IN-PERSON: Prague – Section A

Abstract

The rather distinctive combination between tangible and intangible dimensions that characterizes Sardinia’s rich and composite heritage components, makes our island an almost paradigmatic instance of the complexity and richness of the elements that define the sense of place. Nevertheless, our region struggles to represent its cultural, social, and environmental diversity as a whole. This deficiency means a problem for a region largely dependent on a strictly seasonal “seaside” touristic economy. On the other side, a shift in a paradigm based on a sensible combination of material and immaterial, concrete and abstract, natural and artificial, allows the revaluation of local cultural practices, social traditions, traditional products and services, enabling the development of local economy capable of supporting the small rural and dispersed communities. Whereas, the ability to represent, communicate, and promote the multi-layered identity of such heritage plays a pivotal role. The exploration of this emerging problematic domain is at the foundation of HexD, the Heritage Design Experience Scientific School we held last September in Alghero. The valorisation process, which we used, combines strategies, methods, techniques, languages and experiences connected to lifestyles and traditions, re-interpreting the heritage as a potential for new images/identities of Sardinia. Results can be associated with the case of bread and Cork. Both cases have long-standing social traditions in Sardinia, representing a great variety of local techniques and artisanship.