Monitoring intelligibility changes of Kaunas interwar modernism buildings

A novel methodology for assessing the legibility of immovable cultural heritage in urban environments has been proposed and validated, offering predictive capabilities without requiring physical alteration or destruction of heritage properties. This approach leverages space syntax or mathematical graph-based intelligibility models to monitor changes in architectural legibility due to urban transformations, even in the absence of visible damage. The study focuses on Kaunas' interwar modernist architecture, which was recently nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status under 'Modernist Kaunas: Architecture of Optimism, 1919-1939.' By analyzing these buildings, researchers aim to better understand their role in shaping urban landscape identity and provide a framework for preserving cultural heritage amid evolving urban landscapes. This methodology could be applied globally to monitor and protect significant architectural heritage.

Mlinkauskienė, A., Zaleckis, K., Ivaškevičius, M., & Povilaitienė, I. (2025). Monitoring intelligibility changes of Kaunas interwar modernism buildings. Landscape Architecture and Art, 26(26), 37. https://doi.org/10.22616/j.landarchart.2025.26.05