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20 pages, 4588 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Exploring the Effects of “Smart City” in the Inner-City Fabric of the Mediterranean Metropolis: Towards a Bio-Cultural Sonic Diversity?

by Stella Sofia Kyvelou, Nicos Bobolos and Aggelos Tsaligopoulos

Heritage 2021, 4(2), 690-709; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage4020039 - 24 Apr 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4986

Abstract

“Smart city”, driven by digital technology is not only a technological but also a social, cultural and political project. A socially and culturally significant new urban ideal is born. This research paper is based on the narrative that the city appears as a [...] Read more.

“Smart city”, driven by digital technology is not only a technological but also a social, cultural and political project. A socially and culturally significant new urban ideal is born. This research paper is based on the narrative that the city appears as a palimpsest of interventions of all natures. History and shared memory, composition and superimposition, coherence and divergence are fundamental for its evolution. It is thus evident that ”Smart city” as a rather new urban ideal, but also as a disruptive innovation process, cannot be conceived nor implemented all at once; it must follow analogous processes of buildup and stratification. On the other hand, sounds are part of cities, of their sensory landscape, of their identity. They are one of the urban markers, along with the visual landscape. In this context, the paper focuses on the sound identity of the inner-city areas of the Mediterranean metropolis, posing the following research question: What are the transformations that “Smart city” can cause to the sound identity of a city? In dense urban fabric with high-rise buildings, high rates of exploitation, frequent transgressions of the legal construction and least free space in private plots, what can be the prospects of using “smart transport”, for enriching the city with positive soundscapes, thus improving its environmental quality? Following the metaphor of urban and acoustic palimpsest, we examine narratives of replacement of conventional cars with autonomous vehicles (AVs) and of private cars with car-pooling systems. The article concludes that spatialized intelligence can substantially and positively transform the sound identity of the Mediterranean metropolis and be the spearhead for an increase in bio-cultural sonic diversity. At least during the era when the city still appears as a palimpsest of interpositions, evoking the historic time. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cultural Heritage: Current Threats and Opportunities)

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29 pages, 58966 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Representation and Presentation of Culinary Tradition as Cultural Heritage

by Nikolaos Partarakis, Danae Kaplanidi, Paraskevi Doulgeraki, Effie Karuzaki, Argyro Petraki, Daniele Metilli, Valentina Bartalesi, Ilia Adami, Carlo Meghini and Xenophon Zabulis

Heritage 2021, 4(2), 612-640; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage4020036 - 12 Apr 2021

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 18399

Abstract

This paper presents a knowledge representation framework and provides tools to allow the representation and presentation of the tangible and intangible dimensions of culinary tradition as cultural heritage including the socio-historic context of its evolution. The representation framework adheres to and extends the [...] Read more.

This paper presents a knowledge representation framework and provides tools to allow the representation and presentation of the tangible and intangible dimensions of culinary tradition as cultural heritage including the socio-historic context of its evolution. The representation framework adheres to and extends the knowledge representation standards for the Cultural Heritage (CH) domain while providing a widely accessible web-based authoring environment to facilitate the representation activities. In strong collaboration with social sciences and humanities, this work allows the exploitation of ethnographic research outcomes by providing a systematic approach for the representation of culinary tradition in the form of recipes, both in an abstract form for their preservation and in a semantic representation of their execution captured on-site during ethnographic research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cultural Heritage: Current Threats and Opportunities)

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17 pages, 6924 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Construction of Interpretation and Presentation System of Cultural Heritage Site: An Analysis of the Old City, Zuoying

by Ying Liu and Hui-Wen Lin

Heritage 2021, 4(1), 316-332; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage4010020 - 10 Feb 2021

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 7392

Abstract

Interpretation and presentation is an essential component of the whole heritage conservation process. In response to the new opportunities and challenges arising from the changing perspectives on heritage conservation, the development of display technologies and the rise of cultural tourism, it becomes a [...] Read more.

Interpretation and presentation is an essential component of the whole heritage conservation process. In response to the new opportunities and challenges arising from the changing perspectives on heritage conservation, the development of display technologies and the rise of cultural tourism, it becomes a challenging task for cultural heritage institutions to construct a systematic interpretation and presentation system of a cultural heritage site that can effectively communicate heritage significance and value to the public and provide visitors with positive and valuable experience. From four main aspects (site, technology, public, and education and research), this research provides a comprehensive overview of the implementation details of the interpretation and presentation system of Old Zuoying City, which is considered an unprecedented large-scale cultural heritage preservation plan in Taiwan, through participative site investigation and in-depth interviews, thereby providing a reference for the construction, implementation, and management of interpretation and presentation system at cultural heritage sites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cultural Heritage: Current Threats and Opportunities)

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11 pages, 219 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Visible and “Invisible” Aspects of Historic Mediterranean Metropolises Perpetually Emerging through Augmented Reality

by Maria Moira and Dimitrios Makris

Heritage 2021, 4(1), 249-259; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage4010015 - 24 Jan 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2182

Abstract

Alexandria and Istanbul, through diverse texts and writers, meet and intersect in their attempt to reconstruct and rebuild the metropolis’s character. Our method advocates spatiotemporal events in augmented literature that enable reflection of the palimpsest of historical frames. On a higher level, what [...] Read more.

Alexandria and Istanbul, through diverse texts and writers, meet and intersect in their attempt to reconstruct and rebuild the metropolis’s character. Our method advocates spatiotemporal events in augmented literature that enable reflection of the palimpsest of historical frames. On a higher level, what we propose in this work is the dialogic field between the two metropolises, as it could be provided by novels’ chronotopes with the aid of augmented reality. We undertake a twofold task, to reveal the awareness of the connections between places and the connection and attachment of particular spaces, by unifying two approaches. First, Ecocriticism that comprises the ways in which novels express socio-cultural frameworks of the natural environment. The second approach is based on the strong interrelations of place engagement with collective and cultural memory. The linking of both urban, spatial geometry and topology with the waterscape for both metropolises, in our proposed conceptualization of a chronotope-based augmented continuum, endeavors to provide, firstly, the dialogic relations between the two metropolises, between each metropolis and the waterscape and, secondly, between urbanscape and waterscape and the novels’ fictional frameworks. Within the framework of the augmented reality, we synthesize the writers’ fictional cities with the factual surroundings of the metropolises in order to reconstruct the fragmented natural and architectural urban views in the continuity of the urban fabric, thus ending up proposing a dynamic repository of the metropolis landscape’s natural, collective and cultural memory. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cultural Heritage: Current Threats and Opportunities)

13 pages, 920 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Recording and Evaluating the Tangible and Intangible Cultural Assets of a Place through a Multicriteria Decision-Making System

by Eleni Linaki and Konstantinos Serraos

Heritage 2020, 3(4), 1483-1495; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage3040082 - 2 Dec 2020

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4121

Abstract

The starting point of this paper is the fact that multicriteria decision-making systems have not had the greatest impact on cultural studies, and few researchers have addressed this problem. The paper focuses on the analysis of the main object of an ongoing Doctoral [...] Read more.

The starting point of this paper is the fact that multicriteria decision-making systems have not had the greatest impact on cultural studies, and few researchers have addressed this problem. The paper focuses on the analysis of the main object of an ongoing Doctoral thesis. More specifically, it examines the proposal of a new multicriteria evaluation based on a decision-making method. The paper intends to relate culture with multicriteria decision-making methods. This systematic review provides the direct analysis and assessment of the existing bibliographic references, and addresses a gap of knowledge in the intangible research field, identifying trends in the broader cultural heritage sector. The two basic principles of the paper are the recording and the evaluation of the cultural significance of the intangible and tangible heritage assets of a place. More specifically, the paper seeks to address a new scientific tool that initially records and—in the process—evaluates, using quantitative and qualitative criteria, specific cultural assets. Moreover, the paper outlines a new approach to the calibration—from optimal to worse—of the heritage of a place according to its significance. The purpose of the record and the evaluation is to create a ranking list of the most culturally significant tangible and intangible asset of places, in order to manage them. The design of the multicriteria method is based on a system that can be constantly updated diachronically, and can be fulfilled with new cultural assets and then re-evaluated. The explanation of the system is given through a step-by-step guide to the data analysis process, ensuring that the system has elements that are easy to access, to understand, and to use by each state actor (institution, individual, company, etc.). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cultural Heritage: Current Threats and Opportunities)

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24 pages, 1573 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cultural Heritage as a Means for Local Development in Mediterranean Historic Cities—The Need for an Urban Policy

by Yiota Theodora

Heritage 2020, 3(2), 152-175; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage3020010 - 26 Mar 2020

Cited by 31 | Viewed by 14372

Abstract

Urban and regional development have not stopped engaging, troubling, and dividing the international scientific community and national and regional policy-making bodies. The wide range of consequences brought on by the current multifaceted downturn at all geographical scales requires the continuous investigation of practices [...] Read more.

Urban and regional development have not stopped engaging, troubling, and dividing the international scientific community and national and regional policy-making bodies. The wide range of consequences brought on by the current multifaceted downturn at all geographical scales requires the continuous investigation of practices and the designation of innovative mechanisms or tools to formulate new developmental axes for action, able to respond to contemporary needs and challenges. This holds true particularly in an age, such as the one we are currently experiencing, of network organization of infrastructures and functions dominated by the knowledge economy. Within this framework, we estimate that the response to an attempt to restructure production in Greece and increase support for its cities and regions could be sought by setting up collaboration networks with cultural heritageand support creative entrepreneurship as key developmental “elements”, focusing on strategies for recovery, modernization, and a return to historic cities and regional settlements. Specifically, using inputs from a collaboration project among historic cities in the Mediterranean, and an ongoing research in fragmented insular regions with many historic cities and settlements in the Aegean, we maintain that the goal of restoring local communities could be sought though initiatives or actions to preserve and diffuselocal traditions and know-how in the framework of an overall urban developmental policy capable of ensuring ongoing collaboration and networking at all geographical levels and categories of space. In this rationale, this article attempts to contribute to the debate by stating proposals in the framework of principles and guidelines that should govern the formulation of this urban policy, which is still missing in Greece. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cultural Heritage: Current Threats and Opportunities)

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13 pages, 247 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Historic Gardens and Parks Worldwide and in Greece: Principles of Acknowledgement, Conservation, Restoration and Management

by Eleni Athanasiadou

Heritage 2019, 2(4), 2678-2690; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage2040165 - 20 Sep 2019

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 6305

Abstract

The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) Florence Charter 1981 on Historic Gardens sets the first guidelines for the definition of a historic garden, in which sites such as large parks, whether formal or landscape, are included. Since then, there is a [...] Read more.

The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) Florence Charter 1981 on Historic Gardens sets the first guidelines for the definition of a historic garden, in which sites such as large parks, whether formal or landscape, are included. Since then, there is a continuous effort worldwide on issues of historic garden acknowledgement, conservation, restoration and management. Countries with garden and park tradition, such as the U.K., USA, France and others, have several sites registered and protected. Furthermore, historic garden and park associations exist in Italy, Spain and Portugal, among other nations. In Greece, there is no specific official policy or association regarding historic parks, gardens or landscapes. Greek law includes historic gardens and parks within the spectrum of works of art, places of outstanding natural beauty and historic places/lands for partial or absolute protection, and, thus, attempts in identifying historic landscapes fall generally in other categories, but law specified for historic gardens. However, in both the Greek ratification of the European Landscape Convention and the European Biodiversity directives, there are aspects one could interpret as very useful for the acknowledgement and policy-making on historic gardens and parks. In this paper, an overview on historic gardens and parks abroad and in Greece is attempted, along with aspects of acknowledgement, protection, conservation, restoration and management. Finally, a first attempt on methodological outlines for the acknowledgement and conservation of historic gardens and parks in Greece is presented. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cultural Heritage: Current Threats and Opportunities)

9 pages, 3136 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Museum Practices as Tools to (Re)Define Memory and Identity Issues Through Direct Experience of Tangible and Intangible Heritage

by Marta Wróblewska

Heritage 2019, 2(3), 2408-2416; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage2030148 - 12 Aug 2019

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4610

Abstract

In the liquid-like times of post-modernity, where the notions of memory, identity, and culture are undergoing a process of redefinition, transition, and interpenetration, the role of museums as institutions responsible for heritage preservation and distribution needs to be revised in terms of their [...] Read more.

In the liquid-like times of post-modernity, where the notions of memory, identity, and culture are undergoing a process of redefinition, transition, and interpenetration, the role of museums as institutions responsible for heritage preservation and distribution needs to be revised in terms of their engagement with exhibitions, audiences, and strategies. The following text will analyze some examples of those tendencies implemented in contemporary museums practices observed in two cities: Gdańsk, Poland and Berlin, Germany. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cultural Heritage: Current Threats and Opportunities)

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13 pages, 4483 KiB

Open AccessArticle

On “Arogi” Buildings’ Structural System and Construction Procedure after the 1953 Earthquake in Kefalonia

by Eleni Theotokatou

Heritage 2019, 2(3), 2193-2205; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage2030133 - 26 Jul 2019

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4977

Abstract

After the series of earthquakes in August 1953, most of Kefalonia’s building stock totally collapsed. The buildings that emerged as a result of a collective effort are commonly referred to as “arogi” buildings, with the term arogi meaning help or assistance. In this [...] Read more.

After the series of earthquakes in August 1953, most of Kefalonia’s building stock totally collapsed. The buildings that emerged as a result of a collective effort are commonly referred to as “arogi” buildings, with the term arogi meaning help or assistance. In this way, merely referring to these structures is a direct mention to the circumstances under which they were constructed. The reconstruction of the building stock of the island was based in a series of building types proposed from the authorities, and proceeded replacing the richness of the architectural forms that stood before the earthquake, with austere but necessary settlements. Nevertheless, it is these buildings that constitute today’s image of the island. This study wishes to introduce us to the “arogi” buildings structural system, as it was applied in Kefalonia after the 1953 earthquake, with reference to recent bibliography and the recent experience of the 2014 earthquake. The purpose of setting the grounds for such research would be to highlight the effectiveness of this structural system. Moreover, to emphasize the fact that “arogi” buildings and their construction procedure incorporate Kefalonia’s recent history and have eventually produced today’s available “traditional” architecture of the island. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cultural Heritage: Current Threats and Opportunities)

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14 pages, 3246 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Planning for the Enhancement of the Modern Built Heritage in Thessaly Region: The Case of the “Konakia” Monuments

by Aikaterini Papandreou and Marilena Papageorgiou

Heritage 2019, 2(3), 2039-2052; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage2030123 - 22 Jul 2019

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2932

Abstract

Built heritage constitutes an invaluable asset to be treasured and wisely managed in order to avoid loss of place identity, cultural and social degradation and loss of leisure and tourism opportunities. The present paper focuses on the modern built heritage of the Thessaly [...] Read more.

Built heritage constitutes an invaluable asset to be treasured and wisely managed in order to avoid loss of place identity, cultural and social degradation and loss of leisure and tourism opportunities. The present paper focuses on the modern built heritage of the Thessaly Region (Greece), giving special emphasis to the “konakia” monuments built during the late 19th and early 20th century that were once used as residences by the big landowners of the Thessalian agricultural plain (“tsiflikia”). Field research conducted, as well as a survey of secondary data, revealed that only fifteen (15) “konakia” remain in Thessaly, equally dispersed in Larisa, Trikala and Karditsa Prefectures. Given their use, all of the “konakia” are found within—or in the vicinity of—agricultural land and settlements. Most of them present severe signs of abandonment, while only four (4) of them are in use (either as second-homes or as spaces with cultural and administrative use). Starting in 1979 (until 2005), with the exception of the Averof “konakia”, all of the rest have been designated as part of the modern built heritage of Greece. Considering these facts—and that most of such properties are private—the paper proposes a six (6) step methodology, for their wise management and integration in the spatial and cultural landscape of Thessaly: (1) Selection of the proper type of (re)use of the monument(s), (2) selection (or reconsideration) of the protection status and zoning, (3) identification of the urban regeneration interventions, (4) introduction of the necessary amendments to the urban/local plan, (5) selection of the proper financial tools and (6) selection of the proper marketing strategy. The paper concludes by highlighting the need to address the “konakia” as a set of monuments, to achieve stakeholders’ engagement and local community involvement, without undermining either protection status or the private rights of owners over these cultural properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cultural Heritage: Current Threats and Opportunities)

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15 pages, 2427 KiB

Open AccessCase Report

Society and Culture: Cultural Policies Driven by Local Authorities as A Factor in Local Development—The Example of the Municipality of Xanthi-Greece

by Grammatiki (Emmy) Papazoglou

Heritage 2019, 2(3), 2625-2639; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage2030161 - 5 Sep 2019

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 5136

Abstract

This research article examines cultural policies designed by local government authorities and their impact on social and regional development in the municipality of Xanthi, Thrace. It also analyzes and examines the cultural activities implemented by the Greek municipalities. In particular, it reflects upon [...] Read more.

This research article examines cultural policies designed by local government authorities and their impact on social and regional development in the municipality of Xanthi, Thrace. It also analyzes and examines the cultural activities implemented by the Greek municipalities. In particular, it reflects upon events, changes, and concerns that involve cultural affairs, and evaluates their socioeconomic, political, spatial, and regional dimensions. Considering that the locality is part of the totality, the process of achieving cultural development in Xanthi is particularly interesting, as it is fundamental to the entire Greek cultural image. The regional element of the area can be also identified as national. Consequently, local cultural development becomes an essential part of national development. This study could trigger a fertile and constructive process of reflection on the role of local cultural policy in further achieving social and economic development. The issues raised by the research contribute to scientific research and dialogue and highlight the role of municipalities as active cultural assets with distinct cultural identities in the context of a Europe of Regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cultural Heritage: Current Threats and Opportunities)

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13 pages, 5943 KiB

Open AccessTechnical Note

Using Different Ways of 3D Reconstruction of Historical Cities for Gaming Purposes: The Case Study of Nafplio

by Antonios Kargas, Georgios Loumos and Dimitrios Varoutas

Heritage 2019, 2(3), 1799-1811; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage2030110 - 2 Jul 2019

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 6162

Abstract

Virtual reality (VR) technologies offer a unique opportunity in “3D reconstruction” of cultural monuments and historical cities that do not longer exist or have been modified (partially or totally). Even though technological capabilities are growing fast, emphasis is mainly given on developing virtual [...] Read more.

Virtual reality (VR) technologies offer a unique opportunity in “3D reconstruction” of cultural monuments and historical cities that do not longer exist or have been modified (partially or totally). Even though technological capabilities are growing fast, emphasis is mainly given on developing virtual museums and exhibitions, while archaeological places and excavations are following. The present paper presents two distinct approaches for 3D reconstruction of the historical city of Nafplio (Greece), by developing 3D models for buildings and monuments the way they used to be in the 19th century. The authors have used their professional and academic experience deriving from their participation in a European Commission co-funded project in the framework of the Partnership Agreement 2007–2013, which was implemented by the “V. Papantoniou” Peloponnesian Folklore Foundation (the project’s beneficiary) in Nafplio. The authors aim (a) to present the importance of reconstructing past cities and (b) to implement gaming technologies in cultural organizations as a means of achieve specific educational goals. Results point out the growing need for close cooperation between the cultural and academic worlds with 3D creators, and, moreover, reveal obstacles and opportunities in reconstructing historical cities and monuments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cultural Heritage: Current Threats and Opportunities)

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10 pages, 469 KiB

Open AccessTechnical Note

Reconnecting Nature and Culture—The INCREAte Approach and Its Practical Implementation in the Island of Kythera

by Nicholas M. Georgiadis, Yorgos Melissourgos, Stefanos Dodouras, Irini Lyratzaki, George Dimitropoulos, Angeliki Foutri, Lily Mordechai, Rigas Zafeiriou and Thymio Papayannis

Heritage 2019, 2(2), 1630-1639; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage2020100 - 5 Jun 2019

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3634

Abstract

Integrated Nature CultuRE Approach (INCREAte) promotes the interconnection of culture and nature. this approach primarily targeted toward nature conservation managers but is also applicable to any agent working on nature–culture issues or area and resource management. The focus of this approach is to [...] Read more.

Integrated Nature CultuRE Approach (INCREAte) promotes the interconnection of culture and nature. this approach primarily targeted toward nature conservation managers but is also applicable to any agent working on nature–culture issues or area and resource management. The focus of this approach is to guide users to design more integrated and efficient conservation projects by working on issues related to culture while also addressing stakeholders’ participation and human wellbeing. Allowing users to be selective and flexible, such issues can also be incorporated in ongoing projects, making the INCREAte approach a practice-oriented guidance and toolkit rather than a "take it or leave it" option. It was developed by the Scientific Secretariat of the Mediterranean Institute for Nature and Anthropos (MedINA) that, since 2003, promotes joint management of natural and cultural heritage and the strengthening of the diachronic relationship between humankind and nature. This approach has been successfully tested in Kythera, where a strategy for tourism has been designed through a sequence of its relevant steps. The main focus of the strategy is the development of an integrated and innovative trail network, which, coupled with the accompanying activities of the programme, is designed to reveal and sustain the natural and cultural heritage of the island. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cultural Heritage: Current Threats and Opportunities)

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