Interpretation of the Protection of the Garisenda Tower in Bologna: A Study of Critical Success Factors Incorporating Local Community Viewpoints

The conservation of building heritage in danger (BHID) has been a longstanding and intricate matter, garnering widespread global attention. Although there has been much research conducted on monitoring, evaluation, restoration, and management in this subject, there is a lack of studies focusing on the perspective of heritage site communities and their possible negative implications. Thus, this study examines UNESCO and ICOMOS publications on building heritage preservation and Web of Science secondary substances on protecting at-risk heritage. The aim is to identify 24 success factors that significantly impact the protection of BHID. Subsequently, surveys were carried out among residents, merchants, visitors, and architectural specialists in the surrounding community, utilizing the leaning tower of Garisenda in Bologna, Italy, as a case study. The aim was to identify and analyze the crucial aspects that contribute to the success of BHID protection, considering the viewpoint of the community. The research findings identified twelve critical success factors. The community generally agrees that the most important factors for successful BHID protection are financial support, safety and risk assessment, government policy support, project organization and management, as well as the adoption of technologies and methodologies. However, there is also a recognized lack of awareness regarding the importance of community involvement and cooperation in BHID preservation efforts. Therefore, the study proposes enhancing community involvement in the Garisenda tower protection project to promote a balance between public and private interests. This will help minimize the adverse effects of conservation efforts on the community and achieve a more sustainable preservation of building heritage. These research outcomes not only apply to the protection of the Garisenda tower but also provide valuable insights and references for the practice and study of protecting other BHIDs.