The recent results of the Subproject Conservation and management of heritage sites in the eastern region of Cuba, attached to Project 4 of the Vlir-UO program, address the development of capacities in the documentation and monitoring of built cultural heritage.
The proposal of an Atlas of the Built Heritage as a result of the monitoring of the Vista Alegre neighborhood, which puts forward a sample of the reduction of green areas from the monitoring with images of remote sensors, integrated into the geographic information systems, among other data, is one of the most significant diploma papers defended.
Likewise, the graphic documentation of the Santo Tomas Church located in the Historical Center of the Santiago de Cuba city, and a Proposal of recommendations for the digital documentation of national and local monuments in Guantánamo, taking the Regino Boti's House as a case study, are other theses worth highlighting.
Dr. Milene Soto, Dr. María Muñoz, MSc. Luis Bello and the architect Leonardo Pérez advised as well works directed towards the concretion of bases for the digital inventory of the built heritage and the graphical documentation of the evolution of the Vista Alegre neighborhood in Santiago de Cuba. "With these five researches we contribute to the development of a scarcely explored topic in our country - explains MSc. Architect Luis Bello Caballero. The students implemented advanced techniques and tools such as geographic information systems, interpretation of remote sensing images, methods based on digital photography such as rectified photography, photogrammetry, HDR photography, and CAD systems in order to achieve the results we have today."
These results contribute to the actions that concretely take place in the Vista Alegre neighborhood and the Historical Center of Santiago de Cuba. "In addition," Bello points out, "collaboration with other institutions such as the Project Group of the Archbishopric of our city and the Office of Sites and Monuments of Guantánamo was accomplished".
The progress in documentation studies and monitoring of heritage sites is particularly relevant in the eastern region of Cuba since this area concentrates 47% of national and local monuments declared by the National Council of Cultural Heritage. 40% of the total of heritage registered at the national level is currently located in Santiago de Cuba, Granma and Guantanamo.
The Architecture student Fernando Velázquez during the defense of his diploma paper and part of the results of the documentation of the heritage of the Vista Alegre neighborhood.
The Architecture student Carlos del Rosario, during the conclusions of the board and part of the results achieved.
The Architecture student Alaín Montoya working on the facilities created by VLIR. A sample of the reduction of green areas in the Vista Alegre neighborhood from the monitoring with images of remote sensors integrated in the geographic information systems.
The Architecture student Félix Pearce (left) working together with his tutor Arq. Leonardo Pérez in the facilities created by the VLIR Program. 3D modeling of the ceiling of the Church of Santo Tomás from photogrammetry.
The Architecture student Frank Esteva during the development of the work and part of the results obtained. Photos: Courtesy of MSc. Luis Bello Caballero.