Preserved built heritage assessment as dead or living: An assessment study regarding built heritage safeguarding approaches in Erbil

A study assessing built heritage preservation efforts in Erbil's traditional sectors reveals that local authorities predominantly employ a 'dead heritage' approach, prioritizing static conservation over dynamic revitalization. This contradicts the recommendations outlined in the 2006 comprehensive preservation plan for the UNESCO-listed Erbil Citadel, which advocates for a 'living heritage' approach to safeguard at-risk structures. The research analyzed 222 vernacular and traditional buildings using 40 criteria representing both approaches, through fieldwork and statistical analysis. Findings suggest that adopting the living heritage approach could effectively rescue these structures from their current at-risk status, offering a more sustainable model for built heritage conservation in Erbil.

Al-Barzngy, M. Y. M., & Khayat, M. A. B. (2023). Preserved built heritage assessment as dead or living: An assessment study regarding built heritage safeguarding approaches in Erbil. Periodicals of Engineering and Natural Sciences (PEN), 10(6), 126. https://doi.org/10.21533/pen.v10i6.3391