Tangible and Intangible Heritage Between Architectural Aspects, Urban Specificities, and Local Cultures

Call for Conference Papers

Urban heritage serves as an endless source of insights into architectural creation. It embodies the relation between society, cultural identity, daily practices, lifestyle, and the physical environment. The conference's goal is to analyze local heritage strategies and align them with global sustainability visions. It aims to acknowledge diverse cultural influences while studying how historical, social, economic, and political factors impact architectural and urban living in selected cities across countries. To redefine heritage as a cross-disciplinary and intercultural notion, historians, sociologists, cultural theorists, architects, urban planners, and urban designers are invited to assess the past to inform the present and future. Recommendations for preserving old cities while safeguarding culture and community shall be developed in this interdisciplinary endeavor.

By exploring the past, present, and future of old cities, this conference aims to redefine heritage as an interdisciplinary and intercultural concept. It addresses the necessity of expressing sustainable heritage through tangible and intangible parameters and questions prevailing heritage paradigms. The forms of traditional buildings have been designed using available natural energy sources, e.g., for heating reduction and natural ventilation. Revisiting these traditional practices and techniques like climate-adapted building forms and social-oriented urban layouts are an essential part of the preservation of identity and cultural values. In the 21st century, urban life must consider sustainable development, meeting present needs without compromising the well-being of future generations.