*5.2. Phase 2*

Phase 2 seeks to broaden the view of the value and significance of the object of study. To operationalize this component, a general perception survey is applied and validated by means of expert judgment. In detail, experts in the areas of history, heritage architecture, urban planning, anthropology, politics and statistics evaluated the clarity, coherence, sufficiency and relevance of the instrument's content in two rounds. Based on this, the qualitative tool includes 16 questions (2 open and 14 closed) to measure the perception of the values associated with the asset. The closed questions use a Likert scale (between 1 and 5), where 1 is not at all relevant or irrelevant, 2 is scarcely relevant, 3 is not very relevant, 4 is relevant and 5 is very relevant. In addition, it is accompanied by a sub-scale that describes the variation in perception between positive (4 and 5), indifferent (3) and negative (1 and 2).

The survey was applied to a focus group of key actors from academia, public administration, feminist groups, professionals, neighbors and citizens in general. This group, made up of 11 members, is included within the ideal range recommended by Escobar and Bonilla

Jiménez [86], i.e., between 3 and 12 people. With this participation, the qualitative tool needs to include compliance with (1) free and informed consent, (2) confidentiality of the information, and (3) respect for the anonymity of the participants [87]. Likewise, in those cases in which the information of a social nature comes from documentary sources, as in Phase 1, the principles of situated ethics from qualitative social research are considered, including how sensitive accounts should be treated to ensure respect for the integrity and dignity of people, and not to threaten the social welfare or the rights of communities [88].

Between the two phases, it is possible to expose the framework of the meaning of the object of study from different edges, with the vision of building the heritage–gender relationship as a determinant of conservation in the contemporary city.

#### **6. Results and Discussion**

Spaces with a deep-rooted social memory and a strong sense of identity and belonging foster interactions and social organization. These two behaviors are accentuated in those connective assets and with conditions of centrality [31], as is the case of a bridge. In Puente Mariano Moreno, Puente de la Escalinata or Puente Vivas Nos Queremos, the dispute between the traditional dynamics of the use and occupation in relation to those disruptive ones typical of contemporary society has been framed. In the latter, a group of women express a political stance that questions the established codes of coexistence, female behavior, and traditional ways of valuing cultural heritage. In the words of Lefebvre [89], this is a positive appropriation that includes a constant intervention of those interested in the full exercise of rights and freedoms.

Such is the positioning of this action that it is not enough to reverse the aesthetics associated with feminist mourning. Still, the symbolic presence of the public force is necessary to establish the limits of space occupation. These types of expressions of power would evidence the multiple interests that are debated [89] over an invisible and unnoticed heritage artefact until 2 years ago, if it were not for its capacity to connect opposite ends of the city, that is, for its value of use or relationship with another asset, the Escalinata Francisco Sojos Jaramillo.

Under this consideration, what is the true social memory of the asset, and what is it that makes identity and sense of belonging possible? For the conservative segment of society, it is the celebration of the male figure of a famous politician, who gave his name to the bridge capable of resisting the traumatic flooding of the Tomebamba River in 1950, ratifying the personal mark of "Julián Matadero" [90], that ennobles the city and ratifies the progressive sense of the Castilian city. For others, it is the definition of a "movement of a new type" with imminent impact on public opinion [45] and, therefore, a new meaning and a new heritage definition capable of intensifying. Moreover, the rejection of the increase in violence, the impunity in the treatment of crimes, the normalization of this situation and the expansion of animosity of groups of men against women [45] cannot go unnoticed.

Considering that the feminist collective includes a diversity of participants, groups, organizations and individuals, the common orientation towards the bridge stands out for its significance regardless of age, race, education, or another category of population stratification or demographic characterization. Even beyond the levels of administrative regularization, formal petition [91] <sup>2</sup> or civic demand, the exercise of freedom of expression and respect for the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights cannot be negotiated. However, it is certainly opposed to the aesthetic, symbolic, artistic and social logics of appropriating space and enhancing cultural heritage.

In this sense, and after the marked influence of patriarchal capitalism, the establishment of a structure that values the importance of the gender perspective and the public presence of women is crucial, thereby establishing solid foundations for a responsible and inclusive future for everyone, regardless of age, gender and origins [92]. While it is true that evidence shows that women and men exhibit different behaviors in public spaces, the physical structure of a city can reflect and amplify social inequalities or, on the contrary, can create more equal environments [72]. Cases such as Plaza de la República (Venezuela), Plaza de la Constitución (Mexico) and Joan Miró Park (Spain) (Table 1) confirm this not only from the rhetoric of the right to public space in the city but also from the practice of respect for fundamental guarantees such as peace and freedom. Certainly, weaknesses do not always come from legal or administrative fragility but also from the inability to implement and develop general principles in an adequate framework. In Ecuador and Latin America, in the last two decades, legislation has been passed in favor of women, thanks to the actions undertaken by national women's movements (both political and social, fundamentally) and feminists, in particular, accompanied by the response of international organizations [93].

On the other hand, concerning cultural heritage and its relation to gender equality, it is not always possible to speak of social inequalities or of any other kind, since, at least in the manifestations related to ICH, there are certain roles that are exclusive to men or women and cannot be considered discriminatory merely for this reason. However, this approach has always focused on women's participation. Still, it has not been analyzed from the perspective of discrimination or segregation that may exist in relation to the material heritage or the social use of public space in specific historical contexts. Therefore, by describing the heritage condition of the case study, concrete implications of its management and conservation can be quantified, such as limitations or possibilities for appropriation and empowerment.

In this matter, and in official terms, the Scale of Baremo (Table 2) defines a score of 45 as a type of partial protection (Table 3). This indicates that the asset is certainly heritage because of its intrinsic characteristics and not merely due to its inclusion in a larger urban architectural complex, as it has been formally considered to date. The historical– testimonial–symbolism sub-criterion is particularly relevant, since having overcome the broad theoretical and practical debates on heritage significance, the tangible and intangible dimensions are complementary, indissoluble and of equal relevance, so that the mere physical support of what is believed to be heritage is not appropriate. This would lead to disregarding attributes and values, as well as cultural rights themselves, which are part of the so-called second-generation human rights [94], promoted to ensure that people and communities have access to culture and heritage, as well as to guarantee participation in those cultural manifestations of their choice.

In Puente Mariano Moreno, Puente de La Escalinata or Puente Vivas Nos Queremos, it is necessary to recognize the social and spatial dynamics that are part of everyday life, which promote processes of social appropriation, resignification and symbolic value [95], enjoyment of culture and its components under conditions of equality, human dignity and non-discrimination [96]. These include verifying the impact on the physical–spatial dimension of the good without compromising it (Figure 3); on the contrary, autonomy is guaranteed and relational identity is overcome.

In addition, by understanding that cultural rights have a main and undisputed addressee—the human being [94]—it is not intended that the definition of their contemporary meanings be evaluated as superfluous or frivolous due to their genesis and effervescence. On the contrary, as it is a right that attends to a need of public character [97] and evidences a progressive report of the diverse scenarios of value coming from Figure 6, it reflects a sort of socio-cultural palimpsest, which rather than generating a rupture, promotes a transition supported by the trust that, as a society, we expect to receive from the political power to eliminate any kind of arbitrariness [97] that limits it.

In this framework, and when considering the current state of the bridge and the intrinsic attributes of authenticity, integrity, uniqueness and importance derived from the historical fluctuations of the values, there is no affectation or diminution. On the contrary, according to the historical dynamics itself, it is a temporal hierarchical arrangement of priorities that reinforces its unitary character. Thus, such characteristics describe from its temporary vocation the particular meaning for the different societies for which it fulfilled a function derived from its historical, artistic, scientific or social symbolic significance [98] (Table 3). This, in turn, confirms two particulars; the first is that the physical dimension of the asset has not been affected by feminist activism or by any other social activity which has

occupied the space. The second refers to the fact that heritage values cannot be understood outside the established social relations, but not all values are shared by these relations [46].

**Table 3.** Evaluation of Puente Mariano Moreno, Puente de La Escalinata or Puente Vivas Nos Queremos according to the Scale of Baremo. Source: [85]. Own elaboration (2022).


This fact is so clear that, despite the ignorance of some characteristic, attribute or value, it is possible to observe their tacit temporary existence in addition to their dynamic mutation in the future. Therefore, the participation of active subjects in the research-action process enables the generation of operational initiatives to promote the achievement of social demands [88], as well as the legitimate exercise of rights and guarantees. In this framework, the inclusion of the complex focus group refers to the following:


indicates that taking into account the case of public spaces in Cuenca, the neoliberal conception mentioned by Navas and Torres [34] has resulted in their transformation into "non-places" [99], that is, spaces of transition, where urban policies have distorted the social use. This was, at least for some decades, the situation of the studied asset, which ceases to be seen as an instrument for commuting and communication to position a discourse and a forceful agenda, thereby being reconfigured as an anthropological place. In addition, to be seen as a meeting space, it remains as a catalyst for the transformation of the communal meaning of both itself and the surrounding assets. Ultimately, the positive trend (Figure 8) confirms that this is the place of local feminists.

4. The intrinsic heritage condition of the asset, regardless of specific facts or its particular value, is given by the confluence of both material and immaterial values, which are self-regulated according to transitions or time intervals [100] (Figure 6). Thus, such fluctuations reflect not only the early notion of progress but also the explosive nature of feminist activism. They have settled in the citizen's imaginary and arise from a historical process (Figure 9) in such a way that their existence and relevance for the totalitarian definition of the asset is possible and predominantly positive.

**Figure 6.** An overview of the evolution of heritage values in the case study. Source and elaboration: Authors (2022).

**Figure 7.** Demographic composition of the focus group participants. (**a**) Age of participants. (**b**) Gender with which participants identify. (**c**) Occupational activity of participant. (**d**) Place of residence of participants. Source and elaboration: Authors (2022).

**Figure 8.** Global report on perception in public spaces based on the case study and feminist actors. Elaboration: Authors (2022).

**Figure 9.** Global report on the case study's meanings. Source and elaboration: Authors (2022).

Additionally, what is demonstrated in terms of positive perception with signs of increase (Figures 7–9) is complemented by the recognition that the bridge as a public space is affected in its static material dimension by the feminist presence. However, this is not detrimental, as it ratifies the dynamic condition of life and its expressions and, therefore, of cultural heritage and its vocation to synthesize those expressions into recognizable values over time.

In the case of the CHC, its associated heritage areas and the case of the bridge, the heritage status is based on the recognition of unique values, but its definition is solely administrative. It lacks a participatory process such as the one exposed in this research. Without this process, it is not possible to accept with a critical and tolerant view the forms of cultural expression as articulating instruments of social coexistence [33]; therefore, its powerful visibility generates social friction; despite this, rewriting history becomes fundamental as an act of exercising rights and claiming inheritances. Considering global concern, adding a gender perspective to the new worldwide development structure has become necessary [69].

#### **7. Conclusions**

This article presents an example of a heritage asset that is currently contested. As its history has evolved, its immaterial value has continued to develop over time, acquiring values that reflect the reality of those who frequent the site. This piece's materiality and state of conservation reflect its permanence in different age groups, as well as the importance of freedom of expression to all individuals. This study illustrates the importance and influence of urban heritage by using the bridge as a medium between social reality and the population. Despite several attempts to maintain a neutral character in the material state of the bridge, the socio-spatial dynamics indicate strong empowerment that disrupts it both in the present and likely in the future. In this context, the name change proposal is ratified in the basis of its existing social value over historical, constructive or architectural values.

On the other hand, the architectural structure of Puente Mariano Moreno or Puente de La Escalinata determines the transition from one urban structure to another, from one era to another and from one society to another. It is the same with Puente Vivas Nos Queremos, although the disruptions generated are considered aggressive and informal by the most conservative segment of Cuenca. The bridge, however, integrates and is incorporated into a wide range of historical and human representations that evidence its significance both instrumentally and socially; that is to say, regardless of its name, it is a natural scenario of resignification and redefinition of its own vocation to the service of the society extended in time. Based on this, the heritage condition cannot be disputed; it is not determined by historical or current administrative constraints. The appropriation; the sense of permanence; and in a certain way, the very custody of the asset define it. In addition to the nomenclature, which serves no purpose other than to illustrate the symbolic generational association over time and consequently enhanced with the passing of time, there is no infringing action from the feminist dynamics, focusing on improving the quality of life of citizens (users and residents); promoting better urban planning strategies; and constructing public policies to encourage inclusion, respect, diversity and tolerance.

Finally, the case study has shown how the latest expressions of femicide violence in the city of Cuenca (Ecuador) have led to a renewed logic of spatial and heritage appropriation by local collectives. With this in mind, gender mainstreaming and intersectionality in contemporary society raise questions regarding current understandings, values and conservation practices. Furthermore, it promotes dialogue about women's historical role in this process and how cultural heritage assets are being redefined.

**Author Contributions:** Conceptualization, M.d.C.A.U., P.F.R.E. and A.P.G.C.; methodology, M.d.C.A.U. and P.F.R.E.; validation, M.d.C.A.U. and P.F.R.E.; formal analysis, M.d.C.A.U., P.F.R.E. and A.P.G.C.; resources, M.d.C.A.U., P.F.R.E. and A.P.G.C.; data curation, M.d.C.A.U., P.F.R.E. and A.P.G.C.; writing original draft preparation, M.d.C.A.U., P.F.R.E. and A.P.G.C.; writing—review and editing, M.d.C.A.U., P.F.R.E. and A.P.G.C.; visualization, M.d.C.A.U., P.F.R.E. and A.P.G.C.; supervision, M.d.C.A.U.; project administration, M.d.C.A.U.; funding acquisition, M.d.C.A.U. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

**Funding:** This research was funded by Universidad Católica de Cuenca (Ecuador) through the research project Espacio Público y Género. Caracterización a partir del método etnográfico. The project is part of the institutional call CIITT 2019–2020.

**Informed Consent Statement:** It has been applied to participants who have submitted their information. Likewise, their personal information has been anonymized in the paper.

**Data Availability Statement:** Not applicable.

**Acknowledgments:** We thank María Fernanda Pérez and Carolina Ruiz Serrano, students of the Architecture career at the Universidad Católica de Cuenca, for their contributions to the preparation of Figrues 1–3 and Table 1.

**Conflicts of Interest:** The authors declare no conflict of interest.
