New Perspectives for the Building Heritage in Depopulated Areas: A Methodological Approach for Evaluating Sustainable Reuse and Upcycling Strategies

Abstract

The building reuse can reduce both consumption of non-renewable resources and production of construction and demolition waste, preserving the architectural and constructive culture. The progressive depopulation of the European inner areas is an opportunity to discuss the potential of reuse and sustainable adaptation of extensive heritage sites to cope with abandonment processes. The study of depopulation processes, as well as the investigation of case studies, allows to analyze the main strategies implemented to regenerate and repopulate abandoned inner areas, to highlight successful approaches and intervention criteria. In this scenario, “smart shrinkage” emerges as a powerful strategy to systemize resources and values embedded in the territories. On the basis of the economic-territorial interpretation of the performance decay process of buildings and settlement systems, developed by the research group of the Universities of Sassari and Catania, the paper proposes a multi-scale methodological approach for the evaluation of enhancement strategies and technological upcycling. The research links building performance with the urban and territorial values, integrating the Performance-Based Building Design in an axiological approach based on the solidarity between functions and values, referring to the economic category of human and urban capital. The model is tailored to the characteristics of Sardinia, the Italian region with the strongest population shrinkage in inner areas. The result is an analysis-evaluation-programming model, based on an iterative process of information/decision-making, allowing to steer intervention strategies toward a balance between the rehabilitation of the built environment and the enhancement of cultural and environmental resources, offering new opportunities for socioeconomic development.