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Maria Griva et al. Accessibility in vernacular settlements

4. Traditional expertise in design and construction is social and economic processes to facilitate the sus-
transmitted informally. tainable development of historic districts. Accessibil-
5. An effective response to functional, social and en- ity is examined in the present research regarding the
vironmental constraints. dimensions mentioned earlier and within the fields of
tourism, learning and living places. Regarding learn-
Regarding the non-academic character of the ing and education, in the context of the provision of
most significant part of vernacular architecture, inclusive education, emphasis is laid on providing all
Amos Rapoport (1969, p.2) claims that this architec- people with access to life-long learning opportunities
ture is the “ideal” environment of a people expressed to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to partic-
in buildings and settlements, with no designer, artist, ipate fully in society (UN 2015, point 25). Finally, par-
or architect. In addition to collective memory, accord- ticipatory, integrated, sustainable human settlement
ing to Aldo Rossi (1982, p.130), the city is the locus of planning and management (Goal n.11.3) is important
collective memory associated with objects and plac- and strengthens local communities.
es. Therefore, preserving collective memory and tra-
dition is crucial to protecting and preserving elements Place Branding
that carry these values and constitute architectural In place branding, a popular tourism concept, stake-
heritage. Moreover, heritage protection and sustain- holders can implement a strategy in vernacular set-
able development are firmly linked, structuring an- tlements and cities’ heritage environments to give
other component of the present research’s theoretical meaning to a place and manage perceptions about
background. it. An integrated brand strategy could be developed
based on a settlement’s or city’s core values, attitudes,
Sustainable Development behaviors, and characteristics (Middleton, 2011). The
Heritage protection associated with making cities and place is integral to the human experience (Seamon &
human settlements inclusive, which entails the par- Sowers, 2008). The relationship between place and
ticipation and access of all, is considered a pillar for space, as components of the environment, can be seen
sustainable development. In the context of the United from the perspective of experience (Tuan, 2001). Par-
Nations Agenda 2030 sustainable development goals ticularly in tourism, the relationship between archi-
(UN, 2015), for the achievement of the goal of mak- tecture, an image of a place and tourists’ perceptions
ing cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, re- is powerful. This fact is crucial for the implications
silient and sustainable (Goal n.11), critical factors are of architectural heritage management for tourism
the protection and safeguarding of the world’s cultural (Gholitabar et al., 2018). In terms of a strategy, the
and natural heritage (Goal n.11.4) as well as the pro- endeavour is to form a strong relationship between
vision of access to safe, inclusive and accessible public person and place concerning vernacular settlements
spaces, in particular for women and children, older regarding the feeling of attachment to the site and the
persons and persons with disabilities (Goal n.11.7). identification leading to place satisfaction. The above
The empowerment of vulnerable people, by remov- expects to drive both locals and new visitors -tourists
ing obstacles and constraints is emphasised (UN, 2015, and students- to stay at or to select to visit a particular
point 23). Based on the two goals mentioned above, place of a vernacular settlement. Regarding the terms
one can develop a new framework to ensure the sus- “place attachment” and “place satisfaction”, Chen and
tainability of heritage and other cities and settlements. Dwyer’s (2017) survey suggests that, at residents’ lev-
The three dimensions on which sustainable develop- el, place satisfaction configures residents’ intention to
ment lies are economic, social, and environmental stay, while place attachment has a strong influence on
(UN, 2015, point 2). Regarding the sustainability of cit- residents’ participation in tourism planning for a des-
ies’ heritage environments, UNESCO’s Recommenda- tination. Numerous surveys conducted in the place
tion on the Historic Urban Landscape (2011) supports branding field (e.g., Giuliani & Feldman, 1993; Bro-

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