Heritage as ruin: water, plants and an ethos of asceticism in Alferrara

8 de junho de 2026

Purpose The Capuchos Convent of Alferrara has remained in ruins for over two centuries. Rather than physically restore it to an image of the past, this paper aims to investigate to what extent its ongoing ruination could offer a viable path for shaping its future. Design/methodology/approach A design-research methodology is used to frame this question within an architectural design course. The course is informed by heritage and conservation theories to arrive at five non-invasive intervention paths. Findings The five interventions suggest that active elements like water and plants can reframe static perceptions of heritage as fixed cultural assets. They can catalyze the site as a locus of cultural and ecological practices rooted in the site’s intangible values, particularly its ascetic tradition. Originality/value The research is pivotal by exploring future revitalization directions for the convent in line with its past ethos. It offers alternative paths to commercialization and responds to climate threats like drought that will likely plague the region in coming years. More broadly, the paper contributes to broader discussions in contemporary heritage and conservation practices as well as architectural pedagogy in the era of the Anthropocene.

Autores da comunidade :

• 

  J

  Jesse Rafeiro

  ist429361

  Afiliações e fontes

  IST > DECivil > CERIS

  Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Engenharia Civil para a Sustentabilidade

  De: orcid

  ID: 216742302

• 

  A

  Ana Paula Filipe Tomé

  ist24777

  Afiliações e fontes

  IST > DECivil

  Departamento de Engenharia Civil, Arquitetura e Ambiente

Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development

https://www.emerald.com/jchmsd/article/16/7/434/1379985/Heritage-as-ruin-water-plants-and-an-ethos-of

Journal

434

451

16

7

10.1108/JCHMSD-05-2025-0147

history-and-archaeology - História e Arqueologia

Palavras-chave

• Environment
• Conservation
• Heritage
• Climate change
• Medicinal plants
• Intangible heritage
• Architectural pedagogy
• Water heritage
• History and theory of architecture
• Monastic heritage

eng - Inglês

Entidade financiadora da bolsa/projeto

HORIZON EUROPE Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions

Nome da bolsa/projeto: Reviving Monastic Water Management to Safeguard Environmental and Cultural Heritage in Alferrara, Portugal

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Fonte de financiamento: European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme

Identificador da Entidade Financiadora: https://doi.org/10.13039/100018694

Tipo de identificador da Entidade Financiadora: Crossref Funder

Número de bolsa/projeto: 101207766

Entidade financiadora da bolsa/projeto

Japan Society for the Promotion of Science

Nome da bolsa/projeto: Reviving Monastic Hydraulic Systems for Heritage and Climate Resilience in Alferrara, Portugal

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Fonte de financiamento: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists

Identificador da Entidade Financiadora: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100001691

Tipo de identificador da Entidade Financiadora: Crossref Funder

Número de bolsa/projeto: 25K17761

Entidade financiadora da bolsa/projeto

Fonds Riverin-Contant

Nome da bolsa/projeto: UdeM International

Entidade financiadora da bolsa/projeto

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

Nome da bolsa/projeto: Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Engenharia Civil para a Sustentabilidade

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Fonte de financiamento: Avaliação UID 2023/2024

Identificador da Entidade Financiadora: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100001871

Tipo de identificador da Entidade Financiadora: Crossref Funder

Número de bolsa/projeto: UID/6438/2025