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[EN] Earthen architecture is an essential part of the architectural and cultural heritage of the Iberian Peninsula. Both at monumental and vernacular level, this architecture has adapted to the diversity of the territory, the different geographies and climates, the variety of materials available and the cultural diversity which have led to a great wealth of constructive variants of this architecture. The RISK-Terra Project was born in this context, funded by the Spanish Ministry for Science, Innovation and Universities, aiming to contribute to the study of this heritage scientifically researching and analysing the natural, social and anthropic threats to earthen vernacular structures, as well as deterioration mechanisms and transformation dynamics currently observed in this type of architecture in the Iberian Peninsula. The research presented in this text has been carried out within the framework of the RISK-Terra Project, with the main objective of developing an analysis tool for application to any element of traditional architecture or earthen vernacular architecture, assessing the degree of vulnerability to the sudden action or continued presence of natural risks (earthquakes, floods, extreme weather events)., This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and University under Grant RTI2018-095302B-I00.

[EN] Purpose This research aims to highlight the values, principles and recommendations for conservation in order to establish valid strategies for the conservation of earthen built heritage. This is done following a methodology which uses indirect (bibliography) and direct (case study) sources systematically analysed from different perspectives: the values of Earth as a material and of architectural and vernacular heritage; the heritage conservation principles found in international documents; and the analysis of over 3,000 case studies from which good practices in earthen architecture conservation are extracted. Design/methodology/approach Earthen built architectural heritage is found widely in all parts of the world, in archaeological sites and monumental and vernacular architecture, which research centres and researchers are increasingly studying and cataloguing. However, despite its richness and historic and cultural values, as well as its many merits in environmental sustainability, sociocultural and socio-economic terms, the value of this heritage has not been fully recognized in fields with major repercussions in conservation. Findings Finally, these data are cross-referenced to establish the broadest possible strategies to guarantee all aspects to be taken into account in the conservation of earthen built architectural heritage. Originality/value The text provides an overview of the different methodologies in order to extract specific strategies applicable to the conservation of this heritage, both locally and globally., This text is part of the framework of the RISK-TERRA Project "Earthen architecture in the Iberian Peninsula: study of natural, social and anthropic risks and strategies to improve resilience" (main researchers. C. Mileto-F. Vegas) funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, ref. RTI2018-095302-B-I00.

[EN] Purpose The common language behind vernacular architecture only seems to be maintained in societies that preserve a traditional way of life. Changes in these societies can threaten their cultural heritage, while research may be a tool for its conservation and enhancement. In this paper, the habitat of a Mossi community is therefore studied as a first stage in analysing the possibilities of its maintenance. Design/methodology/approach After a previous study, data collection from a stay in Baasneere (Burkina Faso) and the analysis of 32 traditional residential units were completed. The research showed some common features which, when compared against the bibliography reviewed, could be defined as characteristic of the traditional architecture of this culture. Findings The home for a family unit consisted in an enclosure formed by the grouping of adobe constructions around a courtyard. As the family grew so did the compound, in a relationship directly linking the scales of architecture and the levels of kinship. The main daily activities took place in the courtyards while the individual interior spaces were understood as private shelters. Other typologies such as granaries, kitchens, warehouses and sheds were also analysed. Originality/value Some features of Mossi architecture already described in the existing bibliography were verified in the Baasneere case studies, showing that this tradition is still preserved. With a multidisciplinary approach, the house was examined not so much from the perspective of construction, but of its cultural configuration., This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport under Grant FPU17/02428, as part of the research currently carried out for a doctoral thesis at the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (UPV). It is also part of the ConBurkina research project, financed by the Development Cooperation Centre of the UPV to collaborate with the NGOs Algemesi Solidari and A3B in Baasneere (Burkina Faso)

[EN] This text aims to provide a summary of the formal guidelines for the strategic management of a large-scale monumental military complex. In recent years the Castle of Monzon (Huesca, Spain) has called for a strategic planning process within a flexible timescale taking into consideration the issues currently affecting it. The debate between conservation and restoration, its relationship with the surroundings, the land on which it stands, pre-existing elements, possible uses and management are some of the key points discussed. The aim of the master plan was to establish the main strategic axes for the design and implementation of the action plans needed to attain the objectives set. Far from easy, these objectives have been defined following an extensive process of study and analysis carried out by an interdisciplinary team.

[EN] In the Iberian Peninsula the existing earthen (above all vernacular) buildings are hardly socially recognized. The current heritage is vast, rich and valuable but has suffered (and continues to suffer) from the effects of abandonment and lack of maintenance. This, in conjunction with unsuitable interventions, worsens the resistance and durability of this architecture. The RISK-Terra project (financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science) aims to provide a scientific study of different hazards (natural, anthropic, and social ones as well as deterioration and transformation dynamics). The aim of this paper is to focus on initial assessments of the project relating to social hazards (abandonment, depopulation, loss of social reputation, demographic pressure, tourism development.) in order to prevent and mitigate possible damage through specific compatible actions and/or tools aimed at increasing possible social resilience., This text is part of the framework of the RISK-TERRA Project "La arquitectura de tierra en la Peninsula Iberica: estudio de los riesgos naturales, sociales y antropicos y estrategias de intervencion e incremento de la resiliencia" ["Earthen architecture in the Iberian Peninsula: study of natural, social and anthropic risks and strategies to improve resilience"] (main researchers. C. Mileto-F. Vegas) funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, ref. RTI2018-095302-B-I00.

[EN] This article presents a detailed study of the traditional construction with earthen masonry walls based on 553 case studies throughout Spain. In order to facilitate their identification and interpretation, the variants in this study have been assorted into constructive groups with similar characteristics. In the discussion chapter, a quantitative analysis of the results is provided, highlighting the most common variant. Conclusions reflect on how the combination of opportunity and adaptation to the context-characteristics essential to vernacular constructions-shed light on a wide range of alternative techniques in this architecture. This article further expands on the existing information on earthen masonry, essential to proposing studies and projects aiming to protect, retrofit, and consolidate this type of architecture in Spain and other countries., This study is part of the research project "SOStierra. La restauración y rehabilitación de arquitectura tradicional de tierra en la Península Ibérica. Líneas guía y herramientas para una intervención sostenible" funded by Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad [BIA2014-55924-R].

[EN] Floods are natural hazards which have damaged cities and their architectural heritage over the centuries. The heritage town of Alzira (Valencia, Spain) is a major case study for the assessment of flood risk in architectural heritage. Alzira was founded by the Al-Andalus Moors on a river island within a bend of the river Jucar, which has overflowed more than 80 times during its history. The main aim of this work is to analyse the vulnerability to floods of the town's architectural heritage, especially that of earthen architecture, a constructive tradition of which several examples can be found in the town. The proposed methodology attempts to calculate the vulnerability of the earthen architecture through the evaluation and weighting of extrinsic and intrinsic parameters. This makes it possible to identify the constructive characteristics and material weathering which worsen the behaviour of structures during floods. Maximum vulnerability values have been obtained for poorly conserved constructions without cladding. Results highlight the importance of ascertaining suitable strategies for the prevention and mitigation of risk as future lines of research. The vulnerability assessment methodology presented in this study could be applied to other case studies in other sites with architectural heritage under threat from floods., This research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, grant number RTI2018-095302-B-I00.

[EN] For more than a decade, higher education, both at the European and Spanish level, has promoted the learning and increasingly widespread use of English and other foreign languages in university campuses. The expansion of university access policies, the creation of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), the globalization of the world economy or migratory movements can be cited as obvious reasons that justify the need to think about the role of foreign languages , and especially English as "the lingua franca" of communication in XXI century. At the same time the local identity, the presence of official languages ¿¿and strong presence of languages about autonomous communities are others interesting reasons to add to the linguistic richness of the teaching offer. Within this framework, the text presents a series of points of contact and differences between the application of " face-to-face" teaching and the appropriate initiatives involved into a multilingual critical programme. For this, the text deals with a series of core subjects that have been taught in the area of Architectural Composition (Architectural Restoration, Architectural Composition) in Spanish, Valencian and English. Within the framework of the Educational Innovation Project CRITICAL ARCHITECTURE. Development of a methodology to work the transversal competence of Critical Thinking in architecture students several plurilingual resources have been developed and they have been t adapted to several languages. After a brief presentation of the trajectory of these subjects, the text aims to underline the strategies that have been outlined for the implementation of multilingual programs, both "face-to-face" and at "online" classes, with special emphasis on the linguistic and pedagogical skills of the teaching staff, as well as the students' vocabulary., This text is part of the Project for Educational Innovation and Improvement ARQUITECTURA CRÍTICA. Desarrollo de una metodología para trabajar la competencia transversal de Pensamiento crítico en estudiantes de arquitectura, main researcher: C. Mileto, funded by the Institute of Education Sciences of the Universitat Politècnica de València.

[EN] This analysis of the material degradation processes most commonly found in half-timbered walls with earth infill in Spain is part of a much broader line of research aiming to analyze, catalogue and understand their constructive techniques, state of conservation, and transformation in order to propose conservation guidelines. Systematic data collection and statistical analysis of material damage for 268 half-timbered walls with earth infill have made it possible to identify the most common degradation processes. The effect of these processes on this type of technique, as well as the relationship between them and any possible conditions contributing to their frequency, were examined. Almost half of the sample studied presents some type of material degradation, most frequently surface erosion, while the presence of vegetation is the least common pathology. Any future decisions about the most suitable maintenance and conservation actions should be based on the conclusions reached here concerning the frequency and scope of these degradation phenomena., This work is part of the research project "La arquitectura de tierra en la Peninsula Iberica: Estudio de los riesgos naturales, sociales y antropicos y estrategias de intervencion e incremento de la resiliencia" Risk-Terra (ref. RTI2018-095302-B-I00; main researchers: Camilla Mileto y Fernando Vegas), funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and University. This research has been developed within a doctoral thesis funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and University (Ref. FPU18/01596).

Learning from the sustainability of traditional architecture, as a solution to the current ecological crisis, seems more challenging in societies where a cultural imposition has occurred. In Burkina Faso, vernacular architecture has experienced a process of transformation, still in course, relying heavily on foreign resources and losing its adaptation to environmental conditions. As in other contexts, the dynamics of transformation are being examined. Joining this line of work, this research aims to explain the causes of the current local perception of traditional building techniques in Burkina Faso in order to consider how a sustainable development of its architecture would be possible. To this end, a historical analysis is conducted by reviewing the literature, consulting historical documents and collecting data during two stays in 2018. The study shows how earth has ceased to be appreciated by progressively becoming associated with &ldquo, non-definitive constructions&rdquo, this perception is due to the narratives put forward by foreign agents since the end of the 19th century. The sustainable development of architecture in Burkina Faso seems to demand a return to the use of earth, local resource par excellence, but this will only be possible if the devaluation of this building material is reversed.

[EN] This article presents the study of the main phenomena of material weathering and structural damage that affect traditional architecture built in adobe, analysing the damage found in 553 case studies, representative of different technical varieties of adobe construction in Spain. The analysis methodology proposed in this text made it possible to quantify and identify the risks of damage appearing, establishing its impact and identifying its main mechanisms and causes. At the same time, the behaviour of adobe construction systems was further studied, observing how specific modifications in technique can promote or hinder deterioration and establishing the probable causes of the different responses to these phenomena, This study is part of the research project 'SOStierra. Restoration and rehabilitation of traditional earthen architecture in the Iberian Peninsula. Guidelines and tools for a sustainable intervention' funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (BIA2014-55924-R)

[EN] The project "VerSus+ / Heritage for PEOPLE", founded by the European Commission as part of the Creative Europe Culture Programme (Ref. 607593-CREA-1-2019-1-ES-CULT-COOP1) during the period 2019-2023, focuses on the transmission of knowledge to all branches of society and the general public. Its aim is to raise awareness on what constitutes the basis for the conservation of the tangible and intangible heritage as well as for a more sustainable contemporary architecture. This in-depth transmission of the lessons from vernacular heritage to future society is to be carried out in specific defined contexts, such as islands and archipelagos (geographically limited territories that are accessible to collaborators and administrative, technical and social agents), where vernacular heritage is under pressure, subjected to the transformations of contemporary life, particularly mass tourism. These pilot experiences should serve as a real testing ground for the implementation of actions for social participation, dissemination, education, communication, and promotion in different contexts and through different media. This project aims to reach out to society in order to showcase the sustainable qualities of the examples identified, through the establishment of an operative approach that can be adjusted to different contexts. The experiences on each island are expected to have repercussions throughout the region and, in turn, throughout the country in question, improving the perspectives and opportunities starting from best practices, and promoting the development of local skills. In addition, promotion and support from partners and associate partners will allow these experiences to be applied in other similar European and international contexts., The "VerSus+ / Heritage for PEOPLE" project was co-funded by the European Commission as part of the Creative Europe Culture Programme (Ref. 607593-CREA-1-2019-1-ES-CULTCOOP1) for the period 2019-2023.

[EN] The Iberian Peninsula possesses extensive earthen monumental and vernacular architectural heritage. The extension of the territory and its heterogeneous geography and climate, variety of available materials, and cultural diversity are the main factors which have brought about the great wealth of both the architecture, urban and rural settings, and the constructive techniques mainly using earth (rammed earth, adobe, half-timber, cob and its variants). However, despite being an essential part of the Iberian culture, this heritage has been greatly abandoned due to changes in ways of life, the depopulation of rural areas, the lack of social recognition, etc. The research project ¿Risk-Terra ¿ Earthen architecture in the Iberian Peninsula: study of natural, social and anthropic risks and strategies to improve resilience¿ (ref. RTI2018-095302-B-I00), funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and University (2019¿2021) aims to provide a scientific study of natural hazards (floods, landslides, earthquakes, winds, rise of temperatures), social hazards (abandonment, loss of social reputation, demographic pressure, tourism development¿) and anthropic hazards (carelessness and negligence, lack of protection and maintenance¿), as well as deterioration mechanisms (erosion, loss of materials/parts, collapse¿) and transformation dynamics (replacement, use of incompatible techniques and materials¿), to which the earthen architecture of the Iberian Peninsula is currently subject. This paper presents the general and specific objectives and the methodology to be used in the project., This works is part of the research project Earthen architecture in the Iberian Peninsula: study of natural, social and anthropic risks and strategies to improve resilience Risk-Terra (ref. RTI2018-095302-B-I00; main researchers: Camilla Mileto y Fernando Vegas), funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and University.

[EN] The cross-disciplinary skill of critical thinking is essential to all levels of architectural training. However, it has been established that at present students are not always able to make solid architectural critical thinking. This paper presents the development of an action protocol proposed to consciously contribute to exercising this cross-disciplinary skill among students participating in the educational innovation project: ¿Critical architecture. Development of a methodology to work on the cross-disciplinary skill of critical thinking among architecture students¿. The research proposed is developed as part of different subjects of the Architecture degree of the UPV Higher Technical School of Architecture: two obligatory 4th-year subjects and an obligatory 5th-year subject. This proposal has also incorporated an elective subject from the Master¿s in Architecture and two subjects from the Official Master¿s in Conservation of Architectural Heritage. The educational innovation project therefore covers six different subjects in total: three from the degree (4th and 5th year) (skill level II) and three from the master¿s (skill level III). The main aim of the project is to carry out different learning actions (adapted to each of the subjects covered by the project) in order to structure a work methodology designed to improve and develop the cross-disciplinary skill of critical thinking among students at different levels. Work will also be carried out to improve students¿ awareness of their ability in this skill. This innovation project is also geared towards improving student learning in the specific curriculum for each subject included in the project. Therefore, if this methodology yields positive results, it could be adapted to other skill levels as yet undeveloped, such as skill level 1 in 2nd and 3rd year subjects., This research was funded through a UPV Educational Innovation and Improvement Project (PIME) in the modality of projects for curricular innovation in subjects.

In addition to the technological evolution over the last two centuries, survey has experienced two main conceptual leaps: the introduction of photography as a tool for an indiscriminate register for reality, and the shift from autographic to allographic survey, phenomena which can generate a distancing effect within the restoration process. Besides, this text presents the relationship between survey in its numerous forms and technologies (manual and semi-manual to more complex ones like scanner-laser) and the restoration of the building, either for establishing a diagnosis, operating or valorizating, illustrating it with examples developed by the authors, as well as the criteria to be applied when documenting a building to be restored, irrespective of the means and technology available in each case.

[EN] This text presents the training experience conducted by a research team from Universitat Politècnica de Valencia in January 2018 as part of the ¿ConBurkina¿ international development project. The aim of this cooperation project, developed over a two-year period, is to provide support to the Algemesí Solidari association in constructing a secondary school. The work has been organized around different lines, the main one being training and awareness workshops for the local population. The project has sought to involve local residents and encourage their participation. It is essential for the population as a whole, particularly for the children and young adults who will benefit from this new school, to realise the advantages of earthen architecture over what is known as ¿French architecture¿ and the architecture of other schools built of cement blocks and corrugated iron. For this it was essential to organize practical workshops, with an active methodology where these children, future users, could experiment with constructive techniques and the main advantages of the system (experimental activities varying temperatures and ventilation, concept of local production vs. industrial production, etc.). These workshops have allowed the children of Baasneere to learn about the valorisation of local traditional buildings and techniques, about the appreciation of local natural materials and their properties, and about the importance of the architecture of their village as part of their culture. All these activities were designed to provide information to the children of Baasneere, increasing their appreciation of their own culture, and in turn empowering the future generations which will be in charge of decision-making in years to come, facing the changes imposed by industry, globalisation and speculation., The work contained in this article is included in the research project ConBurkina, funded by the ADSIDEO Programme of the Development Cooperation Center of the Universitat Politècnica de València.

[EN] Geographical and environmental conditions were two of the most important factors on the design and construction of traditional architecture. Traditional earthen architecture is found throughout the Iberian Peninsula in numerous constructive techniques and variants, most notably rammed-earth, adobe and half-timber. The varied morphology, climate, geology and culture of the Iberian Peninsula, together with its immediate surroundings, have a direct effect on the development and the properties of traditional architecture. Thus, the objective of this research is to establish the relationship between the geographical characteristics and the distribution of the earthen techniques. For that purpose, the authors of this text have carried out a thorough data collection throughout the whole of the Iberian Peninsula in order to identify the main characteristics of this architecture in each location and to produce maps featuring the locations for each technique. This mapping of numerous techniques has been compared with other thematic maps of the territory, establishing relationships between the different techniques and specific properties of a given area. These provide hypotheses on which factors encourage or hinder the use of earthen construction techniques. Moreover, the relationship of traditional architecture with geographical factors and its specific morphology on a given place has provided many design lessons for a sustainable architecture. Those lessons must be taken into account on rehabilitation works and new architecture., This work is part of the research project "Restoration and rehabilitation of traditional earthen architecture in the Iberian Peninsula. Guidelines and tools for a sustainable intervention", funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Ref.: BIA2014-55924-R; main researchers: Camilla Mileto and Fernando Vegas Lopez-Manzanares).

[EN] The constructive solutions characteristic of vernacular architecture are the result of the convergence of geographical, cultural and climatic factors that bring about constructions characterised by adaptation to their surroundings. However, at present, Spanish regulations do not contemplate the properties of traditional materials, such as those found in earthen constructions, whose great thermal inertia is ignored despite their thermal gains and compensations. Given these limitations, the purpose of this study is to assess the thermal behaviour of traditional earthen architecture adjusting to its real performance and original surroundings. This work thus examines a methodology to assess the thermal behaviour of rammed earth walls based on on-site data specifically collected in the summer in a case study located in La Serrania, a region in the northwest of the province of Valencia (Spain). The results show the evolution of exterior and interior surface temperatures of the earthen wall, quantifying its variation frequency and thermal energy transmission. Based on these data, the thermal transmittance of the wall is calculated and compared to highlight the difference from the normalised value, showing that a review of the Spanish regulations applied to earthen architecture is needed., This research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness as the work was part of the research project "Restoration and rehabilitation of traditional earthen architecture in the Iberian Peninsula. Guidelines and tools for a sustainable intervention" (Ref.: BIA2014-55924-R; main researchers: Camilla Mileto and Fernando Vegas Lopez-Manzanares)

[EN] The relationship between architectural archaeology and restoration of architectural heritage has long been known. Following an initial introduction, this paper presents four specific case studies on designs and work in restoration and rehabilitation, which reflect t he r elationship b etween t hese t wo d isciplines, a s w ell a s variants resulting from differences in built heritage in terms of study methodology and intervention proposals. The proposed plan describes a wide range of possibilities for application and response to an architectural intervention focusing on stratigraphy. The case studies support an analysis of the shared growth of both disciplines over the past thirty years, and of the specific scientific advances which have completed and enriched this vision just as their views and interpretations have complemented each other., [ES] La relación entre arqueología de la arquitectura y restauración del patrimonio arquitectónico está reconocida desde hace tiempo. Tras una introducción inicial a la cuestión, este artículo presenta cuatro casos concretos de estudios, proyectos y obras de restauración y rehabilitación donde se refleja esta relación entre las dos disciplinas con variantes derivadas de las diferencias del patrimonio construido en cuestión como de metodología de estudio y planteamiento de intervención. El recorrido propuesto describe un abanico variado de las posibilidades de aplicación y respuesta a una intervención arquitectónica con mentalidad estratigráfica. Los casos presentados permiten extraer una reflexión sobre el crecimiento común de las dos disciplinas en los treinta años de andadura, donde cada una ha aportado a la otra una forma de mirar e interpretar, además de los avances científicos concretos que han venido a completar y enriquecer la visión.

Loggia. Arquitectura & Restauración es una publicación digital -impresa a demanda- editada por la Universitat Politècnica de València desde 1996. Especializada en la restauración arquitectónica y otras disciplinas relacionadas, su periodicidad es anual y está accesible por completo on-line. Desde 2013 todos los artículos se publican en edición bilingüe, manteniendo su compromiso con la calidad científica y técnica de los artículos publicados.

[EN] The disappearance of an historic building in the consolidated built environment of an historic center leaves a wound calling for reflection. The delicate operation needed to stitch up this lacuna could be likened to that of art restoration or even be classified as an "urban restoration." This essay analyzes the act of reintegration in different branches of the arts including painting, literature, and music and draws conclusions on the need for detailed study of the context of the work to be completed. New design, in this instance, should be carried out in a contemporary manner but in dialogue with its context regardless of the physical and functional autonomy of the building. This essay describes three possible design strategies for architectural reintegration: conceptual, typological, and formal reprocessing. Compositional parameters such as color, geometry, form, volume, texture, materiality, lighting, etc. become tools in an act of allographic completion in which contemporary design professionals intervene within the context of anonymous traditional master builders. Finally, these reflections are illustrated with two case studies, both of which are located in the district of Valencia: the Maldonado building, with a plot, appearance, and setting of palatial buildings, and the nearby Recaredo building, with a floor plan, configuration, and context more suited to that of workers' dwellings.

[EN] Jack arch floors are structures made of timber joists, with round or squared section, and segmental vaults either made of flat tiles or poured plaster conglomerate. They are especially diffused along the Mediterranean coast of Spain and can be considered as a main feature of the historical and vernacular architecture of the area. In order to assess and grade these structures several Spanish standards have been considered; however, even if the information contained is useful the Italian standard for the on-site diagnosis UNI 11119 of 2004 has been preferred. The method described in this standard leads the assessment through the grading of each and every timber element and the assignation of bearing properties that are essential for the consolidation project. This article will expose three examples of jack arch floors of the Valencian Community graded using the Italian standard and the conservation issues that arise from the results.

[Otros] This text presents the results obtained from an experimental educational innovation project implementing new learning methodologies in three subjects from the School of Architecture of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV). The main aim of this project is to bring earthen architecture closer to students in a more active and direct manner through practical construction experiences using earth. These activities were carried out as part of experimental work sessions during which different practical workshops were held. The experiments and active methodologies proposed allow students to closely observe earth and different earthen constructive techniques, while learning about alternative techniques and promoting the valorisation of these constructive systems. In order to obtain the desired objective feedback on the response, and the immediate and mediumterm development and impact of these activities among students, a survey was drawn up for students taking part (experimental group) as well as for students who were not (control group), and the data set obtained was analysed to establish whether this experience was positive for student learning. This direct feedback from students is crucial in the consolidation of the activity and to ascertain whether it answers the initial objectives set correctly or requires any adjustments, variations or changes., This text is part of the Project in educational innovation and improvement ¿WITH YOUR HANDS. Earth as a material for developing creative and constructive skills¿ (¿CON LAS MANOS. La tierra como material para el desarrollo de las capacidades creativas y constructivas¿) (code A06, 2016-2017 academic year, main teacher: Camilla Mileto), funded by the Vice-Rectorate for Studies, Quality and Accreditation of Universitat Politècnica de València.

[EN] The Bofilla tower (Valencia, Spain), at 800 years old one of the oldest buildings still standing in the whole region, is a rubble-reinforced rammed earth construction almost 20 m high. Its precarious condition called for preservation works and the enhancement of the surrounding archaeological site. However, these works involved a serious risk that the original construction might lose its hallmarks and its history, which had great narrative potential, due to the plasticity of the earth. Furthermore, as often happens, a great deal of the character and antiquity of the tower were linked to the erosion and abrasion of its rammed earth surfaces, so it was necessary for the preservation to try to alleviate or stop the degradation that threatened the tower's survival and, at the same time, conserve its narrative potential, its aura and its ancestral character. After performing a comprehensive preliminary study of the construction and its state of repair, a large number of preservation tasks were carried out, from cleaning the facades by hand to reconstructing the structure of the tower in several spots, such as the south-western corner and, especially, the entrance in the northern facade, which was on the verge of collapse. Other operations included filling in the lacunae in the fabric both inside and outside the tower, micro-pointing the rubble filling in the most degraded areas of the southern facade and protecting and consolidating the crowning. In addition, new floors and a staircase leading up to the top of the tower were inserted in the places where their traces were still visible to avoid damaging the fabrics and to perform the most faithful archaeological reconstruction possible. The article addresses the study, reflections and technical operations carried out on the tower during the works on site, with the objective of maintaining the original materiality of the rammed earth fabric and the traces of its construction and life as a testimony of its history.

This study analyses the durability of rammed-earth wall construction techniques. The analysis focuses on three medieval masonry types from the Castle of Villavieja (Castellón, Spain) using two variations of lime-reinforced rammed earth in its walls: lime-crusted rammed earth and brick-reinforced rammed earth. Materials analysis reveals the good properties of the materials used in the outer wall facing despite its age. It also clearly shows how deterioration depends more on the construction technique (construction of the wall with a base, cornice, facings, core; on-site installation, bonds, etc.) than on the material itself. These two types of lime-reinforced rammed earth (lime-crusted rammed earth and brick-reinforced rammed earth) are the most common kinds of fortified architecture in the Iberian Peninsula as well as in northern Africa and the Middle East. The case presented herein is therefore highly relevant as it advances our knowledge of the behaviour of the materials comprising these walls and lays the foundations for suitable future conservation works of a vast array of architectural heritage.

[ES] Esta bóveda nace como un homenaje tanto a la tradición ceramista de la zona, como a la técnica de la bóveda tabicada, tan arraigada y propia de la historia del Levante. El diseño del panteón ha requerido trabajar con programas de ordenador especiales de diseño tridimensional y la solución final se ha decantado solamente después de realizar 23 variantes consecutivas del mismo, que perseguían un resultado óptimo a nivel estético y estructural. Todas las curvas presentes en el panteón responden a perfiles de catenaria, unas curvas con una extraordinaria dificultad de expresión matemática y gráfica, que permiten sin embargo optimizar el funcionamiento estructural del conjunto., [EN] This vault was created as a tribute both to the region¿s rich ceramic-making tradition and to the characteristic tile vault technique, historically widespread throughout the East of Spain. Special 3D programs were required to design the pantheon and the final solution was only agreed on after 23 consecutive variations aiming for optimum aesthetic and structural results. All the curves in the pantheon were produced using catenary profiles. These curves are incredibly difficult to express mathematically and graphically to successfully optimise the construction¿s overall structural operation.

Gypsum, relegated in contemporaneous architecture to a secondary, auxiliary or decorative role, has been traditionally employed in some parts of Spain for building structural pillars, floors, massive walls, mortars, etc. The authors have studied this gypsum in its several local forms, from its firing in the kiln to the building process in order to unveil the reasons for its excellent structural behaviour. With the first hypothesis, several strength tests with present commercial gypsum have been made at the laboratory. They confirm the extraordinary structural performance of the material, if only some conditions are respected during the building process.

[EN] This text presents extensive new information on the figure of architect Rafael Guastavino Moreno (1842-1908), those around him, and his personal and family relationships with architecture. It also examines other artistic fields and trades such as music, carpentry and winemaking, all of which influenced and obtained feedback for Guastavino¿s architecture within the historical, political and economic situation of the three places where he lived in Spain: Valencia, Barcelona and Almudévar (Huesca), before emigrating to the United States of America, where his successful professional career as an architect is widely recognized in the literature, [ES] El presente texto desvela numerosos detalles inéditos sobre la figura del arquitecto Rafael Guastavino Moreno (1842-1908) su entorno y sus relaciones personales y familiares con la arquitectura y otras ramas del arte y los oficios como la música y la carpintería, así como con la vitivinicultura. Estas influyeron y retroalimentaron su arquitectura dentro del contexto histórico, político y económico de las tres localidades donde residió en España, a saber, Valencia, Barcelona y Almudévar (Huesca). Más tarde, emigró a los Estados Unidos de América, donde desarrolló una carrera profesional de éxito como arquitecto conocida y difundida por la bibliografía.

The study carried out at the castle of Monzon (Huesca) while developing the Master Plan for the preservation of the site clearly aims at efficient interaction between different studies by several groups of experts in various disciplines. The various studies were coordinated jointly in order to offer a comprehensive analysis of the monument, intertwining approaches and points of views. Among the techniques used, thermography was especially interesting because of its flexibility and adaptability in several applications: from helping to identify materials to the detection of hidden pathologies. The efficiency of thermography for emphasizing different phenomena can only be improved by combining with other survey and analysis techniques. Synoptic plans allow these techniques to enrich the information available, reaching greater accuracy in determining materials and pathologies. Keywords : Infrared, Interpretation, Inventory, Recording.

The strategic importance of Mahón Harbor (Menorca Island, Spain) is developed over several centuries until the point when the enclave is definitively fortified, due to the increasing of Anglo-French shipping routes antagonism in the 1840s. Currently the Fortress of La Mola (1852) is one of the better preserved Spanish examples of military architecture, due to the harbor’s dimensions, its depth and protection from the dominant winds in the western Mediterranean. In the frame of maintenance projects, carried out in the complex, the authors have made a preservation project that is focused on two specific elements: Recess Five and the Princess Tower. Recess Five consists of a defensive element in the shape of a pincer or tongs with a redoubt in the recess angle; it forms part of the traditional polygonal defensive system. The containing wall suffered 40 cm of subsidence and the 13 m high stretch of wall was in an advanced state of disrepair, making careful preservation work necessary (2013). On the other hand, the Princess Tower is a building documented prior to construction of the fort (1798–1802). It is later incorporated as a tactical element in the ambitious project of the Fortress of Isabel II. Preservation work (2013) has concentrated on ‘freezing’ the moment of the explosion, suffered in the tower’s interior in 1958. The ruin thereby remains a focal point of the scene, showing the effect of the explosion, and preserving this ‘piranesian’ image, valuing fragments and layers as constructive prints of a long, historical process.

A pilot experiment of microwave treatment was carried out on an Art Nouveau residential building erected at the beginning of the 20th century in Valencia, Spain. The timber structure was affected by a combined damage caused by Anobium punctatum (common furniture beetle or common house borer) and Kalotermes flavicollis (yellownecked dry-wood termite). After performing an exhaustive preliminary study on the building and analyzing the different alternatives of wood treatment, it was decided to use a microwave machine especially designed to eliminate this type of wood boring insects.This machine generates microwaves, a type of electromagnetic radiation, with a frequency of 2.45 GHz. This circumstance makes it possible to produce a high-frequency alternating electric field that causes the rotation of the molecular dipoles of water. Because of this continuous rotation the temperature of the water rises considerably.By heating up the humidity inside a living being, as in the case of xylophagous insects, an artificial fever in the body is generated, and since the animal is not capable of tolerating this temperature, it dies.In order to eliminate xylophagous insects, the wood moisture content (usually between 10% and 12%) and the presence of water in wood boring insects (around 90%) must be taken into account. Due to the greater content of humidity the increase of the temperature is higher and quicker in insects than wood.After having studied and experimented with different combination of power and time of exposition to the microwaves, this machine was found capable of eliminating any type of insect that may live inside the timber without harming the wood itself.Prior to this pilot intervention, several research works were carried out with the same microwave machine, both on structural timber and wooden works of art. In all these studies it was observed that no damage was caused either to the wood or to the finish of the works of art including pigments, polishes, stains etc. On the other hand, 100% efficacy was achieved in the elimination of xylophagous insects.This article describes the design, experimentation and perfecting process of this microwave machine and its pilot application on structural timber in an Art Nouveau residential building. As an example of method, the intervention followed the main steps of diagnosis and treatment testing including the analysis of several options of intensity and time that led to the positive final results obtained.

The role of gypsum as a construction material in vernacular architecture, not only as an auxiliary material, but also for enhancing structural features in floors and even in pillars, has had a long-standing history of application in different traditional buildings in some parts of Spain. The authors have identified the main properties of this material from a structural point of view by experimenting in situ on traditional gypsum jack arch floors as part of the project “Structural consolidation of traditional floors with compression layers of gypsum with fibres” (UPV/PAID-05-11/2893). Several traditional and commercial compression layers for traditional floors were made with different proportions of water in the mixture to parameterise its use and achieve the ideal thickness and dosage. In this research, the authors have used both traditional dosages and experimental mixtures containing fibres, which were monitored by standard tests of surface hardness and resistance to compression and flexion. This work presents the main results of the properties of the different types gypsum obtained in the laboratory analysis phase as an alternative option for the structural reinforcement of traditional floors.

Apart from some cases related to the glories of nineteenth-century structural engineering and some isolated examples representing the avant-garde of the moment, world's fair architecture of the eclectic period continues to be quite an unexplored subject within the panorama of recent architecture. This article analyzes the function of nineteenth-century world's fair architecture by considering the interpretation and display of past traditions in local and international exhibitions, the different strategies implemented in their conception, and current approaches to interpretation. Finally, a reflection is made about the role of world's fair architecture in the creation of the architecture and urban planning of nineteenth and early-twentieth-century cities. This paper is an elaboration of some ideas presented in the book: Fernando Vegas López-Manzanares, La Arquitectura de la Exposición Regional Valenciana de 1909 y de la Exposición Nacional de 1910 (Valencia: Ediciones Generales de la Construcción, 2003). (All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations used for purposes of scholarly citation, none of this work may be reproduced in any form by any means without written permission from the publisher. For information address the University of Pennsylvania Press, 3905 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-4112.)

[ES] Este artículo expone una reflexión sobre los diversos criterios y técnicas de intervención en las construcciones de tapia realizadas en España en las últimas décadas, las dificultades intrínsecas de esta delicada operación y las consecuencias que se derivan de cada una de las opciones posibles para la conservación de la autenticidad, la materialidad, las trazas impresas de sus fábricas, etc. Para ello, realiza en primer lugar un breve repaso al abanico de diversas variantes de tapia existentes en la península que plantean problemáticas diversas de restauración a tenor de su enjundia constructiva. En segundo lugar, presenta tres grandes grupos de intervenciones, a saber, las intervenciones con recuperación de volúmenes, la restauración con sustitución de superficies y las actuaciones de conservación y protección de las fábricas. Estos tres tipos de intervenciones se ilustran con ejemplos de las últimas tres décadas en el territorio español, donde se describen sucintamente tanto los criterios y las técnicas empleadas como los resultados obtenidos tras el proceso de intervención. Por último, y como conclusión del estudio sobre todos estos criterios y técnicas y a la luz de los resultados habidos a lo largo de las últimas décadas, presenta en detalle el estudio previo, los criterios, las técnicas y las modalidades de puesta en obra en la restauración de la torre Bofilla en Bétera (Valencia) realizada por los autores, como posible opción de intervención en estructuras históricas de tapia., [EN] This article presents a reflection on the various criteria and intervention techniques in rammed earth constructions carried out in Spain over the last decades, the intrinsic difficulties of this delicate operation and consequences resulting from each possible option for conservation of the authenticity, materiality, imprinted traces of its factories, and so on. First of all, it takes place a brief overview to the range of rammed earth variants existing on the Iberian Peninsula, that present various problems for restoration because of their different constructive devices that raise specific issues when it comes to restore them. Secondly, it introduces three great groups of interventions, ie, interventions recovering lost volumes, surfaces substitution restoration and conservation and protection actions of the historic fabrics. These three types of interventions are explained through examples done during the last three decades in Spain, where a briefly description both of the applied criteria and employed techniques and the results obtained after the intervention process. Finally, as a conclusion of the study on all these criteria and techniques and taking into account the results collected over recent decades, the restoration of Bofilla tower at Bétera (Valencia), done by the authors of this paper, is displayed with its study, analysis, criteria, techniques and on site implementation, as a possible option for the historic rammed earth structures restoration.

[SPA] El artículo pretende reflexionar sobre los diversos criterios y técnicas de intervención aplicados en las restauraciones de construcciones de tapia financiadas por las diputaciones de la Comunidad Valenciana y realizadas en las últimas décadas, a través del análisis de un total de 14 proyectos. En primer lugar, se detallará la metodología de búsqueda llevada a cabo en los Archivos de las Diputaciones y a continuación, se hará un resumen general de los criterios y de las técnicas empleadas en las intervenciones analizadas. Por último, se intentará evaluar los resultados obtenidos, verificando que se haya garantizado el cumplimiento de los criterios básicos de la disciplina de restauración lo que ha supuesto además la realización de inspecciones in situ para verificar la presencia de nuevas patologías, con el fin de individuar los casos más adecuados de intervención. [ENG] The article seeks to reflect on the different criteria and techniques applied in the restoration of rammed earth architecture through the análisis of a total of 14 projects financed by the three Provincial Governments of the Comunidad Valenciana and carried out in recent decades. First, the methodology used for searching in the Archive of the Province Governments will be detailed, and later a general summary of the criteria and the techniques used in the analyzed interventions will be provided. Finally, the results obtained will be evaluated by checking as to whether the basic criteria of the discipline of restoration has been guaranteed, which has involved carrying out inspections in situ to check for the presence of new damage, in order to single out the most suitable cases for intervention.