Shared Heritage : Knowledge and Know-How on 19th and 20th c. Architectural and Urban Heritage in the Mediterranean (Euromed Heritage II) Financed within the framework of the Euro-Mediterranean actions initiated by the European Union, this joint research program aims at improving the knowledge on the architectural forms and urban heritage of the 19 th and 20t h century in the Mediterranean, in view of helping at its development. It concerns a specific component of the Mediterranean cultural heritage that has been shaped by the exchanges and circulations between its two shores. Such “heritage” is currently in the process of being recognized, at varying rhythms and degrees, in the entire region. The legacy of the past two centuries represents today a significant, often essential, share of the built landscape in most cities of the North and South Mediterranean. It is the product of the diverse urban transformations stemmed by the industrial revolution, European expansion across the Mediterranean, or local policies of westernization (associated with the Ottoman reforms, known as T a n z î m â t ). Within these contexts, ambitious programs of “Haussmanisation” of old urban fabrics, reconstruction projects following wars and fires, extension of existing cities, or creation of new ones were carried out in these cities throughout the period concerned, in particular during the years 1850-1950. It generally resulted in homogenous and coherent urban ensembles, provided with public spaces of great quality, a good example being the quarters remodeled or created at the turn of the century in many large agglomerations of the region.

At a spatial level, these built forms came to constitute, in many cases, the centers of the cities to which they belonged or major nodes of activities or residence. In architectural terms, and irrespective of their location on the southern or northern shore of the Mediterranean, they shared many characteristics due to affinities at the artistic and technical levels, whether these concern urban design models, building distribution types, building regulations, professional cultures, construction systems, or decorative repertoires. 19th and 20th c. architecture in the Mediterranean testifies, moreover, to cross-cultural influences. On the southern shore, it gave birth to a range of hybrids mixing European models with local traditions and, on the northern shore, to multiple Orientalist aesthetics. Accordingly, studying such heritage can help improving, not only our understanding of specific national situations, but also our comprehension of European architecture and urbanism at large through their extra-European manifestations. Conversely, the transnational dimension of the heritage under scrutiny offers new perspectives for its apprehension. The main objectives of the program, to be achieved through joint actions, are as follows : • To improve and support the knowledge on recent built heritage in the Mediterranean, particularly in the large cities of its southern shore. This is achieved through locating, pooling, and disseminating data that are currently dispersed, fragmented, and not easily accessible, • To identify and promote forms of development and revitalization adapted to local contexts and based on exchanges of experiences between the two shores of the Mediterranean. This is to be reached through detailed analysis of key projects

of rehabilitation, conversion, and revitalization, as well as studies of institutional apparatuses and regulations and of actual practices in this field, • To experiment with new information technologies in order to ease access to available data and to assist in decisionmaking (building a specialized website and experimenting with Geographical Information Systems at the scale of buildings, which will in turn evolve into tools that can help in decision making and in sensitizing the public). This program is led by URBAMA (a joint research center of CNRS and the François-Rabelais University in Tours) and coordinated by Mercedes Volait, and Romeo Carabelli. It associates 15 partners belonging to the academic, scientific, and professional milieus of nine countries around the Mediterranean:

Algeria, Egypt, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Morocco, Syria, and Tunisia. It is scheduled for three years (20022004) and organized in sub-projects, each centered on a theme: “Repertoire of Knowledge and Sources”, “Inventory of Instruments and Practices”, “New Assistance Tools for Decision Making”, “Key Elements of Rehabilitation”, “Diffusion and Valorization”, “Assessments and Recommendations”. It should be wrapped up by a series of publications accounting for the various concluded investigations. (translation : Toufoul Abou-Hodeib & Mercedes Volait) Information : www.patrimoinespartages.org Contact : [email protected] or [email protected] or [email protected]