International Council On Monuments And Sites Research Articles

Igal Ritual Theatre: A Cultural Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Perspective

This study explains the spiritual aspect of igal ritual theatre. It justifies the relationship between the concept of Cultural Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the role of the igal ritual theatre in the well-being of society and the preservation of heritage. This research applies the ethnographic method through an 'inductive phenomenological character' approach. The result explains how the igal ritual theatre relates to the concept of Cultural SDGs presented by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). This study affirms that igal ritual theatre aligns with the agenda of the Cultural SDGs to improve society and preserve heritage.

Frameworks for climate risk management (CRM) in cultural heritage: a systematic review of the state of the art

PurposeA comprehensive understanding of the determining factors and implications of the frameworks for appreciating the relationships between climate risks and cultural heritage remains deficient. To address the gap, the review analysed literature on the management of climate risk in cultural heritage. The review examines the strengths and weaknesses of climate risk management (CRM) frameworks and attendant implications for the conservation of cultural heritage.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a two-phased systematic review procedure. In the first phase, the authors reviewed related publications published between 2017 and 2021 in Scopus and Google Scholar. Key reports published by organisations such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) were identified and included in Phase Two to further understand approaches to CRM in cultural heritage.FindingsResults established the changes in trend and interactions between factors influencing the adoption of CRM frameworks, including methods and tools for CRM. There is also increasing interest in adopting quantitative and qualitative methods using highly technical equipment and software to assess climate risks to cultural heritage assets. However, climate risk information is largely collected at the national and regional levels rather than at the cultural heritage asset.Practical implicationsThe review establishes increasing implementation of CRM frameworks across national boundaries at place level using high-level technical skills and knowledge, which are rare amongst local organisations and professionals involved in cultural heritage management.Originality/valueThe review established the need for multi-sectoral, bottom-up and place-based approaches to improve the identification of climate risks and decision-making processes for climate change adaptation.

Post-Conflict Safeguarding of Built Heritage: Content Analysis of the ICOMOS Heritage at Risk Journal, 2000–2019

The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) publishes several academic and professional publications, including Heritage at Risk World Reports. These reports examine heritage properties at risk globally, showing the trends and sharing recommendations. The role of local communities (LCs) and local resources (LRs) in safeguarding built heritage in periods following conflict has been highlighted by academics and international organisations. However, there are few research studies examining the indicators of the roles of LCs and LRs, which can depict the priorities in such circumstances. A systematic review (analysis) of this ICOMOS publication in a post-conflict context has yet to be undertaken. This method is utilised to identify key indicators of both elements in the context of post-conflict safeguarding of built heritage. The systematic review using content analysis and keyword frequency classified 69 post-conflict cases (countries) and identified significant LC and LR indicators. The findings reveal that the community’s awareness of built heritage and the availability of local experts are the most significant indicators for the LC and LRs, respectively. Both the LC and LR roles have a strong correlation in periods following conflicts. In addition, within the ICOMOS reports, results show a growing emphasis on post-conflict situations since the first volume. This study contributes to providing a shared vision regarding the roles that LCs and LRs can play in safeguarding built heritage following conflicts. Through analysing related policy documents, future research could investigate a policy-led perspective for safeguarding built heritage following conflicts.

Reconciling Development Infrastructure and Heritage Protection, Through Heritage Impact Assessments: A Case Study of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Omo Valley of Ethiopia

Development infrastructure and heritage protection are equally important to many societies and countries in the world. Therefore, it is vital to reconcile both needs of development infrastructure and heritage protection through methods of heritage impact assessment (HIA) conducted using International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) guidelines. The UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Omo valley of Ethiopia is home to various palaeontological, archaeological and paleoanthropological records and, hence, has huge significance to the world as well as to Ethiopia. A road construction designed to pass through the Shungura Formation in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Omo valley of Ethiopia poses a serious problem to the heritage site, and an HIA was conducted to investigate thoroughly the impacts of the road construction on the heritage site. The ICOMOS guideline is a useful tool to carry out HIA, and it is used as a guiding method to conduct the HIA. In order to assess the impacts, data from the key attributes of the heritages were collected; these data are faunal fossils, archaeological records such as stone tools and geological exposures used to date fossils. These are the features that make the heritage site significant, and concentrations of these data from 4 m by 4 m gridded areas are assessed through ICOMOS guidelines, and high concentrations of faunal fossils and archaeological records are found in the areas where the road construction was designed to pass. The impacts of the road construction on the key attributes of the heritage vary from adverse effects (A1 and A4) to severe adverse effects (A2 and A3). Therefore, the road construction design Alt-00 adversely affects the heritage-bearing Shungura Formation which hosts the key attributes of the heritages in the Omo valley of Ethiopia. Following the results of this HIA, an alternative road construction design Alt-03 was suggested, and the new road construction design is adopted by the Ethiopian Road Authority. This particular study from the Omo valley of Ethiopia has played a significant role in saving the heritage sites and has also important implications in balancing the needs of heritage protection and development infrastructure to other parts of the country and elsewhere in the world, and it is a good contribution to future research related to heritages and impacts of development infrastructures.

Fortresses in Portugal. Conservation and basis for new uses

This paper focuses on the experience of the Rehabilitation Nucleus of the Construction Institute (NR-IC), integrated in the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP) in the analysis, inspection, and diagnosis of structures with ancient defensive walls existing in Portugal. Aiming at promoting careful and heritage-respecting rehabilitation interventions, in line with the recommendations of ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites), the NR-IC has participated in several conservation and requalification projects. The development and implementation of a consolidated and holistic methodology of inspection and diagnosis aims to intervene in these historic structures by respecting their authenticity and integrity. In this context, this paper addresses two cases studies in different contexts and state of conservation: the Penedono Castle, in the countryside, and the Peniche Fortress in the sea shore.

Intersection of Heritage, Water, and the Work of the ICOMOS Sustainable Development Goals Working Group

The Sustainable Development Goals Working Group (SDGWG) of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) advocates for heritage by publishing reports, attending conferences and engaging in networking. The SDGWG is particularly interested in how water, heritage and sustainable development intersect. Various aspects of this intersection are demonstrated by three case studies of underwater cultural heritage: a study of submarine cables and pipelines, the traditional floating garden system of chinampas in Mexico City, and the indigenous water tanks of kulams and gender-associated stepwells in India. This paper examines the current state of protection and advocacy, while also discussing the challenges faced by water heritage. While significant challenges remain, the SDGWG is developing solutions to ongoing and sometimes overlooked problems.

“Quality” of interventions on built Cultural Heritage

The paper deals with a Document prepared by an expert group, chaired by the author, established by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) under the mandate of the European Commission. The action took place in the framework of the flagship EU Initiative of the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018: “Cherishing heritage: developing quality standards for EU-funded projects that have the potential to impact on cultural heritage”. The main objective of the “Document on quality principles for EU-funded interventions on cultural heritage”, is to provide guidance for all stakeholders directly or indirectly engaged in EU-funded heritage conservation and management (European institutions, managing authorities, international organisations, civil society and local communities, private sector, and experts).

Liangzhu Cultural Heritage Speaks to the World. Hangzhou Narratives and Practices of Sustainable Urban Development

Abstract: The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), strongly believes that heritage—natural and cultural, tangible and intangible—is fundamental to addressing the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This paper explores Liangzhu cultural heritage located in Hangzhou, China. It argues that cultural heritage is also a special kind of living narrative. In accordance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, cultural heritage narratives carry an important function in global sustainable development. Cross-media narrative development of Liangzhu site and ancient symbols are explored, from the appearance of elements like "The God with Mixed Human and Animal Facial Features" in design products, to the consideration of the pioneer integration of 5G technology taking place in the city of Hangzhou, an example of sustainable urban development.

Philippine landscape heritage education: review of the preparedness of landscape architecture curricula in the Philippines for cultural landscape heritage conservation specialization

PurposeThis paper serves as a pilot study for the education of cultural landscape heritage conservation (CLHC) and review the preparedness of landscape architecture curricula in the Philippines for the CLHC specialization. It proposes the utilization of the “Geodesign” framework in formulating a developmental process and validation of the interrelationship and collaborative activity created by the thematic areas towards landscape heritage education and professionalization. The goal of the study is to create new possibilities for the profession through the study and professionalization of cultural landscapes, thus, raising awareness and significance of cultural heritage and heritage conservation in the lenses of the Philippine landscapes.Design/methodology/approachThe research opted for literature reviews, comprehensive desktop reviews of the landscape architecture syllabi of higher education institutions (HEIs) and SWOT and PESTEL analyses as qualitative assessments, including stakeholder feedback discussions with the current four (4) HEIs, Philippine Association of Landscape Architects (PALA), Technical Committee for Landscape Architecture, Commission on Higher Education (TCLA CHED), Professional Regulation Commission–Board of Landscape Architecture (PRC–BOLA) and the ICOMOS IFLA International Scientific Committee on Cultural Landscapes, National Philippine Committee (Philippine NSCCL). The data were complemented by a quantitative assessment using Leopold and Lohani and Thann assessment matrix on importance (without considering magnitude), and for this study, it is the level of preparedness and integration.FindingsThe paper brings forth to the conclusion that the landscape architecture curricula at the bachelor's degree level of the University of the Philippines – Diliman (UP – Diliman) in Quezon City and University of San Carlos (USC) in Cebu are prepared to integrate and/or consider updating their respective curriculum in accordance to the CLHC specialization. The curricula of Bulacan State University (BulSU) in Malolos, Bulacan, and the University of San Agustin (USA) in Iloilo may need to consider introducing courses related to the thematic areas to be able to create an area of basis for integration.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is initiated as part of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) Philippines Internship programme during a master degree study wherein the research is bounded within the limit of its duration. Therefore, the study was able to only identify and chose the possible thematic areas and course concentrations for the specialization of CLHC; select, review and propose courses related to CLHC; screen courses from the landscape architecture curricula of the universities based on its course title, course information (if provided) and cross–checked with Government syllabi; and allocation of units and time per identified course as well as required prerequisite from thematic areas was not covered in this study.Practical implicationsThe paper can be used as a tool to engage discussions with the PRC–BOLA in its development of the specialization of CLHC currently being planned. Study topics and themes identified can be the starting point of training programmes that can benefit students of the current four universities in the study and landscape architecture professionals alike. This will eventually translate to benefits to society as heritage conservation methodologies are developed by practitioners who can apply such knowledge to places of cultural and natural significance and develop learnings to concrete heritage laws and policies protecting landscapes.Originality/valueThis paper serves as a pilot study for the education and professionalization of CLHC in the Philippines. Significantly, the development of CLHC specialization in the Philippines shall open various opportunities in developing Philippine cultural landscape heritage conservationists trained at the local context.

CROSS-BORDER FORTRESSES IN PORTUGAL; INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSIS

Aiming at promoting careful and heritage-respecting rehabilitation interventions, in line with the recommendations of ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites), the Rehabilitation Nucleus of the Construction Institute (NR-IC), integrated in the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP), has participated in several conservation and requalification projects. The development and implementation of a consolidated and holistic methodology of inspection and diagnosis aims to intervene in these historic structures by respecting their authenticity and integrity. This paper focused on the NR-IC experience in the analysis, inspection, and diagnosis of structures with ancient defensive walls existing in Portugal’s border, while addressing several practical cases in different contexts and state of conservation. These structures have lost their original defense function, assuming nowadays a symbolic character of historical memory. In some cases, these structures were maintained, although in other cases they were abandoned, having reached the present time quite degraded. In this context, this paper focuses on three cases studies: the Cross-border Fortresses on the river Minho (Portugal-Spain border), the Guimarães Castle, cradle of the Portuguese nationality; and the Peniche Fortress representing maritime defensive structures. The wall’s structural system is characterized as well as the distinct inspection and diagnoses approaches recommended for each structure. Particularly, the systematization, recording, and processing of information is described and commented during the inspection phase, taking into account the large size of most of the structures involved.

Proposing a New Methodology for Monument Conservation “SCOPE MANAGEMENT” by the Use of an Analytic Hierarchy Process Project Management Institute System and the ICOMOS Burra Charter

Managing the scope of the “Properties” and “Performances” domains plays a fundamental role in the scheduling and controlling of the wide variety of variables and processes involved in any project, for the purpose of increasing the quality of outputs, which leads to time and budget-saving. Notably, in monument conservation projects, “scope management” is a vital factor targeted at maintaining historical parameter values and accuracy in the number of interferences and occupations on sites. Nowadays, as urbanization speeds up unprecedently, the territories of these heritage sites have been demolished or have lost their place on the World Heritage List. Undoubtedly, the existence of such critical conditions makes it increasingly necessary to apply scope management methods to preserve such archaeological and historic sites across the world. The purpose of this article is to propose a “Comprehensive and Regular Systematic Schedule” for the purpose of monument conservation via the use of scope management, based on the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS)—specifically the Burra Charter (1981). The results of this research include hierarchical levels of management processes which consider all the effective variables, both the tangible and intangible elements (independent factors) and the other weaknesses and opportunities of the project in order to determine the scope of the required operations, which must be scheduled based on historical sites’ conservation charters. In this way, in addition to reviving a cultural landscape’s (cultural heritage or site) essential and valuable parts, unnecessary changes can be avoided.

Cultural heritage adaptation is sustainable!

Sustainable development is a well-known term. Sustainable development includes development of cities and communities, industry and infrastructure, innovation and other areas, where no achievement would be possible without caring about the past – our cultural heritage. This paper explains the four-pillar principle of sustainable development of cultural heritage, where each pillar is an amalgamation of various domains. The need to pursue sustainable development of cultural heritage was pointed out in many reports by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), Council of Europe, and others. These important organisations stress the need to preserve heritage, and adaptation is considered an effective means for it. This paper dwells on how and at which stage of cultural heritage life cycle the decision of adaptation should be taken, and what stages it should be preceded and followed by in order to ensure the said shift to sustainable development. The decision of adaptation is seen as a key milestone in the cyclical life of a heritage building, which needs to be set to guarantee the continuation of the building’s sustainable development.

Purposing aesthetics in historic preservation: advocating, signifying, and interpreting aesthetics

<p>Aesthetics is a pillar consideration in historic preservation. Yet, purposing aesthetics for historic preservation ends seems to lag behind the opportunities. Utterly subjective, aesthetics poses challenges for the preservation community worldwide to moderate, accommodate, and purpose aesthetics in heritage programs. The challenges revolve around the assessment of aesthetical purposing in three domains. These domains include the community disposition towards accommodating aesthetics (advocacy), the criteria and strategies for assessing the aesthetic value of historic resources (signification), and, the standards for treating historic resources in preservation projects (interpretation). This study, therefore, assesses the trends for purposing aesthetics in historic preservation thought and practice through three platforms: advocating aesthetics, signifying aesthetics, and interpreting aesthetics. The study completed literature content analysis on aesthetics in general and aesthetics in historic preservation in particular. Further, because of the perspective of the study, the works of international and country preservation programs provided information relevant to advocacy, signification, and interpretation of aesthetics that have been refined by classification, comparison, and exemplification methods. Among others, these works include those of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and the U.S. National Historic Preservation Program in the National Park Service. The study culminated with general and platform-specific conclusions. First, as the three proposed platforms (advocacy, signification, and interpretation) maintain structural and serial relationships, they constitute a relevant and feasible framework for assessing aesthetical purposing. Second, as the aesthetical purposing assessment followed a broad, international perspective, the conclusions of the study are commensurate with the selective scope of information used from international and country preservation programs. Third, the contribution to aesthetical purposing at each of the three platforms can be measure only in general, and at times, subjective terms.</p><p><strong>Highlights:</strong></p><ul><li><p>Proposing aesthetical advocacy, aesthetical signification, and aesthetical interpretation as a platform framework to assess the purposing of aesthetics was feasible.</p></li><li><p>As aesthetical purposing was approached from a broad, international perspective, the conclusions of the study commensurate with the selective scope of information used.</p></li><li><p>The contribution to aesthetical purposing at each of the three platforms is hard to measure; however, the indications point to uneven contribution.</p></li></ul>

Alternative Governance Model for Historical Building Conservation in China: From Property Rights Perspective

With the rapid advancement of urbanisation, the adaptive reuse of heritage plays a key role in achieving sustainable development, which is widely recognised by UNESCO and International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). In the process of urban renewal, unclear property rights have seriously hindered the relocation of old houses, compensation and the adaptive reuse of historical buildings, even causing a series of social contradictions, such as violence. Moreover, forced evictions and controversy in dealing with the rights of residents, particularly the so-called ‘nail households’ have attracted public attention. However, few studies have analysed the problems and countermeasures from the perspective of unclear property rights. This study focuses on analysing the unclear property rights of historical buildings to propose an Alternative Governance Model for Historical Building Conservation in China. Founded on the Coase Theorem of externalities and property rights to examine the existing complex property ownership and rights patterns of 63 historical buildings in the famous Pingjiang Historic Block in Suzhou, China, the model provides reasonable and feasible reconstruction schemes for each situation. The operation model can also provide a symbiosis of new and old building solutions for urban renewal in developing countries, which may encounter a similar challenge of urbanisation.

Dignity of the heritage and the heritage communities

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to discuss the reasons why the human rights-based approach should be used in the preservation of cultural heritage.Design/methodology/approachThe article is a combination of an essay and illustrative case studies. The thesis is based on experience in heritage protection on national and international level and the discussions of the “Heritage and Human Rights” training in Estonia 1.-6.05.2019.FindingsCultural heritage is the common good regardless of its ownership. The protection of something, especially in living environments, includes compromises in the rights of one or another counterpart. Restrictions are often ground for conflicts that can be settled with good communication, but sometimes just communication is not enough. In these cases, human rights-based approaches enable to identify the problems, scale the rights of different stakeholders and thus enable discussion to reach consensus.Practical implicationsThe research is useful for heritage conservationists, policy makers and urban planners with regards to management and implementation of human rights-based approach and community involvement in heritage protection on World Heritage, national and local levels.Originality/valueThe research is a part of a series of discussions, trainings and project reports of the Our Common Dignity – Rights Based Approaches (OCD-RBA) working group of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and contributes to the follow-up activities worldwide.

Advanced Techniques for Fast and Accurate Heritage Digitisation in Multiple Case Studies

All elements of heritage are exposed to more or less predictable risks. Even though they are in a good state of conservation with economic support for their repair or maintenance, they can suffer sudden accidents leading to their imminent destruction. It is therefore necessary to safeguard them in all scenarios, regardless of the respective scale or state of conservation. That process must at least be based on complete and accurate 3D digitisation. The evolution of devices, software/hardware and platforms nowadays allows such information to be gathered in a sustainable manner. Various existing resources were tried and compared at several heritage sites of different scales with dissimilar risk and protection, following the guidelines of different ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) committees. Each case study addresses the choice of digitisation techniques and the characteristics of the end product obtained. The most suitable modality for each situation is analysed, depending on different factors such as accessibility and risks faced. Although the 3D laser scanner is clearly a very fast and very accurate resource, automated photogrammetry is one of the more accessible and affordable resources; along with the potential of UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), this enables the digitisation to be sustainably completed.

Reaccessing marginalized heritage sites in historic Cairo: a cross-case comparison

PurposeAccording to the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) report of heritage at risk for 2011–2013, Cairo is facing serious conservation challenges after the revolution of 2011, witnessing aggressive cultural heritage vandalism. A marginalized inaccessible heritage site is considered one of the most vulnerable cultural assets. Existing studies focused on safeguarding accessible historical centers while insufficient attention is given to marginalized inaccessible heritage sites. The paper questions: how far the reaccess is preventive conservation action acting against possible encroachments? And if accessibility could stand as the key player promoting networks of marginal heritage landscapes, facilitating documentation and rehabilitation programs.Design/methodology/approachThe research adopts both analytical and experimental approaches. The former departs from cartographic studies and systematic contextual surveys carried out in March 2017 and was updated in July 2019 concerning the delimitation of historic Cairo. It concludes by mapping marginal heritage besides classifying their value significance, urban risks and causes of inaccessibility. The latter phase structures a framework guiding accessibility interventions of marginal heritage and examines its applicability through a cross-case comparison between four sites while proposing accessibility interventions strategies.FindingsFinally, the study offers a comprehensive assessment model for the new interventions measuring the contextual, economic, social and administrative influences of accessibility.Practical implicationsThe framework is considered a decision-making tool defining marginalized heritage areas with the highest priorities of enactments. The study aims to facilitate the mission of governors, policymakers and experts in conserving problematic urban heritage through soft transformations.Social implicationsBoth the framework and the assessment model are based on social empowerment and involvement within different phases of design, management and monitoring plans.Originality/valueIt aims to perform new urban codification representing the contemporary identity of marginal heritage landscape in developing countries challenging heritage vandalism. It enables reconfiguring the delimitation of historic Cairo through proposing new parameters and guidelines.

The Implementation of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention: Continuity and Compatibility as Qualifying Conditions of Integrity

This article explores the nexus between integrity, continuity, and compatibility (compatible change) in the implementation of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention. Integrity is a measure by which the Advisory Bodies, namely the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), evaluate nominations of cultural and/or natural properties to determine whether they qualify for inscription on the World Heritage List. Yet, its application remains unclear as presently worded in the Operational Guidelines. This article argues that continuity and compatibility should become qualifying conditions of integrity. Together, they can maintain wholeness, maintain intactness, and prevent adverse effects of development and/or neglect (Paragraph 88(a)(b)(c)) to keep properties in a good state of conservation, to sustain their cultural-natural significance including Outstanding Universal Value, and to enable sustainable development. This is an alternative conceptual and operational framework for nomination, evaluation, protection and management that bridges the culture/nature divide. If adopted, the “system of collective protection of the cultural and natural heritage of Outstanding Universal Value” established by the Convention would become more credible, practical, and effective. This article, therefore, contributes to World Heritage policy formulation and to a fruitful international exchange of ideas.

세계유산 등재를 위한 유엔기념공원의 유산 해석 전략 연구: 벨기에·프랑스의 ‘제1차 세계대전의 장례와 추모 유산’ 사례를 참고로*

This paper explores the value of the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Korea (UNMCK) based on the concept of “Sites of Memory,” which is among the components of the “Sites of the Busan Wartime Capital” during the Korean War. Moreover, it proposes the future direction of the heritage interpretation for the inscription on the List of UNESCO World Heritage（WH) sites. As a valid reference, the research draws practical implications from the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) evaluation, “Funerary and Memorial sites of the First World War (Western Front),” nominated by Belgium and France, both of which have a connection with the international conflicts of the 20th century. In particular, this paper highlights the field research conducted on the Tyne Cot Cemetery and Memorial, the In Flanders Fields Museum, and the participant observations at the Menin Gate Memorial in Belgium. The main achievement of this study is that it has laid the groundwork for presenting the hidden history of the UNMCK by conducting archival analysis at the UN Archives based on the lessons of the case study. This interdisciplinary heritage interpretation is thus expected to contribute in a theoretical and practical manner to the academic forum of WH and cultural policy. It is the first important work that investigates the value of the UNMCK as a site of memory and heritage interpretation.

Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Development: Impact Assessment of Two Adaptive Reuse Projects in Siracusa, Sicily

In this period of increasing urbanization, cultural heritage can play a key role to achieve sustainable development, as widely recognized by international institutions (i.e., United Nations (UN), UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS)). In this perspective, it is necessary to operationalize the principles stated at international level and thus new approaches and tools are required. The paper aims to understand the relationships between the implementation of adaptive reuse projects and their success (or not) in terms of impacts on the buildings themselves and on the urban context. The assessment framework for evaluating the impacts of heritage conservation and rehabilitation projects is described through the analysis and comparison of two Italian case studies: the Ancient Market and the Basilica of St. Peter the Apostle, in Siracusa (Italy). Although realized both in the same place (Ortigia, the historic centre of Siracusa), during the same period and by the same architect, these two interventions have produced different results in terms of urban development. A set of indicators, deduced from recent scientific studies, has been used to analyse the different impacts on physical, cultural, social, environmental and economic systems. To understand in depth the causes of these two different results, a survey has been carried out involving experts. The proposed indicators used for the ex-post evaluation can be also adopted in other contexts and for ex ante evaluation, in order to orient the strategic design choices in cultural heritage adaptive reuse projects.