Publications
From Ruin to Resource: The Role of Heritage and Structural Rehabilitation in the Economic and Territorial Regeneration of Rural Areas
Abandoned historic settlements can be revitalized as cultural resources to spur economic and territorial regeneration, particularly in rural areas facing depopulation. This study demonstrates that integrating heritage conservation with adaptive reuse—such as temporary occupation and flexible land use—can transform ruins into viable assets without requiring permanent repopulation. Using the ruins of Moya (Cuenca, Spain) as a case study, researchers developed an integrated strategy combining structural rehabilitation, vernacular fabric preservation, and functional area organization. The approach emphasizes activating monumental heritage while respecting historical identity, offering a replicable model for sustainable development in declining rural environments. Evaluated against national and international examples, this framework bridges physical restoration with economic and educational programs to strengthen local economies and territorial cohesion.
Interventions And Acoustic Nuances In The Soundwalks With Daumal And ISO 12913 Methods In Elche, Cuenca And Faro
Soundwalks using the Daumal Method, which involve participants with visually impaired guides and notaries, significantly enhance auditory perception of urban environments. This approach, tested in Elche, Cuenca, and Faro, demonstrates that structured group interventions—where roles are rotated—foster deeper sound awareness among participants. The study found that guided exploration, combined with expert-led interventions highlighting acoustic nuances like spatial qualities and material properties, leads to higher participant satisfaction compared to traditional soundwalks. This method offers a novel, participatory way to educate individuals about the auditory dimensions of cities, aligning with ISO 12913 standards for soundscapes.
Changes in guests’ hotel evaluations due to covid-19: The case of the world heritage city of Cuenca
Guest satisfaction in hotels within the UNESCO World Heritage city of Cuenca improved during the later stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, though ratings remained below pre-pandemic levels. The study analyzed 1595 hotel reviews from the Booking platform, revealing that service quality was a critical factor in guest satisfaction. An ANOVA analysis identified key influences on satisfaction, including urban/rural location, traveler type, nationality, gender, and room type. Despite challenges posed by the pandemic, hotels that maintained or enhanced their services saw positive outcomes, suggesting that prioritizing high-quality service can mitigate negative impacts on guest evaluations.
Architectural and cultural heritage as a driver of social change in rural areas: 10 years (2009–2019) of management and recovery in Huete, a town of Cuenca, Spain
A decade of heritage management in Huete, Spain, demonstrates that architectural and cultural preservation can drive significant social change in rural areas. The study found that targeted restoration efforts and community engagement not only revitalized historic buildings but also fostered local empowerment, innovation, and economic growth through tourism. Researchers used Participatory Impact Pathway Analysis (PIPA) and Positive Social Change (PSC) frameworks to assess the impact of the Fundación Huete Futuro's initiatives between 2009 and 2019. The results revealed that integrating social participation into heritage planning shifted local perceptions, turning cultural assets into tools for development while promoting sustainable rural growth.
Urban Scene Protection and Unconventional Practices—Contemporary Landscapes in World Heritage Cities of Spain
Outdated protection policies in UNESCO World Heritage Sites often conflict with contemporary values, such as informality and creativity, leading to a mismatch between heritage preservation and modern cultural practices. This study highlights how the Historic Urban Landscape approach can adapt local appraisal methods to better reflect social value. By analyzing Spanish World Heritage cities like Cuenca, it demonstrates that participatory heritage-making and ethical evaluations are crucial for reconciling traditional protection frameworks with evolving contemporary landscapes.
Loss Estimation for Typical Adobe Façades of Cuenca (Ecuador) Due to Earthquake Scenarios
Researchers have developed fragility curves to assess the seismic vulnerability of adobe façade walls, a common construction material in earthquake-prone regions. Focusing on 45 buildings in Cuenca, Ecuadorthis study identified critical failure mechanisms under out-of-plane loading and estimated repair costs post-earthquake scenarios. The analysis, based on demand versus capacity assessments across varying seismic intensities, classified structures by vulnerability and provided a framework for replicating the method in similar adobe-dominated areas. Findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to mitigate risks in historic and vulnerable constructions.
Multi-temporal relative landslide risk analysis for sustainable development of rapidly growing cities
A multi-temporal relative landslide risk analysis for Cuenca, Ecuador, reveals that municipalities in the southern and hilly sectors of the city face significantly higher current and future landslide risks due to population growth. The study used electricity supply contract data as a proxy for population distribution, combined with machine learning-based landslide susceptibility models, to identify areas at increasing risk between 2010 and 2020. Key findings indicate that municipalities like Turi, Valle, Santa Ana, Tarqui, and Paccha are currently the most vulnerable, while hilly areas surrounding the city center (e.g., Sayausi, San Joaquin) show a growing trend in risk due to sustained urban expansion. The approach offers a scalable tool for land-planning, occupation restrictions, and early warning strategies, particularly applicable to rapidly growing cities in low- to mid-income countries with limited data availability.
Perfil, motivación y satisfacción del visitante turístico: el caso de Cuenca, ciudad patrimonio de la humanidad
A key insight from this study is that visitor motivation serves as an effective criterion for segmenting tourists in Cuenca to tailor services and products more precisely. The research also reveals that tourist satisfaction is closely tied to their motivations, except for 'general satisfiers,' which suggests targeted marketing strategies could enhance visitor experience. To uncover these findings, the study employed two questionnaires to gather data on sociodemographic factors, travel characteristics, and motivations from visitors. Statistical analysis using SPSS further validated these relationships. Additionally, the research highlights the importance of promoting Cuenca through potential source markets and leveraging digital channels, while emphasizing the significance of destination image in attracting tourists.
Cuenca (Spain), World Heritage City. Analysis of Vernacular Architecture and Management Strategies
A study on Cuenca, Spain, a UNESCO World Heritage city, reveals that its vernacular architecture and management strategies serve as a successful model for other World Heritage sites. The research, part of the 3DPast-Living & virtual visiting European World Heritage project, analyzed nine case studies across Europe, focusing on inhabited vernacular architecture with preserved traditional techniques. Using advanced 3D methodologies, the study identified key characteristics that contributed to Cuenca's World Heritage status and evaluated effective management strategies. These insights offer practical lessons for cities facing similar challenges, emphasizing the importance of preserving cultural heritage while adapting to modern demands.
Experiences of Social Participation in the Recovery of Vernacular Heritage in Southern Ecuador
A significant evolution in social participation and technical approaches was observed in the recovery of vernacular heritage in southern Ecuador between 2011 and 2018. The study, conducted by Tenze et al., demonstrated that proactive community involvement, through participatory methodologies, led to more structured and effective conservation solutions compared to earlier intuitive processes. This shift was evident across four preventive conservation experiences in Susudel and Cuenca, where communities were engaged in decision-making and problem-solving throughout the interventions. The research highlights the importance of sustained collaboration between academic institutions (University of Cuenca and KU Leuven) and local stakeholders in preserving built cultural assets, particularly those constructed with earth-based materials like adobe or bahareque.
High-Speed Railway and Tourism: Is There an Impact on Intermediate Cities? Evidence from Two Case Studies in Castilla-La Mancha (Spain)
High-speed rail (HSR) can significantly boost tourism in intermediate cities, provided tourist amenities are strategically located near stations and supported by coordinated local strategies. A study of Cuenca and Toledo in Spain found that HSR improved accessibility, leading to increased visitation rates when attractions were easily reachable from stations. Unlike larger cities, medium-sized urban centers like these benefit more from proximity to tourism infrastructure than sheer population size. The research used a diachronic analysis of socio-economic variables and tourist data to assess HSR's impact, revealing that local stakeholder collaboration and amenities' accessibility are critical factors in leveraging tourism growth.
Priorización de actuaciones medioambientales de ríos con entornos urbanos
A hybrid decision-support model combining Delphi, Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), and VIKOR techniques has been successfully applied to prioritize environmental rehabilitation actions for urban rivers, particularly in UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In the historic walled town of Cuenca, Spain, cultural heritage and river naturalization emerged as the most valued criteria, accounting for 28% and 25% of expert panel preferences, respectively. The study found that trapezoidal cross-sections for river rehabilitation offer stable advantages over modified triangular designs, facilitating optimal integration with townscape while balancing construction, operational, and maintenance costs. This approach addresses the complexity of urban river restoration by systematically evaluating tangible and intangible factors, including cultural heritage, natural dynamics, and economic considerations.
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