Criterios para intervenir en las edificaciones de tierra en la Calle Las Herrerías, Cuenca, Ecuador

This research aims to contribute to the conservation of heritage buildings Las Herrerías street, located in the traditional neighborhood of El Vergel, characterized by the presence of tangible and intangible values. The main problem is the lack of maintenance of the land vernacular architecture, which is causing its accelerated deterioration. Therefore, the University of Cuenca, has implemented (May-July 2018) a Campaign for the maintenance of its heritage. Within the Maintenance Campaign it has been necessary to develop tools for the selection of buildings to be intervened. The methodology is based on the theoretical definition of preventive conservation and offers a description of similar maintenance campaigns carried out in other areas of study. For the selection of the buildings, four aspects were considered, two of which are analyzed in the present research: the valorization of land buildings and their conservation status. Within the heritage valorization, traditional building materials and techniques are analysed, as well as the typologies of the buildings. The selection is based on the study of traditional building materials and techniques, especially earthen architecture, and also considers the state of conservation of heritage buildings. The inventory tools that serve as support to determine the selection criteria are: registry and catalogue that were applied to 77 buildings in the neighborhood. The process determined the selection of 23 heritage houses and workshops, of which 22 are of earthen architecture. One of them does not have land as its predominant material, however it was also included in the campaign due to its high level of deterioration and the weight of the social condition of its inhabitants. During the execution of the campaign, it was observed that the number of buildings to be intervened varied, since the final indicator was the level and willingness of the owners to participate.