Scientific Journal on Architecture and Cultural Heritage "DISEGNARECON” is an international, on-line, diamond open access and blind peer reviewed scientific journal focused on researches and case studies in the different fields of cultural heritage, and in particular on built heritage study, representation, communication, and valorization, in relation to the multiple tangible and intangible dimensions. A particular interest is paid to the topics related to graphical and visual aspects. DISEGNARECON is a wording made by two different Italian polysemantic words: "disegnare" (means "drawing" but also "design") + "con" ("with" or "through"). The journal invites submissions aiming to favor the discussion and debate between scholars of different fields. The journal is published by the University of L’Aquila (Italy). Editor in Chief: Stefano Brusaporci. Deputy Editor: Pamela Maiezza. Journal Manager: Alessandra Tata. Editorial Board: Mirco Cannella, Giulia Flenghi, Alfonso Forgione, Alessia Garozzo, Romina Nespeca, Maria Laura Rossi, Andrea Ruggieri, Elena Simeoni, Francesco Stilo, Alessandra Tata, Luca Vespasiano. Scientific committee: [Italy] Giuseppe Amoruso, Marcello Balzani, Cristiana Bartolomei, Stefano Bertocci, Carlo Bianchini, Fabio Bianconi, Massimiliano Campi, Mario Centofanti, Enrico Cicalò, Paolo Clini, Simonetta Ciranna, Marco Antonio D'Arcangeli, Antonella Di Luggo, Francesca Fatta, Andrea Giordano, Maria Luisa Iavarone, Elena Ippoliti, Massimiliano Lo Turco, Alessandro Luigini, Michele Maccherini, Francesco Maggio, Silvia Mantini, Roberto Mingucci, Patrizia Montuori, Antonella Nuzzaci, Caterina Palestini, Chiara Panciroli, Luca Pezzuto, Adriana Rossi, Daniele Rossi, Michele Russo, Rossella Salerno, Roberta Spallone, Ilaria Trizio, Ornella Zerlenga, Franca Zuccoli; [Argentina] Mauro Chiarella; [Brazil] Altino Barbosa Caldeira, Ana Clara Mourão Moura, Simone Helena Tanoue Vizioli; [France] Livio De Luca; [Germany] Dominik Lengyel; [New Zealand] Renata Jadresin-Milic; [Poland] Tomasz Jelenski; [Spain] Pilar Chias Navarro, Pablo Rodriguez-Navarro, Pedro-Manuel Cabezos Bernal, Teresa Gil Piqueras; [UK-China] Eugene Ch'ng. Indexed in SCOPUS Indexed in WoS Emerging Sources Citation Index Indexed in DOAJ Indexed in SJR Indexed in ERIH PLUS Indexed in Sherpa Romeo Rated by ANVUR (Italian National agency for the evaluation of universities and research institutes) as “CLASS A” Journal for the following scientific Areas: 08/C1 Design and technological planning of architecture; 08/D1 Architectural design; 08/E1 Drawing; 08/E2 Architectural restoration and history. Rated by ANVUR as "Scientific Journal” for Italian Scientific Areas: Area 08 - Architecture; Area 10 - Ancient, philological-literary and historical-artistic sciences; Area 11 - Historical, philosophical, pedagogical and psychological sciences.
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Multidisciplinary Perspectives, Experiences, and Knowledge Paths in the Representation of Cultural Landscapes
DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.35.2025.ed
Drawing the Invisible: the manual representation of landscape in the work of three contemporary Italian architects
The drawings of an architect can reveal much about their way of interpreting reality: as a tool of knowledge and design, the representation of a project, even before the project itself, offers a privileged means of delving into an author’s thought. Furthermore, when marked by deep historical stratifications, the built landscape presents itself as a privileged context for understanding the relationship between permanence and transformation, and representation becomes the means that guides the project. Starting from these premises, the contribution proposes to explore the modalities of manual representation in the design research of three contemporary Italian architects who, despite the authorial differences, share a similar hermeneutic tension toward the ancient landscape: Luigi Franciosini (Orvieto, 1957), Francesco Venezia (Lauro, 1944), and Renato Rizzi (Rovereto, 1951). The analysis is based on a comparison between hand drawings and physical models, selected from notebooks and direct sources, in the conviction that representation possesses a cognitive, descriptive, and analytical value – as a design action in itself. In an era where digital tools and artificial intelligence increasingly drive creative processes, the manual work of these architects invites reflection on the value of an analog approach to design. In such an approach, the gesture of the hand reveals a multiple time – from the slow lingering to the sudden appearance of an idea – mirroring the stratified time that characterizes the landscape itself. Through this correspondence, the drawing of the landscape becomes a drawing of timing tangible form to what is most invisible. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.35.2025.1
The representation of the orchard. Graphical analysis of the evolution of the horticultural landscape
The representation of the orchard. Graphical analysis of the evolution of the horticultural landscape The agrarian landscape and particularly the or- chard (huerto) is an inseparable part of the built environment, both historically and in the con- temporary context. This research examines how the orchard has been represented over time, highlighting its physical and graphical loss, especially in the current con- text of urban pressure that threatens to erase its agrarian logic. Inspired by the idea that telling a story, or drawing it, gives it existence. This study seeks to re- cover the “plot” of the huerto through its representation. A theoretical-practical methodology is employed, combining the analysis of written and graphic documents with the study of specific cases, spanning from Antiquity to the most abstract forms of contemporary expression, and incorporating the technological development of aerial photography and GIS. A dual shift is observed, addressed through the concept dalla mappa vuota alla mappa piena, and vice versa; an evolution toward geometric precision accompanied by a loss of figurative richness capable of conveying intrinsic values. This approach allows us to understand the or- chard and its landscape built environment as a living palimpsest with social, cultural, and productive functions, whose effective representation must balance artistic vision with technical accuracy. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.35.2025.2
Hypotesis on Transcribing Historical Sources to Represent the Evolution of Geo-cultural Landscapes: Natural Environment, Settlements, and Hazards
The paper proposes a methodology for the analysis and representation of Geo-Cultural Landscapes. These are contexts where resources, risks, and culture structurally coexist, defining a territory’s identity through the age-old dialectic between natural dynamics and human activity. The research focuses on the Acque Albule Basin (Lazio), an exemplary model characterised by the co-presence of significant natural resources and considerable geological hazards, such as karst phenomena and subsidence. The aim is to reconstruct the diachronic transformations of this complex territorial model through a systematic and holistic reading of figurative historical sources (pre-geodetic cartography from the 16th-18th centuries), overcoming the limitations of sectoral approaches. The method articulates a critical process of transcribing and vector-redrawing historical cartographic information within a digital environment. Through in-depth philological analysis, data extracted from four significant pre-geodetic maps were translated into a new Map of Represented Land Use (Carta dell’Uso del Territorio Rappresentato - CUTR). The alphanumeric data is visualised in a series of mappings, which synthesise the process of representing the past and the place as it is today; their interrogation can reveal surviving identity traits, potentially aiding in identifying environmental risk scenarios. In this context, the study aims to present the results of a procedural approach designed to construct information into new, valuable mappings. This approach, for the first time, enables a comprehensive utilisation of what was only partially represented across the various figurative historical sources. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.35.2025.3
Recoleta: the dual threshold between the city of stone, the represented city, and the digital city
The cemetery, as a site of individual and collective memory sedimentation, represents a cultural construction that transcends its burial function to become a testimony to the past and to the way society relates to death. Among monumental cemeteries, the Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires stands as an emblematic case. Its architectural layout and the stylistic variety of its tombs not only reflect the historical and cultural evolution of the city but also transform the cemetery itself into a true city of memory. Here, the boundary between urban and funerary space dissolves into a continuous dialogue between the monumentality of the tombs and the vibrancy of a ‘social’ fabric that continues to inhabit them through remembrance. This study aims to explore Recoleta as a narrative landscape, where memory is constructed throu­gh representation, from the materiality of architecture to new forms of digitization. By analyzing the cemetery as a microcosm, monumentality as an expression of collective memory, and the relationship between identity and migration, the paper reflects on how visual and digital repre­sentation can become an act of preservation and reinterpretation of funerary heritage. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.35.2025.4
Architecture as Experience: Reimagining Heritage Interpretation through Situated Perception The Case of the Barcelona Pavilion
This article proposes a new methodology for mediating architectural heritage grounded in the situated experience of space. In contrast to traditional heritage interpretation models— which tend to prioritize historical, symbolic, or conceptual readings—the article argues that architecture reveals itself not by means of external explanations but through attentive bodily engagement with space. The proposal is articulated around the concept of the Diffuse Museum, understood not as an institution but as a pedagogical strategy that activates architectural and urban space as an open, distributed museum shaped by perception. In this framework, architectural sites become interpretive artefacts in their own right: they are encountered in situ, through movement, orientation, atmosphere and material presence. The city thus becomes a didactic landscape n which meaning arises from direct experience. These ideas are examined through an experimental audio guide designed for the Barcelona Pavilion (Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich, 1929). The device structures the visit through verbs, bodily positions and shifts in attention, encouraging visitors to perceive the architectural phenomena as they unfold. Rather than transmitting information, it activates perception as a mode of knowing, enabling a more reflective and intimate encounter with space. The article invites are thinking of how architectural knowledge is transmitted to the public, calling for forms of mediation that prioritise attentive presence and embodied perception. Altogether, this approach seeks to foster more inclusive and sensitive interpretations of the environment —interpretations that ultimately favour its preservation, transformation and revaluation as an essential component of our shared cultural existence and identity. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.35.2025.5
Eternal stones, shifting light: Joaquín Sorolla’s vision of Italy’s built heritage
This study explores how Sorolla’s lesser-known Italian works reveal his strong engagement with the built environment. Beyond his famous Mediterranean scenes, these paintings serve as valuable visual documents of Italy’s architectural and urban conditions at a moment of tension between tradition and modernity. By analyzing selected works from Rome, Venice, and Assisi, the research shows how Sorolla’s treatment of light, color, and composition not only aestheticized but also carefully recorded architectural heritage. His views highlight the tension between permanence and change, emphasizing materiality, states of preservation, and the dialogue between buildings and their natural or urban surroundings. Using a multidisciplinary approach that blends art history, architectural theory, and heritage studies, the paper interprets these paintings as both artistic achievements and historical testimonies. It considers how Sorolla’s depictions reflect the technical and cultural knowledge of his time while revealing his strong connection to the Mediterranean built environment. The study also explores their relevance for current discussions on heritage preservation amid rapid urban and environmental transformation. The study places Sorolla’s Italian works within broader debates on how cultural landscapes are represented and preserved, highlighting the lasting importance of art in documenting and interpreting the built environment. It ultimately argues for reconsidering Sorolla’s legacy, viewing him not only as a master of light but also a unintended recorder of architectural history. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.35.2025.6
Gardens, horizons and perspectives. A situated ecofeminist turn in Landscape and Architectural representation: the UA Campus as a case study
Focusing on the University of Alicante (UA) Cam- pus and its graphic representations as a case study, this work explores how the tools offered by ecofeminism, situated knowledge and Irigaray’s critique on sensing space can add to Architecture in pursuit of a more sensitive and nuanced disciplinary representation of the landscape. The UA Campus echoes American precedents and successfully deploys a curated sequence of blooming and inviting gardens reminiscent of English picturesque and French rational landscape design which coexist with the historical legacy of the site. The resulting landscape hosts a remarkable catalogue of plant species and serves a well- functioning and biodiverse ecosystem. Shadowed by the growing presence of iconic buildings, the first efforts to represent, preserve and promote the gardens only came from the period between 2012 and 2020. In the context of a pressing climate emergency and framed by two global crises (the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020), a range of actions encouraged by the governance team led the UA Campus to a new era. The Campus made a conscious effort to become more inclusive and socially and environmentally sustainable. This paper collects, situates and analyses the drawings and graphic materials produced over eight years (2012-2020). The images and the representations of the Campus are studied against the experience shaped by the landscape. The analysis is grounded in Puleo’s concept of enlightened eco- feminism, Donna Haraway’s situated knowledge and Irigaray’s feminist critique applied to architecture, which brings to light the limitations of architectural drawing to represent experiential spaces. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.35.2025.7
Tracing and Redrawing: Visual Strategies for Memory and Transformation in the Built Landscape
This article explores the layered nature of the built landscape in U.S. cities shaped by policies of segregation, demolition, and displacement. Focusing on three case studies—Sekou Cooke’s We Outchea, Yolande Daniels’ Black City, and the Westside Evolves initiative in Chattanooga—it examines how contemporary methods of graphic representation reclaim erased memory and re- construct cultural heritage in urban contexts where physical continuity has been lost. Through visual overlays, digital mapping, and participatory art, these projects expand the definition of preservation to include intangible, symbolic, and collective dimensions. The article argues that palimpsestic representation offers not only a tool of analysis but also a political and cultural strategy for documenting, understanding, and transforming the built environment. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.35.2025.8
Design Orientations for Knowledge, Representation, and Enhancement of Hydrosocial Landscapes
In the contemporary context of the energy transition, the landscape transformation emerges as a “global challenge” in achieving climate-neutral goals and, simultaneously, as a “local opportunity” for enhancing landscapes while preserving their identity. This study aims to explore the concept of “hydrosocial landscapes” in the light of hydropower plants. Understood as complex systems, these landscapes are characterized by a man-made environment, where human-environment relations are developed around the water element and its management. Large hydropower diversions are emblematic examples of this concept, integrating a natural environment rich in water resources, a built environment characterized by the presence of hydraulic infrastructure, and resulting social dynamics. The interrelationships among the- se components delineate the complexity of the system, configuring a natural, engineering and cultural heritage to be studied, conserved and enhanced. The main objective, achieved through a systemic and interdisciplinary approach applied to a real case study, is to provide design guidelines for dealing with complexity in the process of modernising a hydroelectric plant. The research aims to target energy production objectives and investigate existing methodologies to develop operational tools that support creative processes, integrating technical, environmental, and social values for sustainable territorial development. This approach entails a parallel analysis of the most suitable and practical tools for resenting such a system. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.35.2025.9
When the intervention on defensive walls connects with the cultural landscape. The Aljafería in Zaragoza, Spain
This paper focuses on the analysis of the interventions carried out in the Palacio de la Aljafería (Aljafería Palace) in Zaragoza, Spain, as a reference in the practice of monumental restoration during the 20th century. Through a historical-critical methodology, based on the analysis of primary documentary sources (work projects and institutional reports) and secondary sources (specific bibliography of the historians and architects involved in the interventions), the main phases of intervention carried out on the monument between 1933 and 1985 are identified. From the study of the data collected, the conceptual framework is revealed through the technical and functional criteria that emerged from the reconstruction projects. This overview reveals a process of professionalization of the task of the architect-restorer in the period analyzed, as well as the existence of a certain tension between the necessary heritage conservation and functional adaptation as a central mechanism in the conservation of monumental architecture. The contextualization of the interventions analyzed (the reconstruction of the defensive elements), with those carried out in the gardens, pools, parterre and moat, makes the palace visible as a link with the surrounding environment, promoting monumental and urban conservation as a key symbiosis to guarantee the recovery of the city’s cultural landscape. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.35.2025.10
Inhabiting the productive landscape of Puglia. Masseria Pantano, Jazzo Pantano and Jazzo di Figlia in Alta Murge
The urban exodus and the 2020 health crisis highlighted the shortcomings of many cities and revived interest in living in closer contact with nature. However, globalization and intensive agriculture are threatening traditional productive landscapes; the return to rural areas has often generated interventions that overlook the local context and damage fragile ecosystems. To protect these territories, it is essential to study rural architectures born out of necessity and deeply rooted in their surroundings. In Puglia, the network of masserie and jazzi, built in stone by anonymous artisans over centuries, forms an anthropized landscape shaped by essential agricultural practices. This study focuses on three structures in the Alta Murgia, located close to one another but set in different orographic conditions: the Masseria Pantano, situated on the cultivated plain, which allows territorial control and access to scarce water resources; the Jazzo Pantano, which adapts to the slope and acts as an inclined fortified structure facilitating the natural drainage of livestock wastewater; and the Jazzo di Figlio, embedded between rocks and forest, fragmented across the mountain’s strata and taking advantage of the steep terrain to camouflage its volume and collect rain-water. This settlement system represents a paradigm of architecture in harmony with local climate, topography, materials, and construction techniques. The research integrates updated cartographies, GIS-BIM technologies, territorial sections, photographic documentation, and 3D modeling to understand how these constructions respond to agricultural uses and environmental conditions. The conclusions explore the adaptive logic of anonymous peasants and builders and reaffirm the relevance of these solutions as references for a respectful and sustainable contemporary way of inhabiting the landscape. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.35.2025.11
Multidisciplinary approach to analyse historical water infrastructure and urban transformations: the case study of the Grabiglione Barisano in the Sassi of Matera, Italy
The historical urban fabrics are the evidence of traditional knowledge and practices generated by urbanization processes that take advantage of the morphological characteristics of the territory. In the past, Matera represented an emblematic example of “smart city”, in which the urban transformations guaranteed the ecosystem balance through the creation of a complex water infra- structures network. The most recent urban expansions occurred into the historical districts of the Sassi of Matera and their surrounding areas have led to the alteration of the “urban metabolism”, causing dangerous consequences as uncontrolled surface runoff of rainwater and flooding. For these reasons, this study proposes innovative methodological approaches which can guide the development of sustainable solutions capable of preserving the built landscapes. This study analyses the transformations produced on the historical water infrastructure of the Grabiglione Barisano over time e the effects of these changes on the Sasso Barisano urban context, developing the process within the environmental unit of the “watershed” through an hydromorphic approach. The analysis of urban transformations within the watersheds allows us to understand the interrelations between urban fabric and hydromorphic characteristics of the territorial context, overcoming the usual sectoral scientific approaches that analyse separately the different fields of architecture and hydrology. This approach highlights how the construction activity conducted outside the perimeter of the Sasso Barisano watershed, apparently totally independent, has instead influenced the way in which rainwater acts into this hi- storical urban fabric. This contribution proposes an integrated workflow that lays the foundations necessary for further research on the recovery and enhancement of this heritage, reproducible for other case studies. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.35.2025.12
Sacred Places in Network at the Heart of the City: Case of the Historic Core of El-Djazaïr Beni-Mazghana El-Mahroussa
Sacred places rank among the most enduring human-built structures, addressing essential spiritual and social needs. An investigation con- ducted in the historic core of Algiers during Maghrib prayer analyzed 147 routes of regular worshippers across nine mosques, employing a combined methodology of Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA), classification, and GIS. The examination of twenty-two daily home-to- mosque itineraries, shaped by spatial, social, and spiritual constraints, revealed a previously undocumented sacred network. This partial discovery delineates a segment of the sacred route connecting five mosques within the original network and suggests the relevance of or comprehensive modeling of is sacred pathway. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.35.2025.13
Digital Transformation of Architectural Legacy: Creating a Virtual Museum for preservation and dissemination
This project aims to valorise, preserve, and disseminate the architectural legacy of renowned Argentinian architect Miguel Ángel Roca (M.A.R.) by creating a virtual museum intended as a constantly updatable digital environment. By leveraging advanced digital tools such as BIM modelling, Virtual Reality (VR) and Digital Twin (DT) technologies, the research first focuses on collecting and cataloguing Roca’s sketches and designs within a dynamic, user-friendly digital archive. This actively configures as a Common Data Environment (CDE) based on well-known communication and in-cloud storage platforms, i.e., Microsoft Teams and SharePoint, to promote accessibility, interdisciplinary collaboration, and interoperability, thus fostering innovation and enhancing engagement with diverse audiences. Following the definition of shared standards for the systematisation of the preexisting documentation, novel models of selected projects, maps and visualisation tools will feed the digital ecosystem under consideration so as to set up a virtual museum with differentiated access levels for managing and dissemination purposes. Consistent with global trends in cultural heritage digitisation, the project preserves Roca’s influential contributions to modern architecture and urban planning while enhancing access to his body of work. It integrates cutting-edge technologies, such as BIM and GIS modelling, for existing and unbuilt projects, while also providing immersive experiences and tools for critical analyses. This evolving digital catalogue ensures sustainability through continuous updates and metadata integration, positioning the museum as a hub for research, education, and cultural exchange. Ultimately, it aims to bridge the gap between historical preservation and modern technology, revitalising Roca’s teachings and making his legacy accessible to future generations by embracing innovative approaches to teaching architectural history. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.35.2025.14
From Representation to Participation: Generative AI as a Catalyst for Collaborative Design of the Built Environment
As the built environment across Europe and other regions continues to age, the challenge of adapting existing building stock to contemporary needs is becoming increasingly important. In this context, the necessity to manage and update lived spaces will intensify in both frequency and complexity. Participatory design may thus assume a central role in the management of the built landscape, offering a way to align spatial interventions with the lived realities, values, and expectations of local communities. However, one of the enduring challenges faced by participatory design is the risk of inadvertently excluding valuable contributions due to disparities in technical knowledge and design literacy. When non-professional users are invited to engage in participatory frameworks, the activities proposed must be carefully calibrated to match their skills. For instance, practical design tasks, such as generating or commenting on design proposals, must be accessible and meaningful, regardless the participant’s background. This paper explores generative AI (GENAI) as a tool able to foster a more inclusive participation within the participatory design framework. By lowering the technical threshold for engagement while preserving the richness of participant contributions, GenAI can help democratize the design process and reveal latent community values that might otherwise remain unspoken. This paper explores how GenAI, when embedded within a socio-technical framework encompassing tools such as natural-language interfaces, culturally fine-tuned adaptation, multi- modal fusion, and transparent governance, can significantly enhance participatory design. Rather than replacing expert judgment, GenAI serves as a mediator and amplifier of diverse perspectives, one that not only expands who can participate, but also deepens the quality and relevance of the resulting design outcomes. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.35.2025.15
A Methodological Approach to Redefining Spatial Relations as a Result of Archaeological Excavations: Dara
Spatial relationships play a fundamental role in the emergence, development, and transformation of cities. Especially in the context of ancient cities, the relation and spatial hierarchy between the locations of spaces such as necropolis, agora, forum, acropolis and living spaces reveal the functional distinction of spaces. Some ancient cities were discovered as a result of excavations in rural or isolated areas far from settlements, while others were found just below or within actively inhabited residential areas. The ancient city of Dara-Anastasiopolis, one of the most significant settlements in Mesopotamia, is an interesting study area for analysing and explaining these relationships. This study aims to examine the transformation of the spatial relationships between the ancient city of Dara and the present rural settlement before and after the excavations. The study consists of a five-stage process involving a systematic literature review, fieldwork, data generation, modelling, space syntax analysis, and evaluation. The findings reveal that spatial rela¬tions transformed significantly after the excavations uncovered the ancient city. After the excavations, a new relational network emerged with the exposed spaces, and it has been determined that this new situation affects pedestrian and vehicle circulation. As a result, the study provides a unique contribution to the literature by providing a basis for the digital representation and management of cultural heritage sites in rural areas and analysing spatial relationships with data-based and interdisciplinary methods. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.35.2025.16
GIS-HBIM applications for the analysis and management of cultural landscapes: a case study of the historic centre of Tiradentes, Brazil
The integration of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Historic Building Information Modelling (HBIM) has emerged in recent years as a promising methodology for the analysis and management of cultural heritage, particularly with regard to historic sites and cultural landscapes. This article explores the potential of combining these technologies to provide a more comprehensive and relational understanding of such assets, incorporating spatial, architectural, historical, perceptual, and symbolic data and indicators. Using as a case study the cultural landscape associated with the historic centre of Tiradentes, Brazil – characterised by its rich cultural heritage and the presence of the São José Mountain Range, and currently subject to processes that threaten its proper conservation – the study applies a methodology composed of four main stages: data collection; data modelling; definition and spatialisation of indicators related to local cultural identity; and cross-analysis of data within the GIS-HBIM environment, aiming to understand the interactions between territory, built heritage, in- tangible practices, and the subjective dimension of the landscape. The research findings highlight the presence of processes that undermine the integrity and authenticity of both the site and the landscape, largely as a result of tourism-related activities and the lack of integrated heritage management. Ultimately, the study concludes that the integration of GIS and HBIM not only enhances analytical and diagnostic capacities, but also supports the development of more effective and sensitive conservation strategies that encompass both the tangible and intangible dimensions of heritage sites and landscapes. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.35.2025.17
BIM federated model for the regeneration of industrial archaeology buildings. The case study of the Tobacco Factory in Presenzano
This paper introduces a multidisciplinary research activity that connects the fields of drawing and structures, particularly focusing on an application in industrial archaeology. The study involved constructing the BIM model - based on geometric and structural survey data - of the Tobacco Factory in Presenzano decommissioned for over fifty years. The aim of this paper is to build a BIM model that integrates geometric and dimensional information in the parametric modeler with data on the physical-mechanical characteristics of the materials and structures derived from experimental tests. The federated BIM model, which stands as an archive for the knowledge of a work and as a support tool for the project in all its phases, in the specific case of application to the field of industrial archaeology, is configured as a valuable aid to the simulation of the project. In particular, concerning the conditions in which the Tobacco Factory in Presenzano is located with largely col- lapsed volumes, the BIM model allows to hypothesize scenarios of structural and functional reuse of the building, in the specific spatial context that hosts it, the features of which were stored, in an ad- hoc structured GIS project, according to the well-established digital cartographic representation technique. The Tobacco Factory and its context were modeled from architectural t - graphic scale using BIM to GIS procedures. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.35.2025.18
Recognising landscape transformations: a minor historic centre as a palimpsest to investigate for enhancement strategies
Reflection on the built landscape, as a stratified palimpsest in which natural, anthropic and cultural elements are interwoven, represents an essential key to interpreting the historical, social and environmental dynamics that shape territories. Within this framework, small historic centres offer a privileged test-bed for investigating the interaction between the natural environment, the built fabric and the daily life of communities, revealing sensitive balances and relations that have settled over time and are now often undermine by increasingly rapid transformations. The paper describes a research developed within the iNEST (Interconnected Nord-Est Innovation Ecosystem) project, focusing on the historic centre of Piazzola sul Brenta, in the Veneto landscape, as an exemplary case of integrated reading of the built landscape. The centre, known for the monumental presence of Villa Contarini but also for a minor urban fabric rich in memory and stratifications, is analysed as an expression of the continuous dialogue between natural and artificial elements, with particular attention to the relationship between settlement forms and territorial transformations. Combining data on community’s perception and integrated surveying methodologies, a three-dimensional virtual space is modeled, integrating in one tool quantitative and qualitative information. The research approach - based on an integrated reading of the territory, historical knowledge, direct observation and community involvement - is therefore intended to offer a methodology that can also be replicated in other similar contexts, promoting multidisciplinary and analysis of histo¬rical traces as key for future actions. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.35.2025.19
The Aniene River: an ecological and cultural corridor between the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Rome and Tivoli
The lower Aniene corridor between Rome and Tivoli is a complex cultural landscape where historical structures, morphological dynamics and environmental values intersect with recent transformations. The UNESCO sites – the Historic Centre of Rome, the Via Appia Antica, Hadrian’s Villa and Villa d’Este – define a multilayered context in which the river functions as an ecocultural infra- structure connecting heterogeneous territories and supporting integrated conservation policies. This essay interprets the corridor as an ecocultural infrastructure defined by five dimensions: morphological, ecological, cultural, managerial and narrative. A synoptic framework of protection and planning instruments (UNESCO Management Plans, PTPR, Aniene Nature Reserve, River Park) supports the analysis. Historical reconstruction of territorial continuities and recent changes shows how dispersed urbanisation, transport infrastructures and industrial decline have fragmented the river’s landscape and weakened its ecological performance. The estates of Lunghezza and del Cavaliere appear as a strategic node and an emblematic case study for models integrating landscape, diffuse heritage and governance. Their location, layered values and recognition within planning instruments position the area as a potential cultural and managerial hub able to restore functional and perceptual continuities along the river. The essay proposes an operational model to integrate protection and planning layers, translating Management Plan orientations into guidelines for recomposing ecological and settlement discontinuities, valorising diffuse heritage, enhancing slow mobility and structuring participatory multi-level governance. The lower Aniene corridor is presented as a laboratory for advanced peri-urban cultural landscape management prac¬tices offering replicable models. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.35.2025.20
The Cemetery Landscape as a Complex Value. Understanding, Documenting, and Enhancing a Liminal Cultural Heritage
The cemetery landscape embodies a complex system of values in which spatial, symbolic, and cultural dimensions intertwine. Rooted in the etymological and anthropological origins of landscape as an act of delimitation and identity-building, the cemetery emerges as a sacred enclosure mediating between the world of the living and that of the dead. Its liminal nature reveals a threshold space where ritual, architecture, and memory construct a suspended condition capable of generating social and symbolic transformations. The architectural elements that shape it translate this symbolic value into recognizable forms, defining a landscape that is at once material and metaphysical. The growing interest in the cultural and landscape value of cemeteries highlights their nature as narrative devices, capable of making visible the historical and anthropological stratifications of places and of fostering forms of slow and reflective tourism. Within this framework, digital documentation plays a fundamental role: combining survey data with tools that clarify their meaning and make interpretative choices explicit enables the creation of models that integrate the material dimension of cemeteries with their biographical, ritual, and identity-based values. The case study of the Monumental Cemetery of Perugia exemplifies this approach. Through an integrated methodology that combines 3D survey, community participation, and narrative interpretation, the research aims to construct a memory twin capable of enhancing knowledge, accessibility, and the cultural significance of this stratified funerary landscape. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.35.2025.21
Mapping landscape qualities across the inner Bradano valley by integrating GIS and RS applications to support sustainable tourism strategies
This contribution presents a methodological approach for mapping the landscape qualities of the inner Bradano Valley (southeastern Italy), by exploiting the potential of Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) to support new territorial strategies centred on sustainable tourism. The research specifically focuses on the northern section of the Bradano Valley, on the border between Basilicata and Apulia, which is recognised as inner territory by the National Strategy for Inner Areas. This area is characterised by a complex hilly landscape, where natural components, historical urban settlements, and wide- spread built heritage mostly related to agricultural activities are interconnected through a system of historical infrastructure and a network of minor roads (the UNESCO via Appia Regina Viarum, the Tratturo regio Melfi-Castellaneta, the FAL railway Altamura-Potenza, and the abandoned railway Melfi-Gioia del Colle, the Bradanica road Matera-Foggia, the Cammino Materano routes), that offer valuable opportunities for promoting slow tourism and improving accessibility to these heritage-rich places. The landscape, which appears empty and uniform, becomes more appealing to visitors over the spring and summer seasons due to the colour contrasts and nuances of the croplands. These seasonal phenomena hold strong potential for tourism development in this area, especially when combined with the promotion of the rural heritage and cultural practices. The re- search shows how GIS-based mapping plays a key role in integrating both geospatial information in a static form, mostly related to natural and built heritage, and the dynamic mapping of seasonal landscape phenomena by RS applications of multispectral satellite imagery, supporting an interactive map-based device for promoting knowledge, fruition, and development of tourism strategies in inner areas. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.35.2025.22
Guardia Sanframondi Heritage between Narratives and Community Maps. An Application Model to represent the Italian Heritage of Inner Areas
Guardia Sanframondi is one of the pilot sites selected by Italy’s National Strategy for Inner Areas (SNAI). The contribution explores how the cultural landscape of the area can be represented through participatory processes. By engaging the local community, the project seeks to develop new languages, symbolic codes, and communicative tools that promote inclusive and identity-based narratives of Guardia Sanframondi’s heritage. The broader framework aims to support sustainable and regenerative futures for rural regions by aligning policy strategies with the needs and aspirations of local populations. This study approaches territorial representation through a framework that extends beyond traditional cartography, that emphasizes the role of perception, identity, and cultural meaning in spatial understanding. Central to this perspective is the concept of the eco-territorial, which informs the use of community-based and collaborative mapping as tools for exploring and designing place-based knowledge. Participatory mapping enabled the initial outlining of the cultural landscape and helped to reconstruct the community’s symbolic and functional relationships with its territory. To retain the relational dimension of the-se insights and to build a georeferenced spatial archive, this phase was supported by Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technologies. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.35.2025.23
Swedish harmony in the built landscape: integrating natural environment and architecture
Swedish architecture has undergone a significant transformation from its functionalist origins towards a more holistic integration of high-performance technologies and natural elements, heavily influenced by the cultural philosophy of friluftsliv—a lifestyle encouraging regular contact with nature for mental well-being. This paper examines how friluftsliv aligns with the principles of biophilic design, a concept increasingly recognised for its benefits to human health and environmental performance. By analysing three projects in the Stockholm area—Hammarby Sjöstad, Stockholm Wood City, and Artipelag—this study highlights how contemporary Stockholm architecture incorporates biophilic strategies at both the building and urban levels. These cases reveal a synergy between sustainable engineering, timber construction, and design that fosters a connection between humans and the natural world. While projects demonstrate measurable outcomes in terms of livability and sustainability, challenges remain in balancing ecological ambitions with social equity. The findings highlight the originality of linking biophilic design with friluftsliv, providing a culturally grounded framework for future research. Ultimately, Sweden’s model presents a holistic vision that supports both environmental health and human well-being through architecture. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.35.2025.24
Professore Ordinario presso il Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Neuromotorie dell’Università di Bologna e co-fondatore di Graphic Medicine Italia, Stefano Ratti ci apre le porte su un ambito innovativo e di rilevanza significativa per il settore della rappresentazione: la Graphic Medicine, disciplina che esplora la potente convergenza tra fumetto, salute e l’esperienza della cura. Ratti ha personalmente unito la sua passione per l’arte e il fumetto con la medicina e nel 2022 ha dato vita all’associazione culturale, nata da un approccio fortemente interdisciplinare che coinvolge medici, sociologi e artisti. L’associazione ha come missione principale la promozione, la ricerca e la divulgazione dell’uso del fumetto in ambito sanitario. I suoi primi passi, in dialogo continuo con i riferimenti internazionali della disciplina, hanno portato alla realizzazione di seminari universitari e alla creazione di progetti editoriali di peso, tutti basati su un rigoroso processo di validazione scientifica e sulla collaborazione tra diverse professionalità. La Graphic Medicine non è semplicemente un modo diverso di raccontare una storia medica, ma un vero e proprio strumento metodologico che interviene sull’accessibilità e sull’etica della comunicazione. Il cuore concettuale della Graphic Medicine risiede nella sua capacità di utilizzare il doppio canale espressivo — parole e immagini — per rendere visibile ciò che spesso rimane invisibile nell’esperienza di malattia. Il fumetto funge da vero e proprio ponte per creare uno spazio di dialogo accessibile che non rinuncia alla complessità del vissuto. Un aspetto fondamentale in questo processo è l’equilibrio costante tra accuratezza medico-scientifica e forza narrativa, dove la voce del paziente viene mantenuta al centro, affiancata dalla correttezza etica e informativa. Questo equilibrio non è solo questione di testi, ma si riflette anche nell’elemento artistico: il tratto, il colore e l’impaginazione non sono solo scelte estetiche, ma veri e propri codici narrativi che regolano l’impatto emotivo e la chiarezza delle informazioni. La forma, quindi, diventa parte integrante del messaggio scientifico stesso. Guardando al futuro, la disciplina si sta espandendo oltre l’ambito clinico e didattico, trovando applicazione nella salute pubblica, nelle campagne di prevenzione e nella ricerca, con l’animazione che si profila come una possibile evoluzione per ampliare ulteriormente i pubblici. Si auspica che attraverso una costante contaminazione tra linguaggi e un lavoro corale, come sottolineato dal prof. Ratti, la Graphic Medicine possa crescere in Italia non solo come filone culturale, ma come una pratica di cura pienamente integrata nella formazione e nella comunicazione sanitaria. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.35.2025.dw