Urban Conservation

Editor


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Collection Editor
DiCEM—Department of European and Mediterranean Cultures, University of Basilicata, Via Lanera, 75100 Matera, MT, Italy
Interests: urban and architectural conservation; history of architecture; landscape history; ruins

Topical Collection Information

Dear Colleagues,

Urban conservation currently represents simultaneously one of the most fervent and problematic fields in the domain of urban science and architecture. Despite it being such a topical issue, a gap still exists between the architectural scale and the urban one of conservation. In the first case, there is a solid theoretical basis, albeit with different approaches and beliefs, which forms the starting point for a well-established practice. Procedures and methods of architectural conservation are now almost standardized, even if the various approaches reflect cultural trends diversified in time and space. In the second case, a common ground is missing. Moreover, urban conservation is related to both built heritage in its material features as well as social patterns: this twofold character involves a deep complexity in identifying the specific object (from an object- to people-centred approach), proper strategies, and consequently, the required skills. In a certain sense, while in many other fields and applied sciences soft skills are typical, in the field of urban conservation, hard skills are still to be defined.

This Topical Collection aims to collect original peer-reviewed contributions with the ambition to start to bridge the theoretical and methodological gap concerning urban-scale conservation compared to architectural conservation as well as urban studies. Topics of interest include current research on both theoretical aspects and design practice. Contributions oriented on the following themes are particularly welcomed:

- Techniques of urban survey;

- Urban history and archaeology;

- Small historical settlements/inner areas;

- Historic urban landscapes;

- HUL approach in theory and practice;

- Urban morphology;

- Urban conservation: theory and techniques;

- Preservation planning;

- Historic aggregated buildings and reduction of seismic vulnerability;

- Sustainable reuse of historic centres.

Dr. Sergio Cardone
Collection Editor

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 collection website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. Urban Science is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly 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.

Keywords

  • urban conservation
  • sustainable urban development
  • urban survey
  • historic urban landscape
  • preservation planning

Published Papers (2 papers)

2024

Jump to: 2022

22 pages, 2326 KiB  
Article
Multidimensional Evaluation Framework for Assessing Cultural Heritage Adaptive Reuse Projects: The Case of the Seminary in Sant’Agata de’ Goti (Italy)
by Mariarosaria Angrisano, Francesca Nocca and Anna Scotto Di Santolo
Urban Sci. 2024, 8(2), 50; https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8020050 - 13 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1548
Abstract
As climate change accelerates, urban areas are becoming increasingly inhospitable, with rising heat island effects and overall unhealthy environmental conditions. In this context, historic villages, due to their proximity to nature and lower population density, can represent a valuable alternative to unsustainable urban [...] Read more.
As climate change accelerates, urban areas are becoming increasingly inhospitable, with rising heat island effects and overall unhealthy environmental conditions. In this context, historic villages, due to their proximity to nature and lower population density, can represent a valuable alternative to unsustainable urban areas, providing better quality of life (i.e., through healthier environment, better work–life balance). They are “populated” by historic buildings characterized by high cultural value but are often in a state of abandonment. Nowadays, the adaptive reuse of cultural heritage represents an efficient strategy to adapt it to new needs/requirements and, at the same time, to preserve its historical and intrinsic values for present and future generations. In this framework, this study proposes a multidimensional evaluation framework for assessing cultural heritage adaptive reuse projects, covering all sustainability dimensions and capturing both tangible and intangible values. This framework, consisting of multiple criteria and multidimensional indicators, has been applied to evaluate alternative scenarios related to the regeneration of the abandoned Seminary in Sant’Agata de’ Goti (historic village), Benevento, Italy. In particular, three different scenarios have been evaluated by the SOCRATES (SOcial multi Criteria Assessment of European policies) method, a multicriteria decision method developed by the Joint Research Center (JRC) of the European Commission. Full article
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2022

Jump to: 2024

18 pages, 811 KiB  
Article
Management Strategies in the Comprehensive Rehabilitation of the Historic Centers of Quito and Havana
by Juan Carlos Martínez Serra and Enrique Fernández-Vivancos González
Urban Sci. 2023, 7(1), 4; https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci7010004 - 26 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2898
Abstract
Historical centers are structural elements in contemporary cities which preserve identity and collective memory. Despite being lubricants of social cohesion, intense processes of urban growth, fragmentation, and degradation put these city centers at great risk. Thus, they have been considered priority spaces in [...] Read more.
Historical centers are structural elements in contemporary cities which preserve identity and collective memory. Despite being lubricants of social cohesion, intense processes of urban growth, fragmentation, and degradation put these city centers at great risk. Thus, they have been considered priority spaces in public renewal policies affected by inaccurate interventions which must contend with changing and complex realities in the Latin American and Caribbean contexts. This article approaches the main management strategies used in the comprehensive urban rehabilitation of historical centers through critical and comparative analysis of the historic centers of Quito and Old Havana, which are two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The study ultimately aims to determine the main successes and failures of the management strategies used and proposes measures to support decision-making processes, optimizing the type of urban intervention employed. Full article
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