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.