The Delphi analysis: smart conservation of architectural heritage as a mechanism for strengthening collective memory.

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Bahareh Bahramifar 1
Marzieh Azad Armaki 2
Bahram Saleh Sedghpour 3
1 Ph.D. Student in Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran, Iran.
2 Associate Professor, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran, Iran.
3 Associate Professor, Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran, Iran.
10.48311/bsnt.2026.119656.82929
Abstract
Aims: Beyond its physical form, Iran’s architectural heritage embodies layers of meaning and essences, some of which have been neglected or concealed through renovation and deterioration. This study aims to propose a conceptual model for intelligent conservation, emphasizing the reinterpretation of hidden values of architectural heritage and strengthening collective memory.

Methods: This study employed a qualitative approach using the Delphi method. The sample consisted of 10 university professors and experts in the field, selected through purposive and snowball sampling. First, related studies were reviewed to identify and organize the concepts and components in the literature. Since the initial findings were insufficient, the Delphi process and experts’ perspectives were used to complete the conceptual model.

Findings: The findings indicate that understanding Iranian architecture constitutes the core of the research model and, as a mediating process, enables the discovery of the hidden essences of architectural heritage. The final model was formulated as a six-component structure comprising main categories, causal conditions, contextual conditions, intervening conditions, strategies, and consequences. It emphasizes the interplay among contextual unity, interstitial identity, and the modelling of hidden values. The study’s principal contribution is a conceptual model grounded in expert consensus to explicate intelligent conservation, emphasizing the reinterpretation of architectural heritage’s hidden values to strengthen collective memory.

Conclusion: The findings show that intelligent conservation is a value-based approach that reinterprets the hidden values of architectural heritage and contributes to strengthening social participation and public memory-making. Integrating epistemological approaches with smart technologies enables its application in the contemporary context.
Keywords
Smart conservation
Iranian architectural heritage
heritage values
hidden values
collective memory
sustainability
Islamic-Iranian Identity
Subjects
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  • Receive Date 07 March 2026
  • Revise Date 17 August 2026
  • Accept Date 23 September 2026