Using the Analytic Hierarchical Process to Define Choices for Re-Using Rural Buildings: Application to an Abandoned Village in Sicily

Abstract

It has been recognised for some time that traditional rural buildings are a cultural and/or practical "resource" of the countryside. Inappropriate re-conversions can result in the waste of valuable economic resources and the loss of local heritage. Thus, before reconstruction is started the possible types of re-use should be accurately evaluated. This work develops a method, based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process, for identifying the best re-use of an abandoned village that was built in the first half of the last century. The method uses the guidelines of the countryside plan, and our work is a case study designed to verify whether or not it is suitable in this context. Five requisites for sustainable intervention were identified, as well as three alternative re-uses and five indicators. The hierarchical analysis was developed using two different approaches, one used three hierarchical levels, and the other used four. The results obtained for both approaches agree in suggesting the same model for re-use, but the four level approaches also supplied additional information which would be useful when planning projects with major social and cultural impact.

Parametric Analysis of the Changes a Landscape Previously Used for Transhumance in a Nature Reserve in Sicily

“…The area has an adequate road network and there is a good network of paths in Zone A. The buildings, especially the ancient farm buildings and the old rural dwellings, could also provide excellent support to local tourism [15] [22] [23].…”

Assessment of the territorial suitability for the creation of the greenways networks: methodological application in the Sicilian landscape context

“…We have not encountered any specific problem in applying the method, since it has already been adopted in other landscaping-territorial researches by the same authors (Riguccio et al, 2015b;Russo et al, 2013), whilst, the database accomplishment has been very laborious and has required the harmonisation with the multicriteria model and the geo-referencing of inconsistent data arriving from different sources. This last action has made the transfer of the weights obtained from the MCA and the subsequent acquisition of the weighted cartography easy in in a GIS environment.…”

Upgrading the Old Vernacular Building to Contemporary Norms: Multiple Criteria Approach

“…Some researchers applied MCDM methods for rural buildings' development through re-using, preservation, conservation, regeneration, etc., aspects. They are seeking for ranking the rational solutions, such as, rural buildings' regeneration alternatives (Zavadskas, Antucheviciene 2007); evaluating rational solutions for rural ITC centers (telecenters) (Hashemkhani Zolfani et al 2012); allowing the reduction of deterioration models of rural buildings subjectively (Cano et al 2013); identifying the best re-use variant of an abandoned rural village (Russo et al 2013). Overall, MCDM methods are suitable for various kinds of complex construction economics problems (Kapliński, Tupenaite 2011;Zavadskas, Turskis 2011).…”