MASTER PLAN FOR THE RECOVERY OF LETUR
MASTER PLAN FOR THE RECOVERY OF THE HISTORIC CENTRE OF LETUR (ALBACETE)
Following the catastrophic 2024 DANA (cut-off low), the Master Plan for the historic centre of Letur, one of the affected municipalities, transforms recovery into an opportunity for progress. Its goal is not just restoring historic public spaces and ancient water systems, but to build a more sustainable and habitable town. By blending centuries of tradition with climate resilience, we will ensure Letur remains a vibrant, living heritage site, as we protect our past to secure our future
Spain
Letur, Albacete (Spain)
Early initiative
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
ESF : European Social Fund
COM(2025) 855 final
2025/0318 (BUD
3/10/2025
Mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund: assistance to Spain and France in relation to natural disasters in 2024 and 2025
2025/0318 (BUD
3/10/2025
Mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund: assistance to Spain and France in relation to natural disasters in 2024 and 2025
No
2042: Letur (ES)
The Master Plan for the Recovery of the Historic Centre of Letur aims for the comprehensive restoration of heritage values—material, immaterial, and landscape—following the catastrophic 2024 DANA (cut-off low). The initiative transforms this tragedy into an opportunity to build a resilient and sustainable future.
Overall Aim: To guarantee the conservation, restoration, and management of Letur’s historical-artistic heritage while reducing the system's vulnerability to climate risks.
Target Groups: Current residents, potential new inhabitants to address demographic challenges, and the active local associative fabric.
Specific Objectives: Restoration of affected buildings, safeguarding intangible traditions, improving universal accessibility, and enhancing the cultural landscape.
Expected Outcomes: A more habitable, safer, and vibrant town that maintains its unique identity while fostering new social and economic dynamics.
Integration of NEB Values
Sustainability: Prioritizes nature-based solutions and the recovery of the traditional hydraulic system (irrigation ditches and mills) to manage water as a resilient asset.
Beauty: Implements a strict ordinance to preserve the traditional aesthetic of building envelopes and enhances visual landmarks like the "Las Moreras Arch".
Inclusion: Focuses on universal accessibility through single-platform streets and promotes social equity by planning affordable housing in the "Los Cárabos Artistic Neighbourhood" (BAC).
Co-creation and Participation, built on a bottom-up approach:
Direct Engagement: Conducted 23 in-depth interviews with neighbors to build "life stories," ensuring the plan reflects the community's emotional and intangible heritage.
Established a multi-stakeholder forum: involving neighborhood, cultural, and women's associations to integrate citizen sentiment into the decision-making process.
Local Office: Opened a dedicated Citizen Attention Office immediately after the disaster to coordinate aid
Overall Aim: To guarantee the conservation, restoration, and management of Letur’s historical-artistic heritage while reducing the system's vulnerability to climate risks.
Target Groups: Current residents, potential new inhabitants to address demographic challenges, and the active local associative fabric.
Specific Objectives: Restoration of affected buildings, safeguarding intangible traditions, improving universal accessibility, and enhancing the cultural landscape.
Expected Outcomes: A more habitable, safer, and vibrant town that maintains its unique identity while fostering new social and economic dynamics.
Integration of NEB Values
Sustainability: Prioritizes nature-based solutions and the recovery of the traditional hydraulic system (irrigation ditches and mills) to manage water as a resilient asset.
Beauty: Implements a strict ordinance to preserve the traditional aesthetic of building envelopes and enhances visual landmarks like the "Las Moreras Arch".
Inclusion: Focuses on universal accessibility through single-platform streets and promotes social equity by planning affordable housing in the "Los Cárabos Artistic Neighbourhood" (BAC).
Co-creation and Participation, built on a bottom-up approach:
Direct Engagement: Conducted 23 in-depth interviews with neighbors to build "life stories," ensuring the plan reflects the community's emotional and intangible heritage.
Established a multi-stakeholder forum: involving neighborhood, cultural, and women's associations to integrate citizen sentiment into the decision-making process.
Local Office: Opened a dedicated Citizen Attention Office immediately after the disaster to coordinate aid
Post-disaster recovery
Resilience
Sustainability
Participation
Heritage
The Master Plan for the Recovery of the Historic Centre (MPRHCL) serves as an exemplary initiative by aligning with the New European Bauhaus (NEB) through a transformative, rather than purely restorative, approach. By viewing the 2024 DANA (cut-off low) tragedy as a catalyst, the project moves beyond a "static fossil" view of heritage toward an evolving cultural landscape.
Sustainability Objectives & Implementation
The initiative addresses the NEB’s highest sustainability ambition—regeneration—by focusing on:
• Climate Resilience: Instead of literal reconstruction, the plan establishes an "image-objective" that reduces systemic vulnerability. It integrates advanced hydraulic infrastructure (interceptors, flood mitigation) to manage future extreme climate events.
• Repurposing & Circularity: The plan identifies urban voids created by demolitions as opportunities for public space expansion or high-efficiency affordable housing (the BAC project). This aligns with NEB’s goal of rethinking products and places to minimize material use.
• Traditional Hydraulic Recovery: It restores the centuries-old network of acequias (irrigation ditches) and mills, treating water not as a threat but as a living asset integrated into the urban fabric and people´s identity.
Exemplarity in the NEB Context
The project is exemplary because it integrates Beauty, Sustainability, and Togetherness without trade-offs:
• Beauty: Through the "Aesthetic Building Code," it ensures the use of traditional materials and techniques (stone, wood) that respect the town's sensory identity. Specific projects for significant spaces are being drafted
• Togetherness: It is built on "life stories"—23 in-depth interviews with neighbors—ensuring that the recovery respects the community's emotional memory and intangible heritage.
By applying the "Resilience Triangle" methodology, Letur demonstrates how a historic center can adapt to global challenges while strengthening its local social fabric.
Sustainability Objectives & Implementation
The initiative addresses the NEB’s highest sustainability ambition—regeneration—by focusing on:
• Climate Resilience: Instead of literal reconstruction, the plan establishes an "image-objective" that reduces systemic vulnerability. It integrates advanced hydraulic infrastructure (interceptors, flood mitigation) to manage future extreme climate events.
• Repurposing & Circularity: The plan identifies urban voids created by demolitions as opportunities for public space expansion or high-efficiency affordable housing (the BAC project). This aligns with NEB’s goal of rethinking products and places to minimize material use.
• Traditional Hydraulic Recovery: It restores the centuries-old network of acequias (irrigation ditches) and mills, treating water not as a threat but as a living asset integrated into the urban fabric and people´s identity.
Exemplarity in the NEB Context
The project is exemplary because it integrates Beauty, Sustainability, and Togetherness without trade-offs:
• Beauty: Through the "Aesthetic Building Code," it ensures the use of traditional materials and techniques (stone, wood) that respect the town's sensory identity. Specific projects for significant spaces are being drafted
• Togetherness: It is built on "life stories"—23 in-depth interviews with neighbors—ensuring that the recovery respects the community's emotional memory and intangible heritage.
By applying the "Resilience Triangle" methodology, Letur demonstrates how a historic center can adapt to global challenges while strengthening its local social fabric.
The MPRHCL aligns with the NEB by prioritizing aesthetics and quality of experience through a design that activates the town’s unique cultural and sensory qualities.
Key Objectives and Implementation
• Sensory and Contextual Activation: The initiative aims to improve well-being by integrating Letur's "identity of water", derived from its andalusian origin and its water management, into the urban fabric. This is achieved by restoring the traditional hydraulic system (acequias and fountains) and natural pools like "Las Canales," ensuring water remains a visible and audible asset rather than a hidden risk.
• Aesthetic Coherence: the "Aesthetic Building Code" regulates building envelopes to ensure the use of local materials (stone, "tapial", wood) and traditional colors (ochre, lime), maintaining the town's visual harmony.
• Cultural Experience: A primary objective is returning intangible heritage to its physical roots. By restoring traditional sites like "El Malecón" and the "Las Canales," the plan ensures that local festivals (bull runs, Bel-Arte, Leturalma) can return to their original settings, fostering a deep sense of belonging.
• Quality of Life through Design: Beyond beauty, the plan improves the human experience through universal accessibility, transforming steep, damaged paths into single-platform streets with integrated lighting and rest areas.
Exemplary Character
The initiative is exemplary in its approach to "creative destruction". Rather than literal reconstruction, it views ruins as opportunities to:
1. Musealize Heritage: New voids have exposed medieval wall remains, which will be integrated into the new Tourist Office design.
2. Create Symbolic Spaces: The most affected areas are being transformed into "places of memory," naturalizing ruins to offer space for reflection without "revictimizing" the community.
By adopting the philosophy of "faire avec" (making with), Letur treats the town as a living process rather than a static product.
Key Objectives and Implementation
• Sensory and Contextual Activation: The initiative aims to improve well-being by integrating Letur's "identity of water", derived from its andalusian origin and its water management, into the urban fabric. This is achieved by restoring the traditional hydraulic system (acequias and fountains) and natural pools like "Las Canales," ensuring water remains a visible and audible asset rather than a hidden risk.
• Aesthetic Coherence: the "Aesthetic Building Code" regulates building envelopes to ensure the use of local materials (stone, "tapial", wood) and traditional colors (ochre, lime), maintaining the town's visual harmony.
• Cultural Experience: A primary objective is returning intangible heritage to its physical roots. By restoring traditional sites like "El Malecón" and the "Las Canales," the plan ensures that local festivals (bull runs, Bel-Arte, Leturalma) can return to their original settings, fostering a deep sense of belonging.
• Quality of Life through Design: Beyond beauty, the plan improves the human experience through universal accessibility, transforming steep, damaged paths into single-platform streets with integrated lighting and rest areas.
Exemplary Character
The initiative is exemplary in its approach to "creative destruction". Rather than literal reconstruction, it views ruins as opportunities to:
1. Musealize Heritage: New voids have exposed medieval wall remains, which will be integrated into the new Tourist Office design.
2. Create Symbolic Spaces: The most affected areas are being transformed into "places of memory," naturalizing ruins to offer space for reflection without "revictimizing" the community.
By adopting the philosophy of "faire avec" (making with), Letur treats the town as a living process rather than a static product.
The MPRHC prioritizes inclusion by transforming post-disaster reconstruction into a platform for social equity, universal accessibility, and community empowerment.
Accessibility and Universal Design
A core objective is addressing the historical deficits in the town's habitability. The plan implements "design for all" principles by converting damaged, steep paths into single-platform streets. Specific projects, such as the "Cuesta de las Moreras" street and the "Las Canales" natural pools, incorporate simplified levels and ramps to ensure these iconic site´s accesibility is improved for elderly residents and individuals with reduced mobility, reintegrating them into daily social life.
Affordability and New Societal Models
To address the "demographic challenge," the initiative promotes affordable housing and rental models through the rehabilitation of municipal buildings. A flagship project is the "Los Cárabos Artistic Neighbourhood" (BAC), which repurposes urban voids to create social housing and coworking art spaces. This fosters a new societal model where traditional residents and new inhabitants (artists and artisans) coexist, revitalizing the local economy and social fabric.
Inclusive Governing Systems
The project utilizes a bottom-up, multi-level governance model centered on the "Mesa del Casco" (Board of the historic centre) which is detailed in later sections.
Exemplary Character
Letur serves as an exemplary initiative by refusing to "fossilize" heritage; instead, it views "creative destruction" as an opportunity to fix pre-existing social and physical barriers. By restoring the original settings for traditional festivals—such as Las Canales natural pool , or "El Malecón" for bloodless taurine events—the plan safeguards the social structures that act as the town’s identity and ultimate safety net. It demonstrates the highest New European Bauhaus ambition: transitioning from a crisis to a more just, resilient, and inclusive way of living together
Accessibility and Universal Design
A core objective is addressing the historical deficits in the town's habitability. The plan implements "design for all" principles by converting damaged, steep paths into single-platform streets. Specific projects, such as the "Cuesta de las Moreras" street and the "Las Canales" natural pools, incorporate simplified levels and ramps to ensure these iconic site´s accesibility is improved for elderly residents and individuals with reduced mobility, reintegrating them into daily social life.
Affordability and New Societal Models
To address the "demographic challenge," the initiative promotes affordable housing and rental models through the rehabilitation of municipal buildings. A flagship project is the "Los Cárabos Artistic Neighbourhood" (BAC), which repurposes urban voids to create social housing and coworking art spaces. This fosters a new societal model where traditional residents and new inhabitants (artists and artisans) coexist, revitalizing the local economy and social fabric.
Inclusive Governing Systems
The project utilizes a bottom-up, multi-level governance model centered on the "Mesa del Casco" (Board of the historic centre) which is detailed in later sections.
Exemplary Character
Letur serves as an exemplary initiative by refusing to "fossilize" heritage; instead, it views "creative destruction" as an opportunity to fix pre-existing social and physical barriers. By restoring the original settings for traditional festivals—such as Las Canales natural pool , or "El Malecón" for bloodless taurine events—the plan safeguards the social structures that act as the town’s identity and ultimate safety net. It demonstrates the highest New European Bauhaus ambition: transitioning from a crisis to a more just, resilient, and inclusive way of living together
The MPRHCL is exemplary in its application of the NEB working principles—participatory process, multi-level engagement, and a transdisciplinary approach—ensuring the recovery is both technically sound and socially rooted.
1. Participatory Process and Citizen Involvement
The initiative is built on a bottom-up governance model that treats citizens as the primary "depositories" of heritage.
Role and Level: Citizens acted as key advisors through 23 in-depth interviews used to construct "life stories," ensuring the plan reflects Letur’s emotional and intangible values. Civil society is formalised through the "Mesa del Casco" (Board of the historic centre), a multi-stakeholder forum involving institutions, neighborhood, cultural, and women's associations in monitoring and reflection.
Impact: This involvement directly shaped technical outcomes; for instance, the complete repaving of Letur was decided by the neighborhood association to ensure aesthetic and functional alignment with local needs. It ensures that the restoration of physical spaces, like El Malecón, facilitates the return of traditional festivals which act as a vital social safety net.
2. Multi-level Engagement
The plan coordinates actions horizontally and vertically across three administration levels: the State (Ministries of Culture and Territorial Policy), the Autonomous Region (Junta de Castilla La Mancha), and the Local Authority (Ayuntamiento de Letur). This is reinforced by international funding, including the European Solidarity Fund (FSUE), which provides funding for resilient infrastructure.
3. Transdisciplinary Approach
The project merges high-tech scientific data with traditional knowledge:
Team Composition: The redacting team includes PhD architects, civil engineers, anthropologists, agronomists, and urban economists.
Knowledge Integration: The initiative blends advanced 3D LIDAR technology for landscape capture with ethnographic analysis to protect the townsa "identity of water".
1. Participatory Process and Citizen Involvement
The initiative is built on a bottom-up governance model that treats citizens as the primary "depositories" of heritage.
Role and Level: Citizens acted as key advisors through 23 in-depth interviews used to construct "life stories," ensuring the plan reflects Letur’s emotional and intangible values. Civil society is formalised through the "Mesa del Casco" (Board of the historic centre), a multi-stakeholder forum involving institutions, neighborhood, cultural, and women's associations in monitoring and reflection.
Impact: This involvement directly shaped technical outcomes; for instance, the complete repaving of Letur was decided by the neighborhood association to ensure aesthetic and functional alignment with local needs. It ensures that the restoration of physical spaces, like El Malecón, facilitates the return of traditional festivals which act as a vital social safety net.
2. Multi-level Engagement
The plan coordinates actions horizontally and vertically across three administration levels: the State (Ministries of Culture and Territorial Policy), the Autonomous Region (Junta de Castilla La Mancha), and the Local Authority (Ayuntamiento de Letur). This is reinforced by international funding, including the European Solidarity Fund (FSUE), which provides funding for resilient infrastructure.
3. Transdisciplinary Approach
The project merges high-tech scientific data with traditional knowledge:
Team Composition: The redacting team includes PhD architects, civil engineers, anthropologists, agronomists, and urban economists.
Knowledge Integration: The initiative blends advanced 3D LIDAR technology for landscape capture with ethnographic analysis to protect the townsa "identity of water".
The MPRHCL implements a multi-level engagement strategy, coordinating actions vertically and horizontally across local, regional, national, and European scales to ensure a resilient recovery.
1. Administrative Levels and Roles
• Local (Ayuntamiento de Letur): As the primary actor and property owner, the City Council manages urban planning and daily recovery operations. They established the Citizen Attention Office to coordinate immediate aid and serve as the direct link to the community.
• Regional (Junta de Castilla-La Mancha): Provides technical and social coordination. Public ompanies like TRAGSA and GICAMAN conducted initial damage assessments (triaging), while the Regional Culture Department set heritage restoration priorities.
• National (Government of Spain): The Ministry of Culture promoted the MPRHCL, ensuring it aligns with national heritage laws. The Confederación Hidrográfica del Segura (CHS) manages critical hydraulic infrastructure to prevent future flooding.
• European (European Commission): Funding via the FSUE is earmarked for restoring essential services and protecting cultural heritage.
2. Civil Society and Academic Involvement
• Stakeholders: Local associations (e.g., "Los Carabos," women’s groups) and the "Mesa del Casco" forum and permanent work group ensure that citizen sentiment directly informs technical decisions.
• Transdisciplinary Collaboration: Academic partners, including UPM, UPC, Robert Gordon University (RGU, UK), La Sapienza (IT), provided advanced 3D LIDAR tech data, merging scientific precision with local knowledge.
3. Added Value of Engagement
This multi-level framework transforms the project from a local repair job into a systemic transformation. Vertical coordination allows local needs to access international funds (FSUE), while horizontal collaboration between engineers and anthropologists ensures that technical infrastructure—like the new hydraulic interceptors—respects the town’s sensory and historical identity.
1. Administrative Levels and Roles
• Local (Ayuntamiento de Letur): As the primary actor and property owner, the City Council manages urban planning and daily recovery operations. They established the Citizen Attention Office to coordinate immediate aid and serve as the direct link to the community.
• Regional (Junta de Castilla-La Mancha): Provides technical and social coordination. Public ompanies like TRAGSA and GICAMAN conducted initial damage assessments (triaging), while the Regional Culture Department set heritage restoration priorities.
• National (Government of Spain): The Ministry of Culture promoted the MPRHCL, ensuring it aligns with national heritage laws. The Confederación Hidrográfica del Segura (CHS) manages critical hydraulic infrastructure to prevent future flooding.
• European (European Commission): Funding via the FSUE is earmarked for restoring essential services and protecting cultural heritage.
2. Civil Society and Academic Involvement
• Stakeholders: Local associations (e.g., "Los Carabos," women’s groups) and the "Mesa del Casco" forum and permanent work group ensure that citizen sentiment directly informs technical decisions.
• Transdisciplinary Collaboration: Academic partners, including UPM, UPC, Robert Gordon University (RGU, UK), La Sapienza (IT), provided advanced 3D LIDAR tech data, merging scientific precision with local knowledge.
3. Added Value of Engagement
This multi-level framework transforms the project from a local repair job into a systemic transformation. Vertical coordination allows local needs to access international funds (FSUE), while horizontal collaboration between engineers and anthropologists ensures that technical infrastructure—like the new hydraulic interceptors—respects the town’s sensory and historical identity.
The MPRHCL implements a transdisciplinary approach that merges high-level technical expertise with traditional and local knowledge.
Disciplines and Knowledge Fields
The project integrates a diverse array of fields, including:
• Architecture and Engineering: Led by PhD architects and civil engineers, the team is supported by specialists in landscape design and 3D LIDAR data capture.
• Environmental and Social Sciences: The team includes environmental scientists, agronomists, geographers, and art historians.
• Humanities and Economics: Specialists in anthropology and urban economy ensure the recovery respects the community's "life stories" and addresses demographic challenges.
• Legal: Law experts provide the necessary framework for structural governance and land acquisition.
Interaction and Collaboration
Interaction occurs through a multi-level governance structure designed to bridge theory and practice:
1. Strategic Synthesis: The MPRHCL team is the same group redacting the long-term Municipal Planning (POM), allowing emergency recovery to be synchronized with future urban strategies.
2. Cross-Sectoral Work: Civil engineers work directly with heritage experts to ensure that structural reinforcements, such as micropilotage, are aesthetically integrated and respect traditional building envelopes.
3. Knowledge Hybridization: Technicians merge scientific data (LIDAR scans) with ethnographic research from 23 interviews with residents, ensuring the technical plan reflects Letur’s emotional and intangible heritage.
Added Value
This interaction transforms the project from a simple repair effort into a systemic transformation. By combining hydrology with anthropology, the plan ensures that flood mitigation reduces vulnerability without erasing the "identity of water" central to the town. Furthermore, the synergy between legal and technical fields enables "creative destruction"ensuring Letur remains a resilient, living process rather than a fossilized product.
Disciplines and Knowledge Fields
The project integrates a diverse array of fields, including:
• Architecture and Engineering: Led by PhD architects and civil engineers, the team is supported by specialists in landscape design and 3D LIDAR data capture.
• Environmental and Social Sciences: The team includes environmental scientists, agronomists, geographers, and art historians.
• Humanities and Economics: Specialists in anthropology and urban economy ensure the recovery respects the community's "life stories" and addresses demographic challenges.
• Legal: Law experts provide the necessary framework for structural governance and land acquisition.
Interaction and Collaboration
Interaction occurs through a multi-level governance structure designed to bridge theory and practice:
1. Strategic Synthesis: The MPRHCL team is the same group redacting the long-term Municipal Planning (POM), allowing emergency recovery to be synchronized with future urban strategies.
2. Cross-Sectoral Work: Civil engineers work directly with heritage experts to ensure that structural reinforcements, such as micropilotage, are aesthetically integrated and respect traditional building envelopes.
3. Knowledge Hybridization: Technicians merge scientific data (LIDAR scans) with ethnographic research from 23 interviews with residents, ensuring the technical plan reflects Letur’s emotional and intangible heritage.
Added Value
This interaction transforms the project from a simple repair effort into a systemic transformation. By combining hydrology with anthropology, the plan ensures that flood mitigation reduces vulnerability without erasing the "identity of water" central to the town. Furthermore, the synergy between legal and technical fields enables "creative destruction"ensuring Letur remains a resilient, living process rather than a fossilized product.
We are facing a moment of Copernican turn. Institutionalised urban planning operates within a range of certainty and thus proposes future models according with this range. Catastrophic events not only take place, but due to various factors (climate change, accelerated human impact) they are set to become more frequent. Urban planning must take this into account and incorporate uncertainty as a fundamental factor. In contrast, post-disaster recovery planning and design, due to the supposed (and erroneous) exceptional nature of the disaster itself, focuses on the implementation of recovery measures. The innovation of the Letur plan lies in breaking down the conceptual barrier between orthodox planning and recovery planning, by accepting risk and uncertainty as inseparable aspects of the territory.
In Letur,´s this is particularly relevant, as it is a historic and artistic site designated by the heritage conservation authority (Spain´s Ministry of Culture). Letur is a mature municipality, dating back over a thousand years, which, by definition, has incorporated the relationship with uncertainty into its own urban development, such that the recovery plan assumes that the urban form is also the product of a specific relationship with the perception of risk.
Innovation involves incorporating risk and uncertainty as evolutionary factors, rather than as extraordinary events. In this way, resilience is conceived not merely as the ability to return to the pre-disaster state, but as yet another evolutionary factor; consequently, the plan does not aim for mere reconstruction, but rather for steering towards a better, more resilient future. The space-society complex is a learning system. Applying Second-order Complex Systems Theory (learning systems), the plan develops innovative techniques to achieve a consensual (guaranteed by "Mesa del Casco" permanent work group), better future, rather than restoring the past, which, moreover, would be impossible and even undesirable.
In Letur,´s this is particularly relevant, as it is a historic and artistic site designated by the heritage conservation authority (Spain´s Ministry of Culture). Letur is a mature municipality, dating back over a thousand years, which, by definition, has incorporated the relationship with uncertainty into its own urban development, such that the recovery plan assumes that the urban form is also the product of a specific relationship with the perception of risk.
Innovation involves incorporating risk and uncertainty as evolutionary factors, rather than as extraordinary events. In this way, resilience is conceived not merely as the ability to return to the pre-disaster state, but as yet another evolutionary factor; consequently, the plan does not aim for mere reconstruction, but rather for steering towards a better, more resilient future. The space-society complex is a learning system. Applying Second-order Complex Systems Theory (learning systems), the plan develops innovative techniques to achieve a consensual (guaranteed by "Mesa del Casco" permanent work group), better future, rather than restoring the past, which, moreover, would be impossible and even undesirable.
Addressing a complex problem requires a complex methodology that combines techniques from urban planning, heritage conservation and cultural landscape planning.
A key principle is avoiding a fixed target image for the future, especially one based on returning to the pre-disaster situation. Instead, disaster is understood as part of the socio-territorial system and therefore as an opportunity for transformation and learning.
The process begins by identifying the values that shape the identity of the system, mainly intangible values supported by material structures. This leads to a distinction between structure and system: structure refers to physical spaces and material elements, while the system consists of the socio-spatial relationships that drive its evolution.
Public participation is therefore essential. The process identifies both desires and fears, as well as perceptions of risk and opportunities for improvement. Participation uses anthropological methods that reconstruct life stories and local experiences as projections toward possible futures.
Techniques from landscape design are also incorporated. Landscape is understood as the visible expression of the evolving spatial system rather than the direct object of the project. Instead of designing places, the project designs structures that guide and orient the system’s evolution. This reflects the idea of faire avec (“making with”): orienting processes rather than imposing forms, since places are social constructs rather than purely technical outcomes.
Strategies and actions are then defined. Each strategy is implemented through feasible actions, identifying resources and stakeholders, while the plan coordinates the overall process through "Mesa del Casco".
Authorities at national, regional and local levels, as well as different sectors such as planning, heritage, economy and services, are involved. The result is nor a top-down plan but a coordinated and communicative framework involving multiple actors
A key principle is avoiding a fixed target image for the future, especially one based on returning to the pre-disaster situation. Instead, disaster is understood as part of the socio-territorial system and therefore as an opportunity for transformation and learning.
The process begins by identifying the values that shape the identity of the system, mainly intangible values supported by material structures. This leads to a distinction between structure and system: structure refers to physical spaces and material elements, while the system consists of the socio-spatial relationships that drive its evolution.
Public participation is therefore essential. The process identifies both desires and fears, as well as perceptions of risk and opportunities for improvement. Participation uses anthropological methods that reconstruct life stories and local experiences as projections toward possible futures.
Techniques from landscape design are also incorporated. Landscape is understood as the visible expression of the evolving spatial system rather than the direct object of the project. Instead of designing places, the project designs structures that guide and orient the system’s evolution. This reflects the idea of faire avec (“making with”): orienting processes rather than imposing forms, since places are social constructs rather than purely technical outcomes.
Strategies and actions are then defined. Each strategy is implemented through feasible actions, identifying resources and stakeholders, while the plan coordinates the overall process through "Mesa del Casco".
Authorities at national, regional and local levels, as well as different sectors such as planning, heritage, economy and services, are involved. The result is nor a top-down plan but a coordinated and communicative framework involving multiple actors
Letur represents a distinctive yet not exceptional case within the European context. While every disaster and place is unique, they are also inseparable from Europe’s broader spatial and historical framework. Across the continent, numerous small and medium-sized towns of medieval origin share similar urban structures and forms. Their heritage and identity are not static; these places are living environments rather than frozen monuments.
The MPRHCL should therefore be understood not simply as a technical reconstruction project, but as a laboratory for research and experimentation on how to intervene in spaces of high heritage value after a natural or socio-natural disaster. Instead of focusing on isolated elements, the plan adopts a systemic approach to heritage. It emphasizes relational and communicative values—how spaces, communities, and histories interact—rather than prioritizing the restoration of individual objects.
The objective is not mimetic reconstruction for its own sake. Historically, such towns have endured multiple uncertain events and have evolved through them without losing their core identity and values. The project thus aims to contribute to a method of intervention that respects heritage significance while avoiding the treatment of historic settlements as untouchable monuments whose only solution is exact reconstruction.
To achieve this, the plan applies innovative approaches such as the resilience triangle and the exploration of desirable futures within a range of possible scenarios, framing the town as a learning urban system. Through participatory processes, community aspirations—described as “strategies of desire”—are examined and translated into potential actions. In this way, the plan becomes a forward-looking scenario for a system that has learned from disaster and reduced its vulnerability.
Ultimately, the value of the Letur experience lies in its methodological replicability. The concepts and techniques developed can guide
The MPRHCL should therefore be understood not simply as a technical reconstruction project, but as a laboratory for research and experimentation on how to intervene in spaces of high heritage value after a natural or socio-natural disaster. Instead of focusing on isolated elements, the plan adopts a systemic approach to heritage. It emphasizes relational and communicative values—how spaces, communities, and histories interact—rather than prioritizing the restoration of individual objects.
The objective is not mimetic reconstruction for its own sake. Historically, such towns have endured multiple uncertain events and have evolved through them without losing their core identity and values. The project thus aims to contribute to a method of intervention that respects heritage significance while avoiding the treatment of historic settlements as untouchable monuments whose only solution is exact reconstruction.
To achieve this, the plan applies innovative approaches such as the resilience triangle and the exploration of desirable futures within a range of possible scenarios, framing the town as a learning urban system. Through participatory processes, community aspirations—described as “strategies of desire”—are examined and translated into potential actions. In this way, the plan becomes a forward-looking scenario for a system that has learned from disaster and reduced its vulnerability.
Ultimately, the value of the Letur experience lies in its methodological replicability. The concepts and techniques developed can guide
The MPRHCL is a long-term strategic initiative that transforms the reconstruction following the 2024 DANA into a process of urban and social regeneration
The initiative follows a 7-year prioritized roadmap (2025–2032) to ensure a stable recovery
Planned Activities and Implementation
Priority 1 (Years 1–2): Focuses on urgent infrastructure, including a hydraulic interceptor for flood mitigation and terrain stabilization (micropiloting) in high-risk areas like Barranco or Portalicos
Priority 2 (Years 2–4): Involves the reurbanization of iconic spaces (e.g., Cuesta de las Moreras) and the restoration of traditional building envelopes
Priority 3 (Years 4–5): Centers on social revitalization through Los Cárabos Artistic Neighbourhood (BAC), creating affordable social housing and artistic coworking spaces
Priority 4 (Year 4+): Addresses long-term demographic and tourism goals
Incorporation of NEB Values and Principles
The plan integrates the New European Bauhaus (NEB) framework to ensure high-quality recovery:
Sustainability: Treat the traditional hydraulic system (acequias, irrigation ditches) as a nature-based solution for resilience
Beauty: A strict "Aesthetic Building Code" ensures building materials (stone, wood) and lighting respect the town’s sensory identity
Togetherness: Prioritizes universal accessibility (single-platform streets) and affordable housing (BAC) to combat depopulation
Working Principles: The MP is built on 23 neighbor "life story" interviews and is managed by a transdisciplinary team of architects, engineers, and anthropologists
Key Steps for Implementation
Bottom-Up Governance: Activating the "Mesa del Casco" as a formal forum for citizen monitoring and reflection
Financial Synergy: Executing the funding from FSUE and other instances for critical infrastructure
Creative Destruction: Repurposing ruins into "places of memory"
Impact Monitoring Evaluating semiannual "indicators of compliance" for budget execution and social impact
The initiative follows a 7-year prioritized roadmap (2025–2032) to ensure a stable recovery
Planned Activities and Implementation
Priority 1 (Years 1–2): Focuses on urgent infrastructure, including a hydraulic interceptor for flood mitigation and terrain stabilization (micropiloting) in high-risk areas like Barranco or Portalicos
Priority 2 (Years 2–4): Involves the reurbanization of iconic spaces (e.g., Cuesta de las Moreras) and the restoration of traditional building envelopes
Priority 3 (Years 4–5): Centers on social revitalization through Los Cárabos Artistic Neighbourhood (BAC), creating affordable social housing and artistic coworking spaces
Priority 4 (Year 4+): Addresses long-term demographic and tourism goals
Incorporation of NEB Values and Principles
The plan integrates the New European Bauhaus (NEB) framework to ensure high-quality recovery:
Sustainability: Treat the traditional hydraulic system (acequias, irrigation ditches) as a nature-based solution for resilience
Beauty: A strict "Aesthetic Building Code" ensures building materials (stone, wood) and lighting respect the town’s sensory identity
Togetherness: Prioritizes universal accessibility (single-platform streets) and affordable housing (BAC) to combat depopulation
Working Principles: The MP is built on 23 neighbor "life story" interviews and is managed by a transdisciplinary team of architects, engineers, and anthropologists
Key Steps for Implementation
Bottom-Up Governance: Activating the "Mesa del Casco" as a formal forum for citizen monitoring and reflection
Financial Synergy: Executing the funding from FSUE and other instances for critical infrastructure
Creative Destruction: Repurposing ruins into "places of memory"
Impact Monitoring Evaluating semiannual "indicators of compliance" for budget execution and social impact
