Valoración arquitectónica y paisajística de la calle Las Herrerías. Incidencia de la “campaña de mantenimiento de las edificaciones patrimoniales del barrio El Vergel, calle Las Herrerías -2018"

Abstract

Las Herrerías street is recognized as a world heritage site in the city of Cuenca, Ecuador. Its value lies mainly in the buildings that encompass it due to the history they represent. However, with the passing of time the buildings have suffered significant deterioration, resulting in inappropriate repair interventions.

In 2017, the World Heritage City (CPM) research project of the University of Cuenca, together with the City Hall of Cuenca, proposed a street maintenance campaign with the purpose of rescuing the heritage buildings. In this campaign, 21 houses from Las Herrerías street were selected for maintenance interventions, primarily on their roofs and facades.

This study seeks to analyze the impact of the maintenance campaign interventions on the landscape and architecture of the study subjects. For this purpose, a comparative methodology was utilized, comparing the pre maintenance campaign state and post maintenance campaign state of the street.

For the landscape analysis and assessment, the method proposed in the book by Rey Pérez (2017) “Historic Urban Landscape” was used, which was also applied in the city of Cuenca, Ecuador. The methodology proposed by Alejandro Gómez Villarino in his doctoral thesis, was also applied. For the architectural analysis and assessment, the methodology proposed by the CPM project, based on catalog files, was utilized.

The analysis outcomes show positive results regarding the repair of damage to heritage buildings and the improvement of the landscape image; and negative results in the conservation of heritage values, which can be improved.