Italy and China Sharing Best Practices on the Sustainable Development of Small Underground Settlements
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
heritage Article Italy and China Sharing Best Practices on the Sustainable Development of Small Underground Settlements Laura Genovese 1,†, Roberta Varriale 2,†, Loredana Luvidi 3,*,† and Fabio Fratini 4,† 1 CNR—Institute for the Conservation and the Valorization of Cultural Heritage, 20125 Milan, Italy; [email protected] 2 CNR—Institute of Studies on Mediterranean Societies, 80134 Naples, Italy; [email protected] 3 CNR—Institute for the Conservation and the Valorization of Cultural Heritage, 00015 Monterotondo St., Italy 4 CNR—Institute for the Conservation and the Valorization of Cultural Heritage, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +39-06-90672887 † These authors contributed equally to this work. Received: 28 December 2018; Accepted: 5 March 2019; Published: 8 March 2019 Abstract: Both Southern Italy and Central China feature historic rural settlements characterized by underground constructions with residential and service functions. Many of these areas are currently tackling economic, social and environmental problems, resulting in unemployment, disengagement, depopulation, marginalization or loss of cultural and biological diversity. Both in Europe and in China, policies for rural development address three core areas of intervention: agricultural competitiveness, environmental protection and the promotion of rural amenities through strengthening and diversifying the economic base of rural communities. The challenge is to create innovative pathways for regeneration based on raising awareness to inspire local rural communities to develop alternative actions to reduce poverty while preserving the unique aspects of their local environment and culture. In this view, cultural heritage can be a catalyst for the sustainable growth of the rural community. Through a series of projects on a national and international scale, the authors have addressed some of these problems by exchanging best practices in conservation, sustainable use and the enhancement of the underground heritage. Keywords: underground settlements; earthen architecture; conservation; regeneration; enhancement 1. Introduction The Italian and Chinese rural villages studied are the result of successful and sustainable balancing attempts between maximization of environmental opportunities and minimization of natural conflicts and social interactions in karst habitat. Both locations represent ‘troglodyte or negative building culture’ which is characterized by the systematic application of building techniques based on quarrying and removal rather than the vertical use of shaped rocks, bricks or various mixtures. It is a worldwide modus aedificandi which was developed during prehistoric times and is still in use today: this long lasting building approach is one of the most typical building techniques in plateaus located between latitude 34◦ and 40◦ North (Figure1). In this particular climatic zone, surprisingly, underground sections of historical excavated settlements are very similar to each other. Based on the study of historical artifacts excavated below the ground level, it appears that local building know-how was reconsidered and new underground building skills were adopted. Thus, underground architecture of worldwide troglodyte settlements has much more in common than their corresponding above-ground Heritage 2019, 2, 53; doi:10.3390/heritage2010053 www.mdpi.com/journal/heritage Heritage 2019, 3 FOR PEER REVIEW 2 natural forces and produces significant artifacts with strong identity and distinctive features responding to local culture. The underground architecture was also recently investigated within VerSus (Vernacular HeritageKnowledge2019, 2, 53 for Sustainable Architecture), a European project developed in the framework of the2 of 13 Culture 2007–2013 program, which had partners CRAterre-Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Grenoble (France), Escola Superior Gallaecia (Portugal), DIDA (Department of building styles. This is the case because the underground world interprets raw materials with the Architecture, University of Florence-Italy), DDICAAR (Department of Civil Engineering, adoptionEnvironment of essential and shapesArchitecture, in response University to natural of forces Cagliari-Italy), and produces Escuela significant Técnica artifacts Superior with strongde identityArquitectura and distinctive of Polytechnic features University responding of Valencia, to local Spain culture. [1]. FigureFigure 1. 1.Map Map of of the the case case studies: studies: inin evidence,evidence, the ty typicalpical climatic climatic zone zone of of the the excavated excavated villages villages (Southern(Southern Italy Italy and and Loess Loess plateau plateau in in China China areare shownshown in red). TheSince, underground by definition, architecture the term Underground was also recently Built Heritage investigated (UBH) refers within to VerSushistorical (Vernacular artifacts Knowledgeexcavated forin underground Sustainable Architecture), areas that become a European significant project expressions developed of inlocal the cultural framework heritage, of the Culturetroglodyte 2007–2013 villages program, are perfect which case had studies partners since CRAterre-Ecolethey house the strongest Nationale concentration Supérieure d’Architectureof historical deartifacts Grenoble excavated (France), to manage Escola Superiorurban functions Gallaecia [2]. The (Portugal), Loess Plateau DIDA yaodong (Department villages of (36°52 Architecture,′59.99″ UniversityN, 108°42 of′59.99 Florence-Italy),″ E) and the excavated DDICAAR villag (Departmentes in Southern of CivilItaly (40°40 Engineering,′11.39″ N, Environment 16°35′50.03″ E) and Architecture,represent two University of the most of significant Cagliari-Italy), underground Escuela settlements Técnica Superior in the world. de Arquitectura A comparative of Polytechnic analysis Universitycan provide of Valencia, new insight Spain by [testing1]. the theories related to the connections between cultural identity andSince, climatic by zone, definition, as well the as termverifying Underground the differences Built and Heritage possible (UBH) future actions refers toaimed historical towards artifacts the enhancement and valorization of Western and Eastern excavated villages (Figure 2a,b). excavated in underground areas that become significant expressions of local cultural heritage, This paper is based on some research by the authors on a national and international scale [3]. troglodyte villages are perfect case studies since they house the strongest concentration of historical More specifically, on one hand, it is a National Research Council of Italy (CNR) interdepartmental artifacts excavated to manage urban functions [2]. The Loess Plateau yaodong villages (36◦52059.9900 N, project that began in 2015 coordinated by the CNR-Institute of Studies on Mediterranean Societies 108◦42059.9900 E) and the excavated villages in Southern Italy (40◦40011.3900 N, 16◦35050.0300 E) represent (ISSM) that concerns the analysis of underground settlements in Southern Italy, aiming to define twogood of the practices most significant for their recovery, underground refunctionalizatio settlementsn in and the enhancement world. A comparative [4]. On the analysis other hand, can provideit is a newbilateral insight project by testing that began the theories in 2016, related coordinated to the by connections the CNR and between Institute cultural for the identity Conservation and climatic and zone,the asValorization well as verifying of Cultural the differences Heritage (ICVBC) and possible together future with actions the aimedChinese towards Academy the of enhancement Cultural andHeritage valorization (CACH) of Western[5] and is and related Eastern to the excavated sharing of villages good practices (Figure2 betweena,b). Italy and China for the conservationThis paper of is monuments based on some and site researchs in earthen by the material. authors Finally, on a national the paper and collects international the results scale of a [ 3]. Morecollaboration specifically, that on was one recently hand, born it is aof National the authors Research with the Council World Heritage of Italy (CNR)Institute interdepartmental of Training and projectResearch-Asia that began and in 2015Pacific coordinated (WHITRAP) by under the CNR-Institute the auspices of StudiesUNESCO on to Mediterranean survey, analyze Societies and (ISSM) that concerns the analysis of underground settlements in Southern Italy, aiming to define good practices for their recovery, refunctionalization and enhancement [4]. On the other hand, it is a bilateral project that began in 2016, coordinated by the CNR and Institute for the Conservation and the Valorization of Cultural Heritage (ICVBC) together with the Chinese Academy of Cultural Heritage (CACH) [5] and is related to the sharing of good practices between Italy and China for the conservation of monuments and sites in earthen material. Finally, the paper collects the results of Heritage 2019, 2, 53 3 of 13 a collaborationHeritage 2019, 3 FOR that PEER was REVIEW recently born of the authors with the World Heritage Institute of Training3 and Research-Asia and Pacific (WHITRAP) under the auspices of UNESCO to survey, analyze and disseminatedisseminate the the knowledge knowledge on on small small historical historical settlements, settlements, including including the the Chinese Chinese yaodong, yaodong, and and raise awarenessraise awareness about the about importance