Joint Management Plans in World Heritage serial nominations: the case of Álvaro Siza’s Modern Contextualism Legacy

Abstract

One of the most important challenges faced by any listed cultural heritage is the development of a management system that conveys a resilient and integrated approach that can sustain its values for future generations. Management is one of the main factors affecting World Heritage Sites; thus, the increased complexity of a serial nomination enhances this risk. By integrating different stakeholders, a Joint Management Plan (JMP) is a key tool to settle common procedures and help different managers maintain a satisfactory balance in safeguarding the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) in each component part. This paper aims to provide a framework for the development of JMPs for serial nominations, with support on the nomination proposal “Álvaro Siza’s Architecture: A Modern Contextualism Legacy”. Methods result from the cross-analysis of (i) policy analysis; (ii) archival research and digital documentation; (iii) collaborative strategies (surveys, interviews, workshops, meetings, consultations); (iv) fieldwork. Results confirmed that the development of JMPs must be sustained by an open and dynamic process, where engagement, mediation of conflicts, and flexibility are key principles. This work approaches a significant subject concerning the management of World Heritage serial nominations, focusing on JMPs for serial nominations, which are a rising trend in heritage management. A demonstration is applied to the WH nomination of works by Álvaro Siza, a prominent figure in worldwide contemporary architecture.

1. Introduction

1.1. Joint Management Plans in World Heritage (WH) Serial Nominations

According to The Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention [1], “Protection and Management” is a mandatory pillar for the nomination of properties to the WH List. While planned during preparation, management endorses and provides endurance to the whole process, setting “a realistic vision for the medium to long-term future of the property, including the changes and challenges that could arise from inscription” [2] (p. 89). As management is also considered the main factor affecting WH sites [3], the absence of a thoughtful and reliable management system in a proposal may undermine property inscription. Thus, the development of a management system that conveys a resilient and integrated approach that can sustain its values for future generations, as affirmed by several recent UNESCO Guidelines, remains one of the main challenges of WH nomination preparation [4].

The UNESCO Resource Manual Series on Managing Cultural World Heritage [5] recommends a management system integrating three elements: (i) the legal framework; (ii) the institutional framework; and (iii) resources. The recent literature [6] also points out the relevance of monitoring and evaluating the management framework of WH properties, guaranteeing that the management process is functioning as intended, according to established rules, and meeting external reporting requirements [7]. Therefore, the monitoring process will evaluate the implementation and impact of each Management Plan, and, if needed, a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) should also be implemented [8].

In turn, serial nominations are becoming a growing trend in WH properties by integrating several component parts in the same Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) framework while responding jointly to criteria, authenticity and integrity, and protection and management. By definition, serial properties are properties that “include two or more component parts related by clearly defined links”, which “should reflect cultural, social or functional links over time that provide, where relevant, landscape, ecological, evolutionary or habitat connectivity” and “contribute to the Outstanding Universal Value of the nominated property as a whole in a substantial, scientific, readily defined and discernible way, and may include, inter alia, intangible attributes” [1] (par. 137). In total, by 2021, about 60% of all properties inscribed had fallen into the serial category [9], and this proportion might have increased in 2023.

After inquiring about the WH List for “serial property” on the WH List website [10], results revealed 154 entries, including 118 cultural properties (76.7%), 34 natural properties (22.1%), and 2 mixed properties (1.2%). Although it is not the intent of this article to thoroughly analyze the WH List, as a sample, the distribution by year of inscribed properties that have the term in their description after 2000 (Figure 1) is consistent with the idea that overarching serial nominations were developed, at a first stage, to contribute for natural properties inscription, recovering an instrument that already existed in the WH Convention since 1980 to integrate geographically distant areas with an expressive common OUV [11]. In the second stage, this strategy has evolved in recent decades as a procedure for enabling cultural properties to respond to the Global Strategy by developing new required thematic frameworks [12], showcasing unique cultural and mixed contributions for the credibility, balance, and representativity of the WH List [13]. Hence, the inquiry showed an exponential increase, with 30 properties (19.5% of entries) mentioning the term only in the last 5 years.

This phenomenon of growing cultural serial nominations is creating new issues in developing management plans for serial WH properties. One topic of concern is the effect of a “collection of assets”, hiding the number and extension of component parts inside a property [11]. Thus, the term “joint”, referencing the idea of mutual or shared, although maintaining individual characteristics of the component parts of a given thematic framework, is emerging to define stronger management procedures and carefully define the OUV, the statements of authenticity and integrity, and the collaborative system for managing properties with growing complexity.

Hence, as a strategic document, a Joint Management Plan (JMP) is an essential tool providing an overarching perspective for the preservation of the physical and intangible substance of a WH property and the coordination of different stakeholders. Also, it enables the joint organization of individual Management Plans for each component part of a serial nomination, making its operational implementation more feasible. The JMP, in serial WH properties, must include different stakeholders, such as communities and organizations at different levels (local, regional, national, or even international), and settle common strategies for preserving the OUV and managing each component part.

However, there are still no specific guidelines for the development of JMPs, and very few examples of this kind of document have been applied to serial (national or transnational) nominations. Alongside the “Operational Guidelines” [1] updated biannually and UNESCO Resource Manuals publications [2,5], previous nominations are very resourceful for management preparation, providing examples, methods, and frameworks that can be potentially adapted to other properties. Despite that, in them, a “joint” approach still varies substantially.

Recently selected management plans, such as the Management Plan for the “Great Spa Towns of Europe” serial property (2021) [14], adopt an “overall management system”, seeking to integrate different levels of protection as a priority. In other cases, such as the Management Plan for “The works of Jože Plečnik in Ljubljana—Human Centred Urban Design” (2021), a brief governance model is more focused on creating a joint articulation of conservation works since component parts were already protected by the same institutional body [15]. The Slovenian nomination innovated in the thematic framework of 20th-century architecture, as previous serial nominations of the works of Le Corbusier (“The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement”, 2016) or Frank Lloyd Wright (“The 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright”, 2019) did not present overarching management procedures or structured joint documents [16,17]. A more recent Management Plan for the serial nomination of the “Viking-Age Ring Fortresses” (2023) [18] aims for “integration, retention of value, sustainability and identification”, closer to a more holistic definition. Also, despite the discussion at the International Expert Meeting on World Heritage and Serial Properties and Nominations in Ittingen, Switzerland, in 2010 [19], there is still the limited literature with in-depth methodologic and operational guidelines for drafting serial nominations. In this context, the existing literature continues to be scarce, insufficient, and even ambiguous, making the preparation process arduous and vulnerable to obstacles and backlashes in the nomination process.

This research improves current concepts of developing JMPs by integrating different experiences tested in the framework of the Burra Charter (created in 1979 and revised in 2013) and the UNESCO HUL approach, aiming to strengthen their application in the context of World Heritage serial nomination preparation. Namely, this represents the introduction of broader participatory techniques for the assessment of significance in the context of OUV definition while also integrating risk preparedness and adequate policy design for managing inscribed properties with complex component parts. With this framework and with the support of the specific case of the 20th-century serial WH nomination “Álvaro Siza’s Architecture: A Modern Contextualism Legacy” [20], the research delves into a significant subject concerning the management of WH serial nominations, centered on the impact of Álvaro Siza and shedding light on a rising trend in heritage management. Hence, by adopting a holistic and inclusive approach, this article intends to provide a framework for effective and operational guidance for the management planning of serial nominations.

1.2. Álvaro Siza’s Architecture: A Modern Contextualism Legacy

The “Álvaro Siza’s Architecture: A Modern Contextualism Legacy” is a serial nomination for inscription on the World Heritage List submitted by Portugal in 2024. The property expresses the outstanding architecture by Álvaro Siza across the second half of the 20th century, which testifies to the critical revision of the Modern Movement principles toward a more contextual and humanist approach. The component parts (Figure 2) emerge as a result of the architectural development in the second half of the 20th century, addressing the specific conditions of the local contexts and producing alternative responses to the prevailing axioms of international Modernism while also contributing to the Post-Modernism debate.

Álvaro Siza is a prominent figure in contemporary architecture with more than 500 projects and almost 200 built works in 16 countries and on 4 continents. With over 100 prizes and distinctions, Siza holds 19 honorary doctorates and hundreds of dedicated publications.

The property includes a series of eight component parts located in Portugal, designed and built across the second half of the 20th century: the Boa Nova Tea House and Restaurant (1958); the Ocean Swimming Pool (1961); the Alves Costa House (1964); the Bouça Housing Complex (1975); the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto (1984); the Santa Maria Church and Parish Centre (1990); the Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art (1991); and the Portuguese Pavilion (1995). The component parts of this series comprise a variety of public-use buildings, social housing, a private house, museum and exhibition areas, university buildings, a teahouse and restaurant, a swimming pool, and a church.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Supporting Studies

For each aforementioned component part, a management plan was produced between 2022 and 2023 by an interdisciplinary team assessed by the UNESCO Chair “Heritage, Cities and Landscapes. Sustainable Management, Conservation, Planning, and Design”, hosted at the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto. Also, the following supporting studies contributed to research and development:

2.1.1. Siza ATLAS: Filling the Gaps for World Heritage

This research project funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (2021–2024) proposes to develop a comprehensive inventory of all of Álvaro Siza’s built works and conduct a detailed analysis and documentation of 18 component parts selected for the World Heritage Tentative List. The Siza ATLAS research methodology is supported by the cross-analysis of different methods and tools:

• Archival and bibliographic research;
• Photogrammetric survey;
• Virtual tours, 360 captions, and photographic survey;
• Three-dimensional drawings of constructive sections and details.

All of these methods and tools are supported by direct confrontation and analysis in situ of the built works.

2.1.2. Keeping It Modern: Ocean Swimming Pool

This research project funded by the Getty Foundation (2020–2023) consists of developing research and best practices and preparing a Conservation and Management Plan for the Ocean Swimming Pool in Leça da Palmeira, designed by Álvaro Siza between 1960 and 1966. Awarded by the “Keeping It Modern” program, the project contributed to settling a framework for the management plans of the component parts of this nomination. Supported by the Burra Charter methodology [21], the Conservation and Management Plan of the Ocean Swimming Pool was based on a holistic and integrated approach as follows:

• Understanding the place and documenting the history of design and construction;
• Assessing the cultural significance;
• Analyzing vulnerabilities and the physical condition of the building (including inspection and diagnosis and the conservation of reinforced concrete);
• Developing policies, including maintenance and use;
• Defining the future monitoring and implementation.

2.2. Participation Strategies

Due to the complexity and diversity of stakeholders, serial nominations require a collaborative and inclusive approach. This is achieved by adopting procedures of identification, community engagement, and participation strategies. Their interaction remains a key issue during the planning process. Several methods and tools (surveys, interviews, workshops, consultations, meetings) were implemented to define the following:

• Attributes and values (of the OUV);
• Vulnerabilities and factors affecting the property;
• Strategies and actions for the future management of change (Figure 3).

Since 2021, the required section Stakeholders and Participation in the “Operational Guidelines” [1] (para. 123) set up new community-driven approaches for nomination preparation. Thus, participation strategies tested in a similar context in the aforementioned project “Keeping It Modern: Ocean Swimming Pool” [22] were selected through a corresponding identification and cross-examination of the different stakeholders involved. Through these strategies, sufficient data were combined for the definition of management and conservation planning. This was achieved by necessarily combining further recommendations [23,24], including the UNESCO HUL approach [25], and expanding the value-based (or “value-led”) planning as suggested by The UNESCO Resource Manual [5].

2.3. Data Collection

The methodology for data collection was supported by the cross-analysis of distinct methods and tools:

• Policy analysis (serial nominations, management plans, UNESCO Guidelines, applicable legislation);
• Archival research and digital documentation;
• Participative strategies (surveys, interviews, workshops, meetings, consultations);
• Fieldwork (data collection, surveys, and in-depth analysis of each component part).

Participation techniques were one of the most innovative issues in the methodologic approach of the JMP and individual MPs, namely, in the assessment of cultural significance (attributes and values), analysis of vulnerabilities, and the definition of management strategies and actions.

3. Results

The Results section intends to respond to the research question, “How to develop collaborative Joint Management Planning for serial nominations?” With this purpose, this section develops on the different sections of the JMP, providing exemplifications of the specific case study of “Álvaro Siza’s Architecture: A Modern Contextualism Legacy”.

Complying with the three pillars of the OUV as defined by UNESCO—1. Criteria; 2. Authenticity and Integrity; and 3. Protection and Management [2]— the JMP’s structure is supported by the definition of the cultural significance of the property (Chapter 1) and the development of a Joint Management System based on legal compliance, institutions, and resources that may sustain its future (Chapter 2). As a result of this fundamental value-based approach to conservation planning, the vulnerabilities affecting the property (Chapter 3) are then thoroughly analyzed, as are the base to set up strategies and actions for the careful management of change (Chapter 4) and their subsequent monitoring and implementation (Chapter 5).

Table 1. JMP Structure.

Chapter	Description
1. Registration Process for the World Heritage List	This chapter summarizes how the property complies with criteria (in relation to the attributes of the OUV), as well as with authenticity and integrity. General descriptions are followed by a synthesis of how each component part expresses the attributes, authenticity, and integrity.
2. Joint Management System	This chapter defines how the property complies with protection and management requirements by detailing the Joint Management System proposed for the management of the serial property, namely, 1. legal framework, 2. institutional framework, and 3. resources.
3. State of Conservation and Factors Affecting the Property	This chapter addresses the conservation conditions of the component parts and defines the factors affecting the property, followed by specific insights on each component part.
4. Strategies and Action Plan	This chapter defines the strategies for the future management of change, structured in 1. strategic objectives and 2. action lines to be further detailed in specific 3. actions for the achievement of defined 4. outputs.
5. Monitoring, Impact Assessment, and Implementation	This chapter describes the monitoring activities and the process of periodic reporting and heritage impact assessments, as well as a phasing implementation proposal (detailing priority actions on yearly basis and availability of resources).

shows the JMP structure developed for “Álvaro Siza’s Architecture: A Modern Contextualism Legacy” serial WH nomination:

3.1. Registration Process for the World Heritage List

This chapter develops on the justification of the OUV and, more specifically, the gap being filled to contribute to the representativity, balance, and credibility of the WH List. Hence, it is focused on the first two pillars of the OUV, namely, 1. Criteria; 2. Authenticity and Integrity, as defined in The Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention [1]. In a value-based approach, cultural significance is the guiding force for future joint decision-making regarding their preservation.

3.1.1. Criteria and Attributes

This item relates to the first pillar of the OUV, namely, the criteria selected for the inscription of the property on the WH List from the six criteria available for cultural sites, in articulation with the requirements of authenticity and integrity, as well as the protection and management according to The Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention [1].

Table 2. Relation between Criteria and Attributes.

Criteria	Attributes (OUV—Siza WH)
Criterion (ii): To exhibit an important interchange of human values over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning, or landscape design	Attribute 1: Architecture responsive to a physical, social, and historical context
	Attribute 2: Integration of international and local references
Criterion (iv): To be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble, or landscape, which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history	Attribute 3: Sculptural volumetric expression
	Attribute 4: Oriented spatial experiences
	Attribute 5: Total work of art, within details, furniture, and artworks.

demonstrates how criteria and attributes are related in “Álvaro Siza’s Architecture: A Modern Contextualism Legacy”.

3.1.2. Authenticity and Integrity

This item relates to the second pillar of the OUV, responding to the authenticity and integrity requirements as defined in The Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention [1]. Regarding Alvaro Siza’s nomination proposal, these criteria have been demonstrated by his involvement in recent conservation works, fully respecting the original design and making only small updates related to current comfort or regulation standards:

Authenticity. This item must comply with the requirements of authenticity, as defined in the Nara Document on Authenticity [26]: (i) form and design; (ii) materials and substance; (iii) use and function; (iv) location and setting; (v) spirit and feeling; (vi) traditions, techniques, and management systems. Compliance must be expressed globally and for each component part, not having suffered significant changes, and maintain the general authenticity of the original design.

Regarding this case study, minor changes have been carried out to adapt to the current living standards and legislation in compliance with the preservation of authenticity. All conservation works have been carried out with the best methodologies to preserve their authenticity, benefiting from the supervision of heritage safeguarding bodies for listed buildings with full respect for the attributes of the OUV. All the measures necessary for the future preservation of their cultural meaning are individually defined in the Management Plans produced for each component part;

Integrity. This item aims to demonstrate that the property is a testimony of integrity (both as a whole and in the individual components) assessed by the following vectors presented in The Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention [1]: (i) includes all elements necessary to express its OUV; (ii) is of adequate size to ensure the complete representation of the features and processes which convey the property’s significance; (iii) suffers from adverse effects of development and/or neglect.

Regarding this case study, each Buffer Zone is of adequate size to include critical elements of its setting, as further described in detail for each of them. Even though the landscape has changed in some cases, the immediate setting remains largely intact, while the views from the building toward its surrounding landscape are protected.

3.2. Joint Management System

This chapter relates to the third pillar of the OUV (Protection and Management) and is an essential tool to preserve the OUV and ensure the collaborative management of the property. This is the core of the JMP.

The UNESCO Resource Manual Series on Managing Cultural World Heritage [5] recommends a management system integrating three elements:

• The Legal framework, a set of national decrees, laws, and other norms aligned with international recommendations aiming to “provide sufficient legal and regulatory tools for the protection of cultural heritage” [5] (p. 65);
• The Institutional framework should be flexible enough and “provide for efficient decision-making and facilitate all processes of the management system” [5] (p. 71);
• Resources, “inputs”, which “fall into three broad categories—human, financial and intellectual”—and “make a management system operate to conserve and manage cultural heritage” [5] (p. 73).

An important issue in regulating the Joint Management System is establishing a close correlation between these three categories, assuming protection mechanisms in force, combining current institutions and their responsibilities, and providing a balance between stakeholders (including communities). This operation must consider long-term challenges and have an adequate source of financial resources and staff. Also, in a serial nomination, the Joint Management System requires multiple stakeholders’ engagement (Government organizations, NGOs, Municipal Councils, Owners, Communities, and rights holders), and the joint management body may assume distinct formal concretizations, according to the legislation of each country and the specificities of each property.

In the case of “Álvaro Siza’s Architecture: A Modern Contextualism Legacy”, the creation of the “Álvaro Siza World Heritage Association” is proposed by presenting the respective statutes in the JMP as the most suitable format for an overarching body engaging multiple stakeholders. The Association will act as a cooperative platform for future management, including existing ones, while also stimulating knowledge sharing and cooperation between managers, owners, and institutions. The Association, thus, becomes the formal overarching instance for responding to UNESCO periodic reporting requirements, among other tasks such as dissemination and monitoring, through its respective focal point, the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto (Figure 4).

The Association is a key tool for the Joint Management System, as well as for the engagement, participation, and empowerment of all the stakeholders. This is in line with the participation approach defined in the methodology for the JMP and individual Management Plans, endorsing an innovative approach responding to the most recent guidelines from UNESCO and ICOMOS.

3.3. State of Conservation and Factors Affecting the Property

This chapter addresses the condition of the property through its component parts, including the identification of their state of conservation (and possible causes of degradation). This is closely interrelated with the main factors affecting the property, classified according to UNESCO [27].

3.3.1. State of Conservation

The state of conservation must be sustained on a regular review within a framework of monitoring processes for WH properties, as specified within The Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention [1]. State of conservation includes material conditions as a principal factor but may also be indicative of different vulnerabilities that may not be evident. Also, in a joint approach, management must be aware of imbalances in the conditions of the component parts through an integrated perspective and how breadth differences may affect the series.

Regarding “Álvaro Siza’s Architecture: A Modern Contextualism Legacy”, the state of conservation of the component parts is generally very good. Over the past ten years, a series of conservation works were carried out, coordinated by Álvaro Siza with the supervision of the Cultural Heritage, I. P. (for listed buildings, former General Directorate of Cultural Heritage—DGPC and the competent regional bodies).

Table 3. State of Conservation of the Property.

Component Part	Recent Intervention	Architect	Promoter	Condition
Boa Nova Tea House and Restaurant	2013–2014	Álvaro Siza	Municipal Council of Matosinhos	Very Good
Ocean Swimming Pool	2018–2021	Álvaro Siza	Municipal Council of Matosinhos	Very Good
Alves Costa House	Periodic Maintenance	-	Alexandre Alves Costa	Very Good
Bouça Housing Complex	2000–2006	Álvaro Siza	Águas Férreas Condominium	Good
Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto	2016–2017	Álvaro Siza	University of Porto	Very Good
Santa Maria Church and Parish Centre	2022–present	Álvaro Siza	Municipal Council of Marco de Canaveses	Very Good
Portuguese Pavilion	2016–present	Álvaro Siza	University of Lisbon	Very Good
Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art	Periodic Maintenance	Álvaro Siza	Serralves Foundation	Very Good

shows a summary of these interventions.

3.3.2. Factors Affecting the Property

The factors affecting the property are provided by UNESCO in a list that consists of a series of 14 primary factors, each encompassing a number of secondary factors [27]. The function of a joint approach is to examine the most common factors despite geographical distances, context, and, thus, vulnerabilities. This analysis may enhance the development of risk assessments and provide immediate response by the entity responsible for the Joint Management System.

In the case of “Álvaro Siza’s Architecture: A Modern Contextualism Legacy”, the factors are structured according to the three classes of factors defined in The Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention [1], such as all components being located in urban development areas or infrastructure being present (Factor Class 1). Also, weathering, heavy rainfall, and fire are common threats to the location of a few components in the proximity of waterfronts (sea or river), leading to some factors, such as coastal erosion and rising sea levels (Factor Class 2). Finally, misuse and vandalism are among the most prominent relating to Factor Class 3.

Table 4. Summary of all factors affecting the property.

Factor Class	Factor Type	Component Parts *
		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
1. Development Pressures and Management Response	Real Estate Development	●			●		●
	Infraestructural Changes					●
	Accessibility			●		●	●
2. Environmental Pressures, Natural Hazards, and Risk Preparedness	Weathering	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●
	Atmosferic CO2 Concentration	●	●		●	●	●	●	●
	Chloride Action	●	●			●		●
	Sea Level Rise		●					●
	Coastal Erosion	●	●
	Heavy Rainfall	●		●	●	●	●	●	●
	Strong Winds	●		●
	Fire	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●
	Storm Surge	●	●
	Earthquake/Tsunami							●
3. Visitation, Other Human Activities, and Sustainable Use	Vandalism	●	●		●	●	●	●
	Misuse	●	●			●	●	●	●
	Lack of Sustainable Visitor Engagement			●	●

* (1) Boa Nova Tea House and Restaurant; (2) Ocean Swimming Pool; (3) Alves Costa House; (4) Bouça Housing Complex; (5) Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto; (6) Santa Maria Church and Parish Centre; (7) Portuguese Pavilion; (8) Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art.

provides a summary of each factor affecting the component parts and, thus, the property as a whole.

3.4. Strategies and Action Plan

This chapter defines the strategies for the preservation and enhancement of the OUV while providing measures to mitigate the impacts of the factors affecting the property and defining actions for adequate management of change. The multiple stakeholders (especially managers) in a serial property may cause a lack of communication and purpose toward decision-making. Hence, actions must be framed precisely and closely defined by resource availability, time, and responsibility.

Regarding “Álvaro Siza’s Architecture: A Modern Contextualism Legacy”, the following Strategies and Strategic Objectives are defined in the JMP and further complemented in each component part’s Management Plans:

• Overarching Strategies, focused on (A) Management Integration and Shared Knowledge Network;
• Operational Strategies, which include (B) Spatial Planning, Risk Management, and Climate Change Adaptation; (C) Interpretation, Communication, and Community Engagement; and (D) Conservation, Maintenance, and Appropriate Use.

3.4.1. Strategies

Overarching Strategies. They are the ones that gather all the fundamental actions for the World Heritage Management System implementation. They are meant to be the primary source of guidance for managing the component parts’ daily challenges to preserve the OUV;

Operational Strategies. They are a broader set that combines operative actions for the preservation of each component part’s OUV. It ranges from compliance with national legislation and international guidelines to the implementation of the best conservation practices and adequate use of the component parts while enhancing and disseminating their OUV to a broader public.

3.4.2. Strategic Objectives

(A) Management Integration and Shared Knowledge Network. The first strategic objective aims to guarantee the integration of all managers of the component parts. Its implementation is based on the creation of a common platform for sharing experiences, information, and documentation on which property managers can rely for bridging difficulties and making decisions based on institutional consensus;

(B) Spatial Planning, Risk Management, and Climate Change Adaptation. The second strategic objective aims to enforce the adoption of the current legal framework to safeguard the component parts’ OUV. It also establishes mandatory measures for managing the integrity of each component part’s surroundings and their relationship with the specific context, including the adaptations foreseen by climate change;

(C) Interpretation, Communication, and Community Engagement. The third strategic objective aims to qualify a framework through which the cultural significance of each component part is interpreted and updated as WH. This includes actively involving the community in sustaining the component parts’ OUV and developing an efficient communication system based on compromise with community needs.

(D) Conservation, Maintenance, and Appropriate Use. The fourth strategic objective aims to ensure the preservation of the component part’s original design and cultural significance while adapting it to current and future needs as a means for conserving efficiency and sustainability through time. It has the purpose of providing guiding principles for periodic maintenance actions in line with the best conservation practices.

Table 5. Hierarchy of Strategies, Strategic Objectives, and Action Lines.

Strategies	Strategic Objectives	Action Lines
Overarching Strategies	A. Management Integration and Shared Knowledge Network.	A.1. Stakeholders
		A.2. Research and Knowledge
		A.3. Sustainable Development Goals
Operational Strategies	B. Spatial Planning, Risk Management, and Climate Change Adaptation	B.1. Spatial Planning
		B.2. Landscape Management
		B.3. Buffer Zone Preservation
		B.4. Risk Management
		B.5. Climate Change Adaptation
	C. Interpretation, Communication, and Community Engagement	C.1. Interpretation
		C.2. Communication
		C.3. Community Engagement
	D. Conservation, Maintenance, and Appropriate Use	D.1. Maintenance and Archive Database
		D.2. Housekeeping
		D.3. Accessibility
		D.4. Use and Occupancy
		D.5. Security and Fire Prevention

demonstrates how Strategies and Strategic Objectives were able to organize Action Lines proposed in the JMP of “Álvaro Siza’s Architecture: A Modern Contextualism Legacy” serial nomination.

3.5. Monitoring, Impact Assessment, and Implementation

Based on the previously presented management strategies, this chapter has the objective of providing a comprehensive timeframe for defining priorities, as well as a hierarchy for the implementation of conservative actions, respecting funding and other resources available.

The development of this process includes the perception of the management system as a whole (First level of monitoring), as well as the attention to threats and impacts on OUV and the characteristics of each component part (second level of monitoring). Impact Assessment may be a resourceful instrument, as well as establishing priorities and an implementation program in case of need.

Table 6. Thematic Framework (First Level of Monitoring).

Subject	Indicators	Periodicity	Responsible
OUV	Verification that the Outstanding Universal Value of the property and its component parts is intact.	Annually *	State Party
Authenticity and Integrity	Evaluation of the component parts’ condition under ranges of authenticity and integrity.	Anually	Cultural Heritage, I.P.
Conservation Status	Monitoring the physical condition of the property through regular inspections and extensive documentation of anomalies and interventions.	Anually	Manager
Finance	Annual budget for maintenance, repair, and conservation.	Anually	Owner
Management	Evaluation of Management Plans.	Anually	Álvaro Siza World Heritage Association
Buffer Zones	Monitoring irregular interventions inside the Buffer Zones and impact evaluation on the Outstanding Universal Value.	Anually	Cultural Heritage, I. P., Regional Coordination, and Development Commission

* Besides annual periodicity of monitoring the Outstanding Universal Value, authenticity, and integrity of the property, every 6 years, the State Party must also submit a Periodic Report, according to article 29 of the WH Convention.

demonstrates how the first level of monitoring is proposed in the JMP of “Álvaro Siza’s Architecture: A Modern Contextualism Legacy” serial nomination.

4. Conclusions

This paper does not intend to establish a univocal or exhaustive model of JMP but rather to leave some guidelines and perspectives that can contribute to the future development of WH serial nominations. It is not possible to establish rigid and static models of management models; they must be dynamic processes and adapted to the specificity of each case.

With regard to serial nominations, the collaborative and inclusive approach of all stakeholders is a determining factor throughout the process. For this purpose, the nomination proposal for “Álvaro Siza’s Architecture: A Modern Contextualism Legacy” integrated different collaborative strategies (surveys, interviews, workshops, meetings, consultations), involving all stakeholders from the initial phase of defining attributes and creating the management model (“Álvaro Siza World Heritage Association”).

One innovative aspect of this research is the participation approach included in the methodology for the development of JMPs and individual MPs (surveys, interviews, workshops, meetings, and consultations), engaging a wide range of stakeholders and, thus, potentially impacting society, influencing perceptions of heritage conservation, or enhancing community involvement in heritage sites.

In these processes, knowledge sharing and transparency, mediation of conflicts, and definition of consensus are fundamental. The limitations of this work are related to the time and resources available for the work. Due to the participation approach adopted in this process, there are biases and constraints related to the samples (in some cases, such as private houses, samples are reduced), as well as challenges in data collection during the COVID-19 period. However, this framework for the JMP is open and flexible to future developments and adjustments during its implementation. Hence, this paper’s findings are open to future research, namely, on the implementation of this holistic, integrated, and participative approach to other heritage properties, not only WH sites but also to managing change in built heritage from a wide perspective.