Abandoned villages revisited: the dilemma of adaptive reuse. Case studies from Cyprus.

Yioutani-Iacovides, Maria

Abstract

Unlisted abandoned vernacular villages have been a challenge for communities and conservation professionals, at many levels; economic, social, and environmental.
This paper focuses on academic research that was initiated 30 years ago to record the unspoiled authentic characteristics of the abandoned villages in southern Cyprus, understand the reasons of their abandonment, and make recommendations for their sustainable adaptive reuse. Thirty years later, the scope of the research has changed.
The paper discusses the findings of the original research and new perspectives, lessons learnt from recent successful case studies (in Cyprus and in other parts of the World), and changes in the ‘scenery’ the local strategies on preserving and safeguarding vernacular-built heritage.
The paper aims to discuss how listing these heritage assets may be a key to overcome challenges and barriers, unlock their adaptive reuse potential, and become a driving force for enhancing local communities’ collaboration and involvement. The study focuses on how the tourist industry could provide opportunities for adaptive reuse and how some strategic ideas could be implemented to promote these heritage assets. Perhaps a new UNESCO Convention could provide incentives for protection and sustainable adaptive reuse of significant and unique abandoned villages.

Citation

Yioutani-Iacovides, M. (2024, September). Abandoned villages revisited: the dilemma of adaptive reuse. Case studies from Cyprus. Paper presented at Conservation of Architectural Heritage (CAH) – 8th Edition, 2024, Sardinia, Italy & online

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Conference Name: Conservation of Architectural Heritage (CAH) – 8th Edition, 2024
• Conference Location: Sardinia, Italy & online
• Start Date: Sep 17, 2024
• End Date: Sep 19, 2024
• Deposit Date: Sep 19, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 30, 2024
• Publisher URL: https://www.ierek.com/events/conservation-of-architectural-heritage-cah-8th#introduction
• Additional Information: Conference on Conservation of Architectural Heritage