Heritage futures: A conversation

PurposeThis article explores the concept of “heritage futures”, the role of heritage in managing relations between present and future societies. It assesses how thinking strategically about the future changes, complicates and contextualises practices of heritage. What might an attention to the future bring to work in heritage, and simultaneously, what challenges—both practical and ethical—arise?Design/methodology/approachThis article takes the form of a conversation about the nature of heritage futures and how such a project may be implemented in both heritage practice and field research in heritage studies. The two authors are heritage scholars who integrate heritage futures questions into their research in different ways, and their conversation uncovers potentialities and difficulties in the heritage futures project.FindingsThe discussion covers the particular ethical issues that arise when the dimension of time is added to heritage research and practice, including questions of continuism, presentism and specificity. The conversation argues for the importance of considering the future in heritage studies and heritage practice and that this forms a key part of understanding how heritage may be part of building a sustainable present and future.Originality/valueThe future is an under-examined concept within heritage studies, even as heritage is often framed as something to be preserved “for future generations”. But what impact might it have on heritage practice to really consider what this means, beyond the platitude? This article suggests that heritage scholars and practitioners direct their attention to this often-neglected facet of heritage.

Stakeholders' consciousness of cultural heritage and the reconciliation of different needs for sustainable development

PurposeThe paper aims to investigate the approach and tools adopted by an Italian city, included amongst the UNESCO World Heritage sites (WHS), to involve different stakeholders in the protection and valorisation of its historical centre to achieve the goals of sustainable development. The paper focusses on the role of local authorities as the key actors that should engage different city users to jointly achieve heritage conservation and socio-economic development.Design/methodology/approachData were collected, thanks to the researchers' direct participation in a project launched by the municipality of Urbino, which involved several local stakeholders and lasted about a year. Participant observation allowed the authors to collect informal interviews, join collective discussions and reflect on the direct observation of the activities undertaken.FindingsThe case study analysed suggests how participatory governance may be effective in fostering responsible principles in “asset usage” by any type of city users and how citizens actively co-design and co-implement initiatives of heritage revitalisation when engaged in cultural heritage (CH) policies.Originality/valueThe paper addresses a long-standing problem that has never been solved: how to enhance the consciousness of the CH amongst stakeholders and reconcile their different and conflicting needs in the historical urban environment in the process of revitalisation.

Smart, hybrid and context-aware POI mobile recommender system in tourism in Oman

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to identify the knowledge gap and future opportunities for developing mobile recommender system in tourism sector that lead to comfortable, targeted and attractive tourism. A recommender system improves the traditional classification algorithms and has incorporated many advanced machine learning algorithms.Design/methodology/approachDesign of this application followed a smart, hybrid and context-aware recommender system, which includes various recommender systems. With the recommender system's help, useful management for time and budget is obtained for tourists, since they usually have financial and time constraints for selecting the point of interests (POIs) and so more purposeful trip planned with decreased traffic and air pollution.FindingsThe finding of this research showed that the inclusion of additional information about the item, user, circumstances, objects or conditions and the environment could significantly impact recommendation quality and information and communications technology has become one part of the tourism value chain.Practical implicationsThe application consists of (1) registration: with/without social media accounts, (2) user information: country, gender, age and his/her specific interests, (3) context data: available time, alert, price, spend time, weather, location, transportation.Social implicationsThe study’s social implications include connecting the app and registration through social media to a more social relationship, with its textual reviews, or user review as user-generated content for increasing accuracy.Originality/valueThe originality of this research work lies on introducing a new content- and knowledge-based algorithm for POI recommendations. An “Alert” context emphasizing on safety, supplies and essential infrastructure is considered as a novel context for this application.

Woodworking marking tool structuration based on craft traditions

PurposeBased on profound information lacking in compiled information materials, the risks of losing knowledge related to the values of traditional woodworking processes are increasing. The purpose of this article is to collect and structure diverse marking tool data into a comprehensive, understandable and clear design schematic view, which serves as a basis for the accumulation and preservation of diverse marking objects and shows woodworking marking tool relation in the group and subgroup levels.Design/methodology/approachA method for marking tools structuring and analysis are described, including breaking down a set of objects into groups of marking objects, and assigning one or more attributes to the parcelled objects by arranging them into hierarchic levels. Research is based on marking tools used by carpenters, joiners and woodcarvers mainly in the Baltic region.FindingsCollected data, object analyses and comparison within-group and subgroup levels are based on written and visual sources, museum and museum funds visits, and participation in the local craftsmen events. The created structure is expandable in group and subgroup levels. The most comprehensive way for object structuring is chosen as a base to reveal a diversity of the objects.Originality/valueStructure schemes of woodworking marking tools are important in scientific, educative and cultural levels based on their wide range and use. Aggregated information of the woodworking tools serves as a base for existing tool studies and improvement, new tool and wood product creation as well as complements the structure of the upcoming woodworking hand tool database and book.

Investigating the constraints for managing the protection of historic buildings in remote areas of Saudi Arabia: a DEMATEL modelling approach

PurposeThe paper is aimed at identifying, analysing and prioritizing the critical constraints affecting efficient management of historic buildings in remote areas of Saudi Arabia.Design/methodology/approachThematic content analysis and expert-based evaluation approaches were used to identify and evaluate the constraints. The DEMATEL technique was deployed to define the interrelationship complexities between the constraints and evaluate the impact of these interrelationships to ascertain the influential constraints.FindingsThe results identify “lack of clearly defined roles for the multiple government agencies” as the most influential constraint for managing historic sites and buildings in remote areas of Saudi Arabia.Research limitations/implicationsThe contextual interrelationship between the constraints is due to the experts' perceptions, which may be biased due to their proficiencies and professional backgrounds. Since the evidence on which the findings of this paper are established is predominantly from experiences related to historic sites and buildings in remote areas of Saudi Arabia, the results of this paper may not be entirely applicable elsewhere.Practical implicationsThe paper provides invaluable methodology that can support practitioners and policymakers to establish sustainable strategies that can enhance the management and protection of historic buildings in remote areas of Saudi Arabia.Originality/valueThis study noticeably contributes to knowledge by providing comprehensive understanding of the major impediments to the successful management of historic buildings in remote areas of Saudi Arabia, which can assist in mitigating the potential impacts of these constraints and to advocate for the achievement of efficient management and protection of the historic sites and buildings.

Assessing the macro and micro elements of the Akbarieh World Heritage Garden using participant observer method in a continuous/stop-motion

PurposeThis study aims to assess each of the seven segments of the Akbarieh Garden as the World Heritage Cultural Landscape. First, we wanted to identify the macro elements that dominated one's perception within each area. Then, we wanted to identify the micro elements that support the vista in its entirety.Design/methodology/approachTo acquire data, we used a Participant Observer (PO) method as part of a Continuous/Stop-Motion (CSM) procedure. The identification of macro elements came from retrospective recollections derived from the continuous walk method—the stop-walk method allowed for the identification of micro elements. The data gained from this method is then used to understand how one interprets and responds to large—multi-segmented sites such as the Akbarieh Garden.FindingsThe results of this study show the Continuous/Stop-Motion method yielded predictable results with macro elements and elements of interest being easily recalled. However, the use of photographing for the stop-walk method revealed a similar focus on the macro element. We had hypothesized that the micro elements would be the elements of fascination and discovered when the person remained in the area to photograph scenes of interest. However, the PO photographed the macro elements. It wasn't until the post photo analysis that the PO identified some of the micro elements would be the elements of fascination and discovered when the person remained in the area to photograph scenes of interest. However, the PO photographed the macro elements. It wasn't until the post photo analysis that the PO identified some of the micro elements. The post photo discoveries suggest that real-time experience of micro elements is undervalued.Originality/valueThere is no general discussion on this topic yet amongst professionals. The initiative of the Participant Observer (PO) method as a tool for perception the historic gardens and landscapes identified that gap and its related necessity to provide guidance. As is true for exploratory studies, these results provide a foundation for further study. The use of the Continuous/Stop-Motion method was ideal for this study.

Tents: a paradigm of lightness and sustainability in vernacular architecture and in Frei Otto's work

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to explore the relationship between vernacular architecture and Frei Otto's work, searching for shared principles and specific singularities, and testing whether lightness and sustainability can be identified as a common goal.Design/methodology/approachThe study is focused on tents and yurts, as archetypal examples of traditional architecture, and membrane structures and gridshells, as two types of light structures developed by Frei Otto. A comparative analysis of their behavior, form, elements, types, materials and strength has been carried out.FindingsThe survey carried out shows that Frei Otto's innovative tents and gridshells were not based on form imitation of vernacular architecture, but rather on a thorough understanding of physical form-generating processes, driving specific materials to optimal form, like his experiments with soap film models to generate tensioned minimal surfaces or his experiments with hanging chain net models to generate compressive antifunicular lattice shells.Originality/valueThis paper highlights how Frei Otto's endeavor to get the maximum with the minimum, to achieve a lot from a little, is also a key target of lightness and sustainability, and an essential feature of vernacular architecture.

Multicriteria decision-making to support preventive maintenance of built heritage in the historic center of Sobral, Brazil

PurposeThe study aims to identify and evaluate relevant criteria in the proposal and support of public administration policies for preventive maintenance comprised in a conservation approach to built heritage and aligned with local sustainable development of the historic center of the city of Sobral, in Brazil.Design/methodology/approachA novel multicriteria decision model adopting the Bayesian best-worst method is presented and its application and results are described. Though a systematic procedure, criteria were selected in order to protect the tangible and intangible values of cultural heritage, as well as its sustainable development. Then experts evaluate these criteria through an elicitation instrument.FindingsThe results show that for the decision problem over preventive maintenance, social contribution and historical record of built heritage are more important than its structural vulnerability, while architecture is less relevant. Due to the low restrictions, the subcriterion related to this property has the least influence. The weights can assist in the characterization of measures and policies for the protection of the built cultural heritage.Originality/valueThe use of a novel decision-making method in cultural heritage is an important initiative, given the frequent use of simple and inefficient methods. The identified and weighted criteria are important data to characterize the scenario and the topic. The results contribute to protection and development of the built heritage, encouraging the implementation of preventive conservation in the historic center, conferring to the public administration valuable information to support and propose initiatives.

The effect of the Mongol invasion on the townscape of Iranian cities

PurposeThe Mongol invasion caused widespread destruction in many cities; this research studies the destruction course of cities after the Mongol invasion and their reconstruction during the reform period, the change that it brought to the cityscapes of Iranian cities and the difference between the urbanscape of the cities that flourished or were re-established after these destructions with the cities prior to them.Design/methodology/approachThe method of research used is historical interpretation/analysis. The historical texts of pre-Mongolian Persia and texts from the Ilkhanid era are studied, references to the shapes and appearances of Iranian cityscapes are classified, and with the help of contemporary interpretations and existing physical evidence, the urbanscape of these two periods are redrawn and compared to each other.FindingsThe selection of scenic meadows to build the city, the presence of many gardens in the urban patterns and the construction of satellite towns around large cities have been the effects of the Mongol tradition of (Yurt) tent-dwelling on Iranian cities during the reforms. The declining population and the massive migration of artists together with the rethinking of the rulers made the existence of dense cities with multi-storey houses less likely. The tradition of pre-designing the city and buildings and designing open and right-angled pathways continued after the Mongol invasion.Originality/valueThe prevailing belief is that during the Mongol era, only the destruction of cities took place and the Mongols did not create any cities and had no influence on urban development. This research aims to challenge that.