Use, Reuse, and Reactivation of Cultural Heritage: Exploring Continuity, Transformation, and Identity in Architectural and Landscape Heritage
Use, Reuse, and Reactivation of Cultural Heritage is a new e-book compiled by the Heritage and Cultural Identity Work Programme of the International Union of Architects (UIA), with the help from Samer Helmy Kasem, Coordinator of the Work Programme, and edited by Manuel Lacerda and Mônica Bahia Schlee, Co-Directors of the Work Programme. The book moves beyond traditional, passive models of conservation that freeze monuments in time, proposing instead a forward-looking vision of heritage as a dynamic resource for tackling today’s urban crises — from rapid urbanization to climate impacts and socioeconomic displacement.
Bringing together contributions from architects and researchers across Egypt, Portugal, Brazil, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macao, Italy, Switzerland, and Canada — including introductory remarks by Anju Malla Pradhan (Nepal) and Kassim Mwamba Omar (Kenya), Co-Directors of the Work Programme — the volume connects cultural policy with concrete, on-the-ground interventions. It explores how the adaptive reuse of historic buildings and landscapes can revitalize local economies, safeguard cultural identity, and reduce carbon emissions by making use of the energy already embedded in existing structures. The chapters balance technical rigor — covering tools such as 3D laser scanning, structural analysis, and Heritage Building Information Modeling (HBIM) — with participatory, community-driven approaches to urban regeneration.
Ultimately, the book is presented as a call to action for architects, planners, and policymakers worldwide: history should not be treated as a constraint on contemporary design, but as a rich source of contextual knowledge for building a future that is both sustainable and socially just.
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