Conservation of Vernacular Heritage: Materials, Techniques and Project Management

A special issue of Heritage (ISSN 2571-9408).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2024 | Viewed by 366

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Collection Editor
Centro de Investigación en Arquitectura, Patrimonio y Gestión para el Desarrollo Sostenible (PEGASO), Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain
Interests: vernacular heritage; sustaintability; heritage education; heritage communities; local construction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Collection Editor
Centro de Investigación en Arquitectura, Patrimonio y Gestión para el Desarrollo Sostenible (PEGASO), Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain
Interests: traditional architecture; cultural heritage; vernacular construction; heritage conservation; earthen architecture
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Collection Editor
Centro de Investigación en Arquitectura, Patrimonio y Gestión para el Desarrollo Sostenible (PEGASO), Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain
Interests: earthen architecture; archaeological sites; climate change; heritage risk; heritage threats; traditional construction

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Vernacular heritage represents tangible and intangible values of global culture. It is a fundamental part of the values of a society transcending them as it can evoke the identity of the community to which it belongs. It comes from the practical experience of local inhabitants, developing cultural, social and constructive traditions based on the surrounding nature and habitat conditions. Climate change, natural hazards, depopulation and unsustainable tourism threaten this heritage. The unconditional development and unsustainable management of natural resources are some of the causes of exploitation and deterioration of the environment, leading to a modification of the balances and arrangements of natural systems. In this challenging context, education and awareness of sustainable development are increasing. Therefore, the conservation of vernacular heritage is considered essential as it conveys key lessons on environmental, social and economic sustainability. Accordingly, this Topical Collection aims to address the challenges of analyzing and documenting vernacular heritage within the framework of the sustainable development of society. The inventory of vernacular heritage and the analysis of traditional materials and techniques is essential to understand the sustainability of this heritage in order to implement it in contemporary practices. Thus, heritage education research is fundamental for developing creative and inclusive environments. Moreover, the intangible heritage of the management of know-how and local culture may enhance and innovate construction practices and crafts. The reflection on traditional knowledge provides a basis for the conservation, restoration and enhancement of vernacular heritage, focusing on materials, techniques and project management in order to develop sustainable practices and transmit knowledge to the general public and future generations.

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

  • Study and cataloging of vernacular heritage;
  • Urban studies of vernacular heritage;
  • Studies of traditional techniques and materials;
  • Sustainability of vernacular heritage;
  • Research in heritage education;
  • Heritage education and social inclusion;
  • Heritage communities;
  • Creativity and heritage education;
  • Training and innovation in traditional construction crafts;
  • Conservation and restoration projects of vernacular heritage;
  • Materials and intervention techniques for vernacular architecture;
  • Difficulties and possibilities of using traditional crafts in conservation;
  • Management and maintenance of vernacular architecture.

Prof. Dr. Fernando Vegas López-Manzanares
Prof. Dr. Camilla Mileto
Dr. Sergio Manzano-Fernández
Collection 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 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. 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.

Keywords

  • vernacular heritage
  • traditional techniques and materials
  • heritage education
  • traditional crafts
  • vernacular architecture

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

44 pages, 6084 KiB  
Article
Reflections on the Decay Mechanisms of Half-Timbered Walls in Traditional Spanish Architecture: Statistical Analysis of Material and Structural Damage
by Alicia Hueto-Escobar, Fernando Vegas, Camilla Mileto and María Lidón de Miguel
Heritage 2024, 7(6), 2880-2923; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/heritage7060136 - 3 Jun 2024
Viewed by 154
Abstract
Knowledge on the state of conservation and vulnerability of traditional techniques when faced with the most common degradation phenomena is vital in order to propose the most suitable conservation and maintenance actions. This article presents the systematic review of 1218 half-timbered walls found [...] Read more.
Knowledge on the state of conservation and vulnerability of traditional techniques when faced with the most common degradation phenomena is vital in order to propose the most suitable conservation and maintenance actions. This article presents the systematic review of 1218 half-timbered walls found throughout Spain, enabling the identification of a total of 27 material lesions, classified by atmospheric, biological or anthropic origin, and 9 structural lesions due to stress or excessive deformation. Their qualitative and quantitative analysis has focused on the frequency of the individual lesions and the possible correlation with different constructive characteristics, such as the materials used, the geometry of the framework and the presence of plinths, eaves and protective rendering. Almost the entire sample presents some degree of material degradation, mostly atmospheric lesions of limited severity, such as superficial atmospheric erosion and chromatic alteration and dehydration of the timber. In terms of structural lesions, half-timbered walls are seen to be more vulnerable to this type of deformation. Considering the risk of loss affecting all traditional architecture, it becomes particularly important to promote the continued maintenance of half-timbered walls in order to reduce the influence of material lesions caused by atmospheric agents. Subsequently, suitable criteria for intervention are established in order to reduce the effect of anthropic lesions and structural degradation phenomena, particularly linked to a lack of maintenance and modifications of anthropic origin. Full article
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