Technical protocols of heritage preservation from risk and vulnerability analysis. The case of the vernacular architecture of Quingeo (Azuay, Ecuador)

Abstract

The vernacular architecture of the rural Parish of Quingeo (Azuay, Ecuador), and therefore, the buildings of its parish downtown, are affected by globalization, neglect, and the scarcity of management and technical preservation tools led to their deterioration. This background motivates the analysis, identification, and prioritization of risks and vulnerabilities of this architecture, taking three priority cases of study; wall stratigraphy, the risk analysis matrix, and the principles of preventive preservation, as tools little applied in rural built heritage, but are very useful to understand the evolutionary process, and improve the protection and enhancement. The results obtained determine three types of specific protocols; 1) monitoring and control, 2) periodic maintenance, and 3) management. Such instruments are viable as a strategic axis for nearby territories, such as Quingeo.