Landscapes, Heritage and Territory Laboratory

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Publications

Investigating the Architecture and Characteristics of Asian Hornet Nests: A Biomimetics Examination of Structure and Materials

Publication . Sedira, Naim; Pinto, Jorge; Ginja, Mário; Gomes, Ana; Nepomuceno, Miguel C. S.; Pereira, Sandra

This study investigates the internal architecture of Asian hornet nests (AHNs) using advanced imaging techniques, such as CT scanning and X-ray radiography, to understand their construction and function. The primary objective and significance of this study centre on drawing inspiration from the creative way Asian hornets construct their nests, with a particular focus on the architecture, design, functionality, and building materials of these nests. The architectural principles governing the construction of these nests, such as the arrangement of hexagonal cells, pedicels for load bearing, and adhesive materials, serve as a source of inspiration for innovative and sustainable design practices. The pedicels in Asian hornet nests play a crucial role in transferring load and ensuring stability. Additionally, AHNs’ adhesion to tree branches is essential for preventing collapse, and the pedicels provide necessary structural support. The knowledge gained from studying AHNs’ internal architecture could be applied directly to the architecture and civil engineering fields to improve structure stability and durability. The microstructure analysis of the paper-like material that hornets produce to build their nests indicates a complex and heterogeneous structure, composed of various plant fragments and fibres. This unique composition creates intricate grooves and pores, which are essential for regulating temperature and humidity levels within the outer envelope of the nest. The study of Asian hornet nests’ internal structure demonstrated that nature’s engineering principles inspire the design of durable and resilient structures in the construction industry. Civil engineers can incorporate similar principles into their designs to enhance the structural integrity and performance of buildings, bridges, and other infrastructure.

2023-11-03Journal article

Open access

Iberian challenges on cultural built heritage academic research

Publication . Simão, Inês Cunha; Martins-Nepomuceno, Ana M.T.; Nepomuceno, Miguel; Salvado, João Pedro Ferreira; Juan García, Natalia; Campelo-Gaínza, Carlos; Lorente, Jesús Pedro; Amoreira, Sofia

This paper explores some of the challenges involved in conducting academic research in the field of built heritage. These include visiting sites, documenting them, surveying them, and talking to the people responsible for their conservation, management and, in the case of 20th century, authorship. We will discuss and argue that academic research into the built heritage is often interdisciplinary in nature and requires different skills and techniques to those used in other areas of research. The focus will be on the similarities between research fields such as art history and architecture. The aim is to highlight the unique aspects of research in the built heritage field and the tools that researchers consider essential to their work, as well as the real challenges that young researchers face. This will be demonstrated through five examples of research carried out in Portugal and Spain, covering different aspects of monastic architecture, art and culture, traditional building techniques, the role of local museums in conserving heritage, and 20th century architecture. Each project will describe how they were undertaken, what their objectives were, and what challenges they encountered, including how these were overcome or presented as opportunities for further research. Through the presentation of ongoing research on Portuguese Cistercian monasteries, art, architecture and monastic culture in Spain, the work of the 20th century Portuguese architect Manuel Taínha, the resilient corbelled domes considered a true example of the dry-stone technique and now classified as intangible heritage, and the involvement of Portuguese and Spanish local mountain museums in their territorial and historical contexts, this paper shows how these five projects have faced multiple and equal setbacks. While significant progress has been made in establishing a comprehensive information network through continued investment in the digital preservation of the built heritage, we conclude that additional investment in the development of multidisciplinary teams and cross-referencing between different research fields and geographical areas still needs to be made.

2024-07Journal article

Restricted access

CH-Resilience Project (Cultural Heritage: Resilience of Built Heritage and Built Environment): Internationalization and Research Network within the “Universitas Montium” (UNITA) Alliance

Publication . Martins, Ana M. T.; Nepomuceno, Miguel C. S.; Simão, Inês Cunha; Juan García, Natalia; Campelo-Gaínza, Carlos; Pedro Lorente, Jesús; Salvado, João Pedro Ferreira; Rodrigues, Tiago; Cabeleira, João; Amoreira, Sofia

This paper presents the research work within the international Consortium Alliance "Universitas Montium" (UNITA) according one of many UNITA’s Research Projects: the Portuguese Project CH-RESILIENCE “Cultural Heritage: Resilience of Built Heritage and Built Environment” at the University of Beira Interior (UBI) within Universitas Montium Aliance which is included in UNITA's Research & lnnovation Cartography WP4, concerning Cultural Heritage. and soon to be included in the consortium RE-UNITA (UNITA 2.0). Within this research line two international PhD cotutelle were achieved, but also two other PhD thesis are being prepared within CH-RESILIENCE. The Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture (DECA), of the University of Beira Interior (UBI), has developed, a concern regarding Built Heritage, ln fact, over the last two decades there has been a cross-interdisciplinary interest, which has allowed a transdisciplinary research, based on the Architectural Heritage, Built Heritage, thus Cultural Heritage. Dissertation themes have focused on traditional aspects of Portuguese Architecture and Traditional Building Technologies, but also doctoral Thesis and Research Projects with competitively-based contests with funding (as The ORFEUS project which was one of the highlights of this line of research). In fact, Building Culture encompasses existing buildings, monuments, and other elements of Cultural Heritage, as well as the design and construction of contemporary buildings, infrastructures, public spaces, and landscapes. The actual technical requirements are not always compatible with older buildings. Regular maintenance of these buildings may include preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, reconstruction, refurbishment, adaptation, and interpretation of existing buildings and their environment. ln fact, this research lays on the Resilience of Built and Cultural Heritage. UNITA’s Research and innovation is centred in the needs of rural and mountain territories regarding, not only Cultural Heritage, but also Renewable Energy and Circular Economy. This paper presents four case study of international research based on the UNITA’s Alliance and interconnected with CH Resilience Project: “The Art of Place”, Cotutelle (UBI -Portugal / UNIZAR-SPAIN); “The involvement of local museums with their territorial and historical environment”, Cotutelle (UNIZAR-SPAIN / UBI -Portugal); Corbelled Dome Constructions: architectural elements of a vernacular Identity in Beira Baixa (Portugal); Resilience and Sustainability: Monastic Spaces of Cistercian origins in contemporary times. Besides these four cases it is highlighted, a fifth which is the first project, within the CH Resilience research group, in collaboration with other institutions with affinity to the theme and in the borderline of UNITA Alliance. This is the ongoing PhD thesis “Theory, Design and Construction of the Bulwark Defensive System in the Minho River Valley. From the Reign of King Philip III to the End of the Seven Years' War, 1621-1763”. Consequently, this paper will bring to discussion these specific case studies and its relationship with UNITA's Alliance. This is, through Cultural heritage it will be brought to debate methods, objectives, experiences, outputs, and discussions which allow the formation of wider networks for research and resources exchange.

2024-07Conference object

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The "Cubist" dwellings of Olhão (Portugal): A case study on developing skills in architectural rehabilitation design through the history of architecture and traditional construction technologies

Publication . Nepomuceno, Miguel; Martins, Ana Maria Tavares; Ospina Gomez, Yilson Stivel; Afonso, Vanessa Alexandra Rosa

This paper considers the importance of academic research projects regarding the integrated master’s degree in Architecture of the University of Beira Interior (UBI), Covilhã, Portugal. Evolution on architectural programs, due to the Bologna Process, oversaw the link between education and research in the young architect’s formation. At UBI, the future architect’s 10th semester (which is the final semester) comprises a dissertation which can be practical (a full design) or an academic research project (connecting theory and practice) as well as a full semester of Project design. A significative number of these final dissertations tackle academical research projects regarding the built heritage. These are interventions combining education and research, theory and practice, ideas, and designs. The Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture of UBI, its staff and students, have developed a concern regarding built heritage. Dissertation themes have focused on traditional aspects of Portuguese architecture and traditional building technologies. This paper brings to discussion a very specific case study. In fact, this reveals a new trend, and a new academic experience, achieved through the connection to the reality. The dissertation research design was being built while the dissertation was being carried out. The traditional Portuguese architecture of the so called "cubist" dwellings of Olhão in Algarve’s region (Portugal), and its traditional building technologies, are the core of the research which conducted to an architectural rehabilitation in Olhão. This kind of research project (linking education and reality) will endow young future architects’ specific skills. These skills are mainly about architectural rehabilitation, in connection with the History of Portuguese Architecture, Building Engineering Physics, traditional construction technologies, and local materials. This paper will tackle this research, focusing on objectives, methodologies, and results, which will be presented, and open to discussion, providing a debate on the results and experiences that outcome from the actual concretization through a real case of rehabilitation design of a “cubist” dwelling in Olhão.

2022-11Journal article

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