Publications
Dificultades de la Gestión Participativa del Patrimonio Mundial. El Caso de Santa Ana de Cuenca
Despite UNESCO's promotion of participatory management for the Historic Centre of Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca, Ecuadorthis study reveals that such practices remain largely ineffective. Analysis of three cases between 2021 and 2025 shows that the absence of a comprehensive management plan, incentives, or technical tools has led to violations of cultural rights, housing rights, and usufruct for property owners. While Ecuadorian law mandates full participation, it is reduced to consultative processes with no tangible impact. The 2010 ordinance governing historic zones focuses on restrictive architectural criteria, lacks updated inventories, and shifts legal and financial burdens onto property owners. International comparisons suggest that effective incentives and collaboration mechanisms could address these challenges, but urgent reform is needed to establish direct communication between UNESCO and local communities to foster inclusive and just heritage policies.
The quantification of physico-mechanical properties and durability of onyx-travertines from Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca, Ecuador
Onyx-travertines from Sinincay, Ecuador, exhibit significant variation in durability and mechanical strength depending on their sedimentary structure. Research reveals that laminated facies are more vulnerable to accelerated aging tests than cryptolaminated ones, with salt crystallization (S-C) being the most severe test, followed by freeze-thaw (F-T), acid attack (A-A), and thermal shock (T-S). The orientation of lamination also influences mechanical strength, with normal-to-lamination specimens showing the lowest values. Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM) analyses further elucidate weathering patterns and deterioration mechanisms, providing insights into the material's behavior under different environmental stresses. This study highlights the importance of standardized durability tests in heritage stone research, offering a case study for Ecuador and globally significant World Heritage Sites like the Historic Centre of Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca.
Influencia Española en el Tejido Empresarial de Guayaquil y el Sector Cultural de Cuenca (1900-1960)
Despite the limited number of Spanish emigrants to Ecuador between 1900 and 1960, their influence on the entrepreneurial landscape of Guayaquil and the cultural sector of Cuenca was significant. This study highlights how a small but impactful group of immigrants shaped economic and artistic development in these cities during a pivotal period of globalization. Using life history narratives collected through snowball sampling, researchers uncovered firsthand accounts from emigrants or their families, revealing the socio-economic transformations driven by Spanish migration. The findings underscore the enduring legacy of this demographic movement on both urban centers.
Place attachment and challenges of historic cities
A study on the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca reveals that place attachment—rooted in place dependency and sense of place—plays a pivotal role in shaping residential and investment trends among both local inhabitants and foreign immigrants. The research, based on an open-ended survey combined with Likert-scale analysis, highlights significant differences in how these groups perceive cultural heritage and prioritize location choices. These insights suggest that leveraging place attachment can inform effective built heritage policies aimed at fostering local sustainability. The findings also underscore the need for targeted management strategies to address challenges faced by historic cities, particularly those balancing preservation with modernization.
El patrimonio edificado de Cuenca 2 Fotogrametría arquitectural
The architectural heritage of Cuenca, Ecuador, reflects the cultural and economic prosperity of its inhabitants during the late 19th to early 20th century, driven by the export of cascarilla, toquilla straw hats, and mining. This study presents a photogrammetric analysis of 25 additional buildings in the Historic Centre of Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca, showcasing their geometric, constructive, and decorative features with corrected perspective images. The research, part of a broader academic effort by the Universidad del Azuay, aims to preserve and promote this UNESCO World Heritage Site's architectural legacy through detailed documentation, including downloadable models and orthophotographs. This publication builds on previous work, offering a comprehensive visual and analytical record of Cuenca's built heritage.
Heritage values protection, from the monument to the urban dimension. Case study: the historic centre of Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca, Ecuador
A comprehensive strategy for protecting heritage values in urban landscapes has been developed, focusing beyond traditional monument preservation to include geomorphology, environment, hydrology, urban planning, historical cartography, land uses, symbolic imagery, and intangible aspects. This approach, applied to Cuenca's historic center in Ecuador, integrates multiple data layers using ArcMap to create a visual tool that facilitates stakeholder engagement and social participation in conservation efforts. The strategy aims to broaden the scope of heritage protection by mapping these elements, providing a holistic framework for urban-level conservation that aligns with principles from international agreements like the 1972 Convention.
Presentación Estoa 6
On December 1, 1999, the historic city of Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site during the XXIII session of the World Heritage Committee in Marrakech, Morocco. This recognition sparked widespread celebration and instilled a renewed sense of pride and self-esteem among its inhabitants, enriching the collective identity of the community.
Seminar of local actors for the fifteen years of the inclusion of Cuenca in the World Heritage list
Cuenca, Ecuador, holds three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Historic Centre of Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca, the Traditional Hat Weaving Technique of the Toquilla Straw, and a section of the Qhapac ñan (Paredones de Molleturo). A recent seminar highlighted that conservation efforts in Cuenca began as early as the late 1960s, long before its inclusion on the World Heritage List in 2010. The event emphasized the need for coordinated strategies to protect not only the material heritage but also the intangible cultural elements that define the city's identity. This approach ensures a comprehensive safeguarding of Cuenca's diverse patrimony, fostering sustainable development and preserving its unique cultural landscape.
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