Conservation, Adaptive Reuse and Urban Regeneration of Earthen and Vernacular Heritage

Dear Colleagues,

Vernacular and earthen heritage offers a broad and rich body of knowledge about past societies, their ability to work with materials and resources, and their skill in providing climate-responsive and sustainable solutions to the needs of daily life; however, threats such as abandonment, the loss of traditional know-how, environmental degradation, and climate change have today undermined not only the continuity of local and cultural identities, but also the survival of sustainable ways of building that are capable of inspiring the architecture of the future. Although research on these subjects has grown significantly, there is still work to be done in terms of refining comparative approaches, strengthening the integration of environmental and climate-related considerations, and improving the connection between material studies, traditional knowledge, and contemporary sustainable practices. This Topical Collection aims to explore methodologies and interdisciplinary perspectives for the analysis, conservation, interpretation, and valorisation of this wide-ranging legacy, spanning archaeological remains, traditional dwellings, and construction techniques that preserve such knowledge across diverse geographical contexts. By encouraging contributions that deepen material characterisation, develop methodological tools, examine risk and vulnerability, and document disappearing typologies, this Collection seeks to support ongoing progress in the field and contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of these heritage contexts. In this regard, examining materials such as earth, stone, and timber in greater depth—including their specific characteristics and behaviour—helps improve conservation and intervention strategies and reinforce authenticity, compatibility, and performance, as well as the preservation of traditional wisdom and knowledge. This also involves documentation and recording of disappearing vernacular typologies and techniques as a crucial part of their safeguarding. At the same time, intangible aspects such as social and economic adaptation can be strengthened in order to reach resilient solutions. These solutions need not be static; rather, they may combine adaptive capacities with the integration of contemporary functions, thereby extending the life and relevance of traditional practices. Moreover, when these material traditions are connected with the values and practices of local communities, such approaches enhance public engagement and understanding of diverse architectural and cultural contexts and support the transmission of both tangible and intangible heritage. In doing so, they invite innovative and sustainable lessons to be drawn from the past and re-imagined for the future.

The discussions in this Special Issue will focus on (but are not limited to) the following thematic areas:

• Conservation of rebuilt archaeological heritage;
• Earthen architecture in tropical and humid environments;
• Traditional vernacular dwellings of local communities;
• Earth mortars for archaeological conservation;
• Stone vaulting techniques in vernacular construction;
• Methodological approaches for conservation of traditional heritage;
• Sustainability and innovation through ancestral knowledge.

Prof. Dr. Camilla Mileto
Prof. Dr. Fernando Vegas López-Manzanares
Dr. Sergio Manzano-Fernández
Dr. Eva Tortajada Montalvá
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Heritage is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• earthen architecture
• vernacular heritage
• earth mortars
• traditional heritage
• ancestral knowledge