Earthen architecture holds deep historical, cultural, and ecological value, forming an essential component of our global cultural heritage. However, these structures face numerous threats, including climate change, socio-economic shifts, and, in many cases, neglection, which accelerate their deterioration. This study introduces a photogrammetry-based methodology adapted for the digital documentation and preservation of earthen architecture within the context of developing countries. We focus on the Ex-Hotel Oasis Rouge in Timimoun, an iconic earthen building in southwestern Algeria and the current headquarters of CAPTERRE (Algerian Centre for Earthen Built Cultural Heritage). This paper details our approach to using photogrammetry to capture both the interior and exterior of the building, produce detailed orthophotos for archiving the unique earthen bas-reliefs, and conduct a condition assessment. Our findings demonstrate the effectiveness of photogrammetry as a cost-effective tool for heritage documentation, highlighting its potential to assist in the ongoing preservation and informed restoration of earthen architecture.

The castle of Casertavecchia (Caserta, Italy), one of the most significant fortified complexes of medieval Campania, is currently the focus of a renewed season of multidisciplinary research. The project is carried out by a team that integrates historical and archaeological expertise with knowledge from the fields of architectural drawing, surveying technologies, and architectural representation, fostering a continuous methodological dialogue between traditional disciplines and advanced digital tools. The ongoing research is based on the integrated reading of stratigraphic data, historical sources, and digital reconstructions, with the aim of deepening the understanding of settlement dynamics and construction processes at the site. The last 5-years excavation campaigns, launched in 2021, have already opened new perspectives on the genesis and transformations of the complex. The northern and western areas of the castle have revealed relatively intact archaeological layers, including ceramic materials and masonry structures that contribute to reconstructing the site’s architectural development from the Norman period to the modern age. In parallel with fieldwork, a systematic programme of digital survey and three-dimensional modeling is underway, aimed both at accurately documenting the existing architecture and at hypothetically reconstructing lost or altered parts. This integrated approach enables a unified representation of material evidence and excavation data, contributing to a broader reflection on methods for understanding and managing fortified heritage across the Mediterranean. This paper aims to present the preliminary outcomes of the ongoing process, highlighting the potential of disciplinary convergence between archaeology, surveying, and graphic representation in the study of fortified heritage. Casertavecchia emerges as an exemplary case study for the development of shared methodologies applicable to other Mediterranean contexts, within a wider perspective of research, protection, and interpretation of historic built environments.

The study focuses on a complex architectural typology: the analysis and representation of staircases with differentiated flows (double ramps). The aim is the investigation of the case studies of Palazzo Ricca/Cuomo and the Reggia di Capodimonte in Naples and their comparison with the theoretical models proposed by Italian architectural treatisers, which, beginning with Leonardo da Vinci in Manuscript B, will be adopted as typological solutions to meet hygienic- military needs until they come to express places of representation. The methodological approach makes use of the cognitive operations of architectural drawing and surveying, which, by means of special graphic renderings and three-dimensional models, aim to deepen the geometric, distributive and spatial specificities of the unprecedented case studies proposed. Finally, the comparative analysis of the studied examples made it possible to identify relationships with theoretical and applicative models found in other Italian and European contexts. Lo studio si concentra su una tipologia architettonica complessa: l'analisi e la rappresentazione delle scale a flussi differenziati. L'obiettivo è l'indagine dei casi studio di Palazzo Ricca/Cuomo e della Reggia di Capodimonte a Napoli e il loro confronto con i modelli teorici proposti dai trattatisti di architettura italiani che, a partire da Leonardo da Vinci nel Manoscritto B, saranno adottati come soluzioni tipologiche per soddisfare esigenze igienico-militari fino a giungere a esprimere luoghi di rappresentazione. L'approccio metodologico si avvale delle operazioni conoscitive del disegno e rilievo architettonico che, attraverso appositi modelli tridimensionali, mirano ad approfondire le specificità geometriche, distributive e spaziali degli inediti casi di studio proposti. Infine, l'analisi comparativa degli esempi studiati ha permesso di individuare relazioni con modelli teorici e applicativi presenti in altri contesti italiani ed europei.

This research investigates innovative strategies and presents experimental insights to enhance cultural and landscape identity through the integrated design of naturalistic paths and digital tools, such as UAS and Virtual Tours. The objective is to develop a holistic model of cultural engagement that combines on-site physical experiences, immersion in nature and in-depth knowledge acquisition. Particular attention is given to the exploration of distinctive decorative elements, such as ornamental motifs found on elevated architectural structures which are often difficult to access. The proposed model, exemplified through its application to the Amalfi Coast, serves as an adaptable framework for the sustainable valorization of other territorial contexts with similar landscape and cultural characteristics.