The Editorial

The historical studies and the practical observation in different regions of the Mediterranean highlight the existence of a rich and diverse architectural and urban heritage dating from the 19th and the 20th centuries, largely unknown and underestimated. This heritage results from the mutual interaction of different cultures and the merging of local and exogenous know-how that occurred among the European colonies, protectorates and mandates and in the late Ottoman Empire but it was not only an outcome of the “western and colonial” rule, as it is frequently considered. In many cases indeed, the southern city fabrics were also invested by modernization processes, integrating new technologies and spatial configurations in the “traditional” urban structure.

New types of buildings and urban spaces were created, which are appropriated and used by the present urban societies, with a specific richness and meaning. Its conservation requires the understanding of multiple and often conflicting models and meanings, but also the awareness raising and dissemination of their mutual contribution and interpenetration in the different Mediterranean cultures.

The potential value of the last two centuries architectural and urban heritage needs to be enhanced and requires a better valorisation to play a proactive role in the development strategies, at the national and local level. These 19th and 20th century urban realities often reflect specific and relevant social and economical configurations, in spite of the lack of appropriate conservation and development initiatives respecting their tangible and intangible heritage.

We estimate that mutual heritage of the last two centuries across Mediterranean basin represents a common field of action that needs a global approach. Due to its recent – and often imported and imposed – origin, this heritage, despite its massive presence in the historic fabric and townscape, is rather neglected and suffers from a lack of interest; clearly reflected in the inadequacy of valorisation strategies and sensitization campaigns. Any approach must start by promoting process of awareness and appropriation of such specific heritage, both on its tangible aspects and on its intangible components.

The project consortium composed by Citeres (France), Casamémoire (Morocco), ENA (Morocco), ASM Tunis (Tunisia), Riwaq (Palestine), and Oikos (Italy) aim to develop a global approach to preservation and promotion of this “mutual heritage”, which features several important towns in different Mediterranean regions and can became an active component for local development. The field of work is the tangible and intangible legacy, inherent to the architectural expressions and the urban landscapes, that nowadays risks to be disfigured or destroyed by ongoing developments and transformations, but must be considered as a common and shared E-Med heritage to be safeguarded and renewed in its significance and uses.

The consortium integrates knowledge production and dissemination, appropriation processes and management measures for the conservation of the recent “mutual” architectural and urban cultural heritage, to foster appropriate planning and sustainable local development in some relevant Mediterranean cities and regions, which are representative of different cultural areas.

With an approach which combines tangible and intangible heritage, material and immaterial values, the project aims at increasing the awareness and the cultural ownership of recent mutual heritage by local public and private bodies and the entire civil society.