Historic cities are cultural achievements that are gradually created by inhabitants over the centuries. In developed countries, the conservation of historic cities seems to be generally acknowledged as a method of com...Historic cities are cultural achievements that are gradually created by inhabitants over the centuries. In developed countries, the conservation of historic cities seems to be generally acknowledged as a method of community development that does not depend on huge exploitation. On the other hand, no sufficient countermeasures have been taken in developing countries because most native stakeholders are still interested in development. Here the author could focus on so-called ＂international cooperation＂, but urban conservation for historic cities where inhabitants actually live is still a minor consideration except for some government-based conservation projects for monuments and isolated examples of cultural heritage. In this paper, the example was taken of a conservation project which has been carried out by JICA （Japanese International Cooperation Agency） in Damascus, the old capital of Syria. The target area for the project is ＂Qanawat South＂. Although the origin of＂Qanawat South＂ dates back to the Roman age, efforts for urban conservation have not been well organized, partly because the area is located outside of the so-called old city registered as a world heritage site. For example, the master plan of 1968 indicated the redistribution of the traditional quarters, while some conservation laws have been restricting the regeneration of the area. Moreover, there is not yet any consensus among the stakeholders concerning the historical value of the quarter, they are still questioning why the area should be conserved rather than being freely sold or developed and what and how they should contribute to conservation. Based on analysis of the actual situation of Qasr al-Hajjaj Street, this paper examines a method called ＂restoration-type＂ facade improvement adopted by JICA, for which the final goal is not only to maintain the appearance of the street but also to activate the life of the habitants of the street.展开更多
The preservation of historical and cultural heritage from seismic risk is a question of interest in Italy. However, too little has been done to deal with this problem. First of all, the seismic safety of cultural heri...The preservation of historical and cultural heritage from seismic risk is a question of interest in Italy. However, too little has been done to deal with this problem. First of all, the seismic safety of cultural heritage should be a topic of prevention. The research described in the paper presents a multi-approach procedure to address risk assessment of large-scale urban systems with the aim to contribute at the development of risk mitigation policies for historical centers buildings. The observation of the earthquakes effects in Italy clearly highlights the role of the high vulnerability of the existing building on the consequences in terms of casualties and damage, rather than the severity of seismic events, especially in historical contexts. Unlike the new buildings which should be planned and designed to respect seismic safety requirements, existing buildings require a careful safety assessment on the basis of their susceptibility to damage which depends on building techniques, past damage events, maintenance, changes, etc.展开更多
文摘Historic cities are cultural achievements that are gradually created by inhabitants over the centuries. In developed countries, the conservation of historic cities seems to be generally acknowledged as a method of community development that does not depend on huge exploitation. On the other hand, no sufficient countermeasures have been taken in developing countries because most native stakeholders are still interested in development. Here the author could focus on so-called ＂international cooperation＂, but urban conservation for historic cities where inhabitants actually live is still a minor consideration except for some government-based conservation projects for monuments and isolated examples of cultural heritage. In this paper, the example was taken of a conservation project which has been carried out by JICA （Japanese International Cooperation Agency） in Damascus, the old capital of Syria. The target area for the project is ＂Qanawat South＂. Although the origin of＂Qanawat South＂ dates back to the Roman age, efforts for urban conservation have not been well organized, partly because the area is located outside of the so-called old city registered as a world heritage site. For example, the master plan of 1968 indicated the redistribution of the traditional quarters, while some conservation laws have been restricting the regeneration of the area. Moreover, there is not yet any consensus among the stakeholders concerning the historical value of the quarter, they are still questioning why the area should be conserved rather than being freely sold or developed and what and how they should contribute to conservation. Based on analysis of the actual situation of Qasr al-Hajjaj Street, this paper examines a method called ＂restoration-type＂ facade improvement adopted by JICA, for which the final goal is not only to maintain the appearance of the street but also to activate the life of the habitants of the street.
文摘The preservation of historical and cultural heritage from seismic risk is a question of interest in Italy. However, too little has been done to deal with this problem. First of all, the seismic safety of cultural heritage should be a topic of prevention. The research described in the paper presents a multi-approach procedure to address risk assessment of large-scale urban systems with the aim to contribute at the development of risk mitigation policies for historical centers buildings. The observation of the earthquakes effects in Italy clearly highlights the role of the high vulnerability of the existing building on the consequences in terms of casualties and damage, rather than the severity of seismic events, especially in historical contexts. Unlike the new buildings which should be planned and designed to respect seismic safety requirements, existing buildings require a careful safety assessment on the basis of their susceptibility to damage which depends on building techniques, past damage events, maintenance, changes, etc.
