Estoa. Journal of the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism

Advanced techniques for quantifying data-driven heritage: a cross study of statistical methods in heritage research

Amit Chatterjee — 2026-08-17

The quantification of cultural heritage value is increasingly supported by advanced statistical models, moving beyond traditional qualitative narratives. This paper presents a meta-analysis of 45 empirical studies (2010-2024) that applied statistical methods such as EFA, CFA, SEM and other multivariate methods to assess heritage value, perception and policy relevance. Studies were analysed for methodological transparency, model rigor and adaptability across contexts. Findings show significant variation in method selection, with SEM and CFA common in urban heritage research in Asia and Europe while PCA, cluster analysis and GWR are more prevalent in studies on landscapes and intangible heritage. The study reveals increasing use of spatial and perceptual models but also highlights underuse of spatial SEM and latent class modelling particularly in the Global South. This paper offers a comparative synthesis and practical guidance for selecting appropriate statistical methods in heritage research supporting more robust policy and Conservation strategies.

Sustainability of the neighborhood urban form: evaluation of twenty cases in Guayaquil-Ecuador

Alina Alexandra Delgado Bohórquez — 2026-08-17

The study of sustainability emerges as a response to the fragmentation and deterioration of urban territories and natural habitats. The objective of this research is to analyse neighbourhood urban form through 20 cases in the city of Guayaquil. A bibliographic study on sustainable urban form is conducted, cases are selected based on geographic and morphological criteria, and field data are collected. Variables and indicators such as compactness, connectivity, green areas, and environmental quality are also selected. For the study, evaluation parameters were established, and through normalisation, neighbourhood sustainability indices were obtained. The results determined a greater influence of the variables of connectivity and green areas on neighbourhood sustainability levels. The article concludes by addressing the value of the proposed methodology in the search for a sustainable neighbourhood urban form that improves the population’s quality of life.

Museums in ruins and possibilities for intervention. The case of Violeta Parra Museum, Santiago, Chile

Laura Gallardo-Frías — 2026-08-17

Urban ruins, authentic testimonies of open pasts, reach this state due to various events, one of which was the social uprising in Chile, during which the Violeta Parra Museum was burned down. The central objective is to reflect on the possibilities for intervention in urban ruins, using the Violeta Parra Museum as a case study. To analyze this museum —using a mixed-methods, empirical, and descriptive methodology— existing literature and site plans are reviewed, surveys and interviews are conducted, and national and international precedents are studied. The discussion opens up regarding the perspectives for intervention in an urban ruin, particularly a museum, presented from nine criteria based on: reversibility, conceptual stance, purpose, values, scale, technical criteria, temporal, international, legal and administrative, with the aim of showing the universe of possibilities and being able to make decisions.

Geometry and light. The luminous experience as a didactic strategy in architectural education

Nelson Manuel Arias-Jiménez — 2026-09-08

Theoretical courses in architecture often become detached from bodily and sensory practices that underpin the recognition of architectural space, limiting spatial understanding to abstract concepts and theories. This issue was explored through a pedagogical experience in a first-year Architectural History course aimed at integrating theoretical content with a perceptual approach through light. A series of Islamic lattices were designed and built at 1:1 scale, and the experience was documented through participant observation, photographic recording, and students’ written reflections examined using content analysis. The luminous atmosphere generated responses of silence, astonishment, and tactile exploration, and the concepts of light and shadow, intimacy, atmosphere, and geometry appeared repeatedly in the students’ accounts. The results suggest that phenomenological experience at full scale fosters embodied cognition and can transform theoretical courses into experimental spaces for design-oriented thinking.

Multitemporal analysis of urban built-up growth and its impact on land cover and land use dynamics

Douglas Gabriel Pichucho Morales — 2026-09-08

Intermediate Latin American cities are facing accelerated urban expansion processes that reshape land cover and land use. This study analyzes the spatio-temporal dynamics of built-up growth in Portoviejo, Ecuador, during the 1998–2024 period. For this purpose, Landsat Collection 2 Surface Reflectance satellite imagery was processed using the Maximum Likelihood classification algorithm. Post-classification comparison, transition matrices, and accuracy assessment based on confusion matrices were applied. The results show that the built-up/impervious class increased from 1,012.05 ha in 1998 to 2,027.34 ha in 2024, while vegetation and bare/transitional soil decreased. The classifications reached Overall Accuracy values between 84.50% and 87.00%, with Kappa coefficients ranging from 0.773 to 0.823. The SDG 11.3.1 indicator showed that land consumption was proportionally higher than urban population growth. These findings provide empirical support for understanding territorial transition processes. This information is relevant for defining territorial planning strategies, enabling more precise regulation of urban expansion limits and promoting land use under sustainability criteria.

Mitigation and adaptation strategies for mass removals in arid zones: A theoretical model based on urban architecture projects in Antofagasta

Gino Pérez-Lancellotti — 2026-09-08

The Atacama Desert, particularly in the Antofagasta region, faces increasing risks of mass movement exacerbated by climate change. This article proposes a theoretical model that integrates mitigation and adaptation strategies within urban architecture projects at the neighbourhood scale, focusing on sloped desert areas. The methodological process includes an initial deductive classification stage followed by an inductive qualitative analysis. Within 13 academic projects from the School of Architecture at the Universidad Católica del Norte in the city of Antofagasta, two typologies are identified: one oriented toward mitigation through flood-control basins and retaining walls, and another mixed type that incorporates terrain adaptation, green barriers, floodable areas, ramps, and underground channelling. The model helps fill a gap in the literature on risk management in arid contexts, aligning with SDG 11 and SDG 13. It also offers a practical guide for architects and urban planners, promoting more resilient, sustainable, and safe urban policies and projects.

Ciudad Constitución: Urban utopia and sustainability in the peruvian Amazon

Roger Eduardo Martínez Rivas — 2026-09-18

Ciudad Constitución was founded in 1984 as part of the Special Project Pichis-Palcazú, conceived by the Peruvian State to integrate the Amazon through infrastructure, directed colonization, and new economic dynamics. The study evaluated urban sustainability over four decades by analyzing documentary records, expert opinions, and selected demographic, socioeconomic, and physical-environmental indicators. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was applied to construct a sustainability ranking considering conflicting objectives. Three stages of urban evolution (foundational, intermediate, and current) were compared against the objectives of the original plan. Although informal urban growth, low population density, increasing deforestation, and social vulnerability are evident, the city shows positive indicators: sustained population growth, a proportion of urban population that shows its temporal persistence, a reduction in poverty rates, and improvement in the Human¨Development Index. To enhance its sustainability, the city requires greater attention from the State, under a renewed approach of citizen participation and interculturality.