All the initiatives of HeRe_Lab follow the objectives and targets of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, as well as the strategic principles of the World Heritage Convention.
The collaboration between researchers and practitioners, as well as their direct involvement in activities and projects, has resulted in a tight synergy between heritage research and practice. Heritage researchers working at the Lab address practical challenges and needs through studies that guide and improve the sustainability of strategies and management systems. Some of the analyses carried out in the framework of the WH property ‘Historic Centre of Florence’ include the identification of Belvedere points and creation of the site’s buffer zone; the publication of the management plan and monitoring strategy; the study on the carrying capacity of the historic centre; the inventory of at-risk buildings that contribute to the OUV of the site; the creation of a protocol for the Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) of the site; the performance of studies for a comprehensive understanding of the intangible and religious heritage; and the preparatory study of a portal on the urban evolution of the city. These data have become practical and valuable tools employed in everyday heritage management practices.
The synergy between heritage research and practice is enabled by the very own governance model in place within the Lab, which brings together the University of Florence and the Municipality of Florence in the framework of the Town Council Deliberation n. 506/2015. In addition, the recruitment of a multidisciplinary team of researchers ensures that the wide range of challenges arising from the field can be adequately studied and addressed.
Practice-based heritage research has proved to be a key tool in responding to site-specific challenges and needs. One of the strengths of the model applied within the Laboratory is the principle that sees it as a platform in which heritage researchers can apply their studies and methodologies in the field to monitor their applicability in real life, and on the other hand heritage practitioners can have the chance to be provided with accurate data and analyses to guide their efforts and design sustainable solutions for practical challenges. Therefore, heritage research has played a prominent role in successfully responding to site-specific needs voiced by practitioners in the field.