The course on Methodology for Urban Regeneration and Sustainable Rehabilitation taught by RehabiMed took place on November 8th and 9th, 2021, in the auditorium of the Beit Nassif Museum in Jeddah. The course is part of the advice and cooperation project coordinated by Hydea, in strengthening the capacity of the professional team of the Ministry of Culture for urban regeneration of Jeddah Historic District, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List . It was attended by about 30 professionals from the JHD office of the Ministry of Culture, and from the engineers and companies that are working on the rehabilitation of the city’s buildings, ie all those involved in the Revitalization Plan of the historic center.
The first day focused on urban regeneration, with a vision of the experience of various European cities, both in urban planning and management. This international vision made it possible to carry out an analysis of the urban evolution of the historic center of Jeddah, looking for references and trends, through practical exercises. Beyond this overview, the RehabiMed Method was presented in its City and Territory aspect, looking for the key elements to be applied to the local reality.
The second day, focused on buildings rehabilitation and restoration. It was presented the historical evolution of the international criteria and ways of intervening in historic buildings over time, to reach the criteria currently in force, established in the different international charters, such as the Venice Charter and subsequent doctrine drafted by ICOMOS. Also practical exercises were carried out focusing on recent interventions in Jeddah and all this was complemented by the presentation of the RehabiMed Method for buildings, from a perspective closely linked to current real needs. This training activity allowed to provide elements for reflection and establish an exchange of experiences between attendees, through an enriching debate focused on how to intervene in a unique historic center, for the characteristics of its traditional architecture, and internationally monitored , being inscribed on the World Heritage List. This was the first of the 5 modules planned, one of which will soon be carried out during a technical trip to Barcelona and other world heritage sites in Spain.
