Abstract
Roads, particularly since the advent of motorized traffic, have hugely impacted contemporary landscapes. Although their significance was noted in the 1980s, specific roadway‐heritage studies are scarce. Research in different disciplines has identified certain features of roads, but an integrated approach to roadway heritage or a consensus on what this constitutes are lacking. This article proposes an interdisciplinary methodology to assess roadway heritage. Roadways are interpreted within the framework of semantic openness that currently characterizes heritage studies, territory being the basic element of interpretation. Rather than a fragmented approach to conservation, the research defines integrated heritage configurations where natural, cultural, and historical features combine to produce a cohesive form of heritage. (Geographical information systems) technology is used with an online database to assess the complexity of roadway heritage. (Information and communications technology) strategies to raise public awareness are outlined. The methodology is applied to assess the historical N‐340 Mediterranean roadway corridor in Spain.
The study was grant‐aided by the European Regional Development Fund within the framework of a research program involving heritage experts engaged in spatial analysis in different fields, ranging from civil engineering and geography to architecture and urban planning.
The study was grant‐aided by the European Regional Development Fund within the framework of a research program involving heritage experts engaged in spatial analysis in different fields, ranging from civil engineering and geography to architecture and urban planning.
Notes
The study was grant‐aided by the European Regional Development Fund within the framework of a research program involving heritage experts engaged in spatial analysis in different fields, ranging from civil engineering and geography to architecture and urban planning.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Mar Loren‐méndez
Dr. Loren‐Méndez is a professor of architectural history, theory and composition at Seville University, Seville 41002, Spain; [[email protected]].
Rafael Mata‐olmo
Dr. Mata‐Olmo is a professor of geography at the Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid 28049, Spain; [[email protected]].
Rita Ruiz
Dr. Ruiz is an assistant professor of urban and landscape planning at the University of Castilla‐La Mancha, Ciudad Real 13004, Spain; [[email protected]].
Daniel Pinzón‐ayala
Dr. Pinzón‐Ayala is a postdoctoral researcher in architectural history at Seville University, Seville 41002, Spain; [[email protected]].