Corpus

Inventory of vernacular buildings throughout the Mediterranean

CORPUS aimed to raise awareness and knowledge of traditional buildings and construction techniques throughout the Mediterranean, and this could only be done once buildings were identified and categorised. Many had been damaged during World War II, neglected, or demolished to make way for new development.To be included in the CORPUS inventory, it did not matter if the buildings were good, bad or even ugly, they only had to be the ‘pre-industrial’ product of a regional culture, most likely not designed by an architect, and built using local materials and traditional techniques.The variety of technique and material bears witness to the ingenuity and needs of peoples throughout the Mediterranean.
CORPUS had unforeseen benefits. Its work has helped governments and local authorities appreciate traditional architecture as a record of social, economic and cultural life. In Jordan, the information marshalled by CORPUS has led to a collaboration (between the Ministries of Culture,Tourism, and the Ministry of Town and Rural Affairs) that will make planners more aware of the need to protect traditional buildings, and of their potential as a catalyst for urban regeneration and tourism.This is a positive outcome, but also a reminder that heritage projects have little impact if decision makers ignore their recommendations.