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Maria Griva et al. Accessibility in vernacular settlements

on the Granada Convention, 1985 (Council of Europe, mogenisation and global socio-economic transforma-
1985) classification as “building groups”. Mainly, it tion. A new approach structured in heritage protec-
focuses on the vernacular settlements regarding the tion associated with inclusivity is necessary.
Greek ones. In Greek building legislation (New Build- Under the accessibility prism, the vernacular set-
ing Code(L.4067/2012), 2012, article n.6), “vernacular tlements’ unique attributes comprising location, geo-
settlement” encompasses settlements or parts of them, morphology, history, place memory and architecture
historic centres or parts of cities, and independent ar- in traditional or historic structures, forms, materials
chitectural complexes. These coherent architectural (colours, textures) and construction techniques are
ensembles are complicated systems evolving in time considered possible generators of barriers. The bar-
and reflecting the socio-economic and environmental riers to access in general and for persons with disa-
changes. bilities have multiple dimensions. Physical barriers,
Vernacular settlements form a heterogeneous which are natural and structural, block the approach
group with various characters, sizes, and urbanisation and transfer of persons with disabilities within spaces.
levels: historical centres, parts of metropolises, small Intellectual barriers inhibit the whole experience of
urban centres, settlements and complexes. They are the cultural commodity by people who face sensory,
carriers of collective memory, cultural archives, and intellectual, or other impairments. In addition, there
educational resources. Their historical value, coher- are attitudinal barriers (e.g. prejudices), organisation-
ence, authenticity, and continuity in time are gener- al (e.g. lack of flexibility in organisations, practices,
ally recognised, attributing a unique identity to each and procedures) or other circumstances such as so-
one. cial isolation (Oliver, 1990; 2013). Furthermore, par-
The intrinsic elements constituting vernacular set- ticularly in vernacular settlements, distances, height
tlements’ idioms contribute to preserving their identi- differences, inclinations, standard features, traditional
ty, but on the other hand, they often limit their acces- or urban fabric consisting of streets, open spaces and
sibility and put their sustainability under discussion. buildings, and some complicated-to-perceive archi-
Location and geomorphology are historically critical tectural idioms can form different types and levels of
factors for settlements’ accessibility and sustainability. barriers to accessibility.
They have often driven small mountainous and island Enhancing vernacular settlements’ functionali-
colonies, which faced issues of distance, connection ty, usability, and inclusivity by ensuring accessibility
and accessibility, to isolation and economic decline. will contribute to settlements’ and cities’ sustainabili-
However, they have also been the fundamental drivers ty both as living places and as tourism and education
for retaining settlements’ physiognomy. Cities’ histor- destinations. The basis that accessibility facilitates in-
ic centres reflect the problems of contemporary urban habitants’ environment and everyday life can provide
settings and suffer the consequences of controversial new tourism and learning opportunities and can be
heritage management and inappropriate interven- beneficial in terms of economic potential and contri-
tions on monuments and sites, which alter or destroy bution to local community development, which are
their character. In cities where the historic setting strongly related to cultural heritage (Hampton, 2005).
keeps changing in form and function, the big chal- The present research’s perspective falls under this con-
lenge of heritage continuity and compatibility is to be text. It is important to mention that researchers have
met by urban heritage management (Bandarin & Van not significantly investigated the field of accessibility
Oers, 2012), whose social dimension entails inclusiv- in architectural heritage environments at the Greek
ity and accessibility. As highlighted in the Charter on national level. The conducted studies primarily focus
the built vernacular heritage by ICOMOS (1999), built on monuments, archaeological sites, and museums.
vernacular heritage worldwide is deemed extremely Thus, under the current survey of the extent of the rel-
vulnerable, facing serious problems of obsolescence evant investigation at the European and international
and integration due to the contemporary culture ho- level, the present research has to confront the issue of

78 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference