Use value vs technical requirements. Methodology for assessing potential uses in heritage buildings. The case of Lucena (Cordoba)

Abstract

The present study aims to propose a methodology for adaptive reuse in municipal buildings in medium-sized cities. This investigation has been developed as part of the Strategic Plan for Intervention and Reuse of the municipal buildings of Lucena (Cordoba, Spain). Moving beyond the strictly utilitarian character of the historical object defended by Riegl, the use-value of Cultural Heritage has been established as a criterion of analysis. The advantage of this method was to evaluate the potential uses not yet activated, following the theory of cultural change or adaptation. Also, the additional conservation effort and functional value of these properties have been assessed, seeking to give continuity to the original and traditional functions of the building to reinforce its cultural significance. Therefore, the current study adopts the case study approach of the intervention plan for two municipally owned buildings in Lucena: La Tercia and the old winery Los Víbora. The research establishes a list of possible uses and the necessary interventions for rehabilitating each of these buildings, representatives of the extensive industrial legacy of the city, based on their typological, constructive, and structural characteristics, together with their state of conservation. Additionally, the study has relied upon participant observation to examine the degree of recognition of these edifications within the collective needs of the population. In both cases, they have lost their original use, due to their poor conservation. However, in a broad understanding of the use-value, the work has aimed to establish the building potential to overcome this situation adapting to the original use complementary functionalities. In this respect, the paper addresses the idea of optimising public resources and the possible repercussions of multiple actions on the value of authenticity, from a current approach to the rehabilitation of heritage buildings based on the concept of sustainability.