HArchitHeC project focuses on rural and urban houses on the island of Crete (16th-18th centuries) through an interdisciplinary innovative approach relying on both material evidence and traditional sources. Its main goal is to study how the evolution and interaction of Venetian and Ottoman models built up a hybrid architecture in a colonial dimension and how they contributed to create the Cretan historic landscape.
The period of Venetian rule represents a major element for Cretan history: starting from middle age, Venice had taken control of the Balkans, Methoni and Coron, the Ionian and Aegean islands, and Crete as a colonial empire (the Stato da Mar). In the 16th century, socio-economic and built structures were fully developed on the island. In the following century, the Ottomans imposed their power on Crete and the other lands.
The Cretan house architecture dating to the Venetian period is today quite neglected: it is more scattered and less protected, compared to religious or military monuments. If in towns some traces are blend with recent edifices, the more remarkable remains are in the villages and the countryside, mostly consisting of inhabited or abandoned private houses, often in poor condition or ruined, when they are not used as quarries for new buildings. Therefore, a specific research on material and written sources to retrace the history of urban and rural houses is needed as a starting point to study the culture history of Crete. HArchitHeC project will study the involved cultural models starting from the places of the transfer: houses as the result of the interaction between landscape and society, and houses as prior elements to build up the urban fabric. Such a pilot project aspires to a wider comparative study between Crete and the nearby regions, starting with other Mediterranean islands (Rhodes and Cyprus at first). The study of Crete will also involve additional arguments on insularity as an important analytical tool in social studies: the overall goal of HArchitHeC is to explore those regions and heritage as analytical categories needing further elaboration.
Three main objectives were identified, that is to study:
1) Relations between houses, landscape and society. Venetian and Ottoman houses coexisted with Byzantine landscape structures, mostly villages and fortified settlements, especially in rural areas. How were houses adapted to the landscape? How did people shape the domestic space? What happened after the conflicts and natural disasters having affected Crete over the time? The project aims to perceive the built space in its materiality and historical evolution.
2) The adaptation of cultural models. The study of relations between Cretan and Venetian architectural models is rare, if we exclude some ancient works based on too few case studies. How were Venetian models reinterpreted? Can we identify different types or local variations? HArchitHeC will focus on the transfer of Venetian models to Crete and their adaptation to local skills, techniques and materials. It will track changes dating to the early Ottoman period, where they are still visible in the Venetian houses.
3) Strategies to recognise and protect built heritage. Because of the claim of Greek Antiquity, Venetian and Ottoman edifices were perceived as foreigner until the mid-20th century. However, a real recognition of Venetian and Ottoman cultural identity is today far from being achieved. Through focusing on everyday-life buildings, HArchitHeC intends to raise the awareness of the actors and a public action of recognition, in view of heritage enhancement.
