selective coding. The findings reveal that from the public perspective of environmental quality assessment, historic districts are categorized under three types according to attractiveness. Three types of historic areas are vibrant, relaxing, and dull districts. As such, the study emphasizes the importance of human sensory experience in urban planning and design and its consequences for urban heritage conservation.

Employing the Historic Urban Landscape Approach for Planning of Historic Places: Directions for the Preservation of Kota Lama Gorontalo, in Indonesia

There is a general concern that the development of historic urban areas can damage cultural heritage sites. Kota Lama Gorontalo located in Gorontalo City, Gorontalo Province, Indonesia is such a cultural heritage site. This area was a bustling port city in the past. Its strategic location being between two crowded shipping areas, namely the South China Sea and Tomini Bay has made Kota Lama Gorontalo grow into an important city in Sulawesi, as the center of a traditional kingdom. This study investigates the historical layers of Kota Lama Gorontalo and threats to its preservation. It is based on the premise that by applying the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) approach, historic city areas can be developed to meet the changing functional and technical needs while maintaining their character and identity. The research obtains data related to the past context from archival data, maps, and old photographs. Data related to the present-day context is obtained from field research. The findings show that the long period of existence of Kota Lama Gorontalo has produced a variety of cultural remains that have become the identity of the region. Undeniably, it needs to be preserved because these cultural remains are deteriorating because of the developments that do not heed conservation rules and also because of natural disasters. This paper offers recommendations for the preservation of Kota Lama Gorontalo based on the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) approach.

Characterization and Making Techniques of Calcareous Construction Materials for Phaya Thon Zu Temple in Bagan Historical Area, Myanmar.

The calcareous materials used in constructing the Phaya Thon Zu temple at the Bagan historical sites in Myanmar are mortars, plasters, and stuccos. Among them, the mortars and plasters are a mixture of original and new materials used for recent conservation treatments. In this study, the making techniques were examined through analysis of calcareous materials by production period. All calcareous materials have a mineral composition similar to soil, except calcite. Stuccos have the most refined aggregates, homogeneous particle size, and the highest lime and organic contents. They were designed to improve ease of carving and weathering resistance, considering the unique characteristics of the stuccos. Because all calcareous materials were mixed with soil, the origin of the clay materials was analyzed. It was concluded that the mortars were produced by mixing clay and sandy soil, and the original mortars showed characteristics similar to soil. It is highly possible that sandy soil from around the Htillominlo temple was used to produce new plasters, and it is estimated that a mixture of clay soil was used for the original plasters and stuccos. A clear provenance interpretation of the original and raw materials used for each construction and the mixing ratio of clay materials need to be discussed through experiments, along with the estimated provenance area of the raw calcareous materials.

Optimization of the control strategy and research priorities to combat the resurgence of visceral leishmaniasis in China

Leishmaniasis is a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by Leishmania infection and transmitted by sandflies. There are three main forms of leishmaniasis, including cutaneous leishmaniasis, visceral leishmaniasis and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis. China is mainly endemic for visceral leishmaniasis, which is a class C notifiable infectious disease in the country. Following concerted efforts, the transmission of visceral leishmaniasis had been controlled in most endemic foci of China by the end of 1958, with a few cases reported in western China. Due to global climate changes and population mobility, resurgence of visceral leishmaniasis has recently occurred in historical endemic areas of central and western China, which is characterized by gradual expansion of endemic areas and remarkable rebounding epidemics. Hereby, we summarize the national and global epidemiology and control strategy of visceral leishmaniasis, propose 8 key research areas and 12 key research topics for visceral leishmaniasis control, and recommend the establishment of the joint prevention and control mechanism of "human-animals-vectors" and the working mechanism of animal prevention for human diseases based on the One Health approach, so as to combat the resurgence of visceral leishmaniasis in China.