The proposal will establish and implement a network of experts with the aim of promoting balanced and sustainable approaches to the conservation of underground heritage, while also harnessing the potential of underground spaces in urban and rural areas for regeneration policies. 

Each expert will share best practices, providing insights into management mechanisms, planning structures, stakeholder engagement management, funding mechanisms, technical needs, and their direct impacts on preserving the underground environment, society, and economy, as well as potential externalities (e.g., gentrification, hard-branding, mass tourism, leisure villages, underground degradation). 

The proposal will disseminate knowledge about underground culture and assist local communities in decision-making with appropriate cultural, scientific, and technical knowledge of the built underground environment across various aspects (archaeology, geotechnics, history, urban planning, cultural anthropology, economics, architecture, cultural tourism). Finally, it will contribute to the implementation of other EU programs.

Research Team

• Carlos Smaniotto Costa