Heritage Perceptions: An Approach for the Revitalization of the Urban Experiences and the French Checkboard Image

Abstract

Our human reality is the evidence for the historical and cultural transfers from our ancestor’s legacies. Understanding authentic experiences in cities and architectural values carries the importance of its inheritance and meanings to our identities. The urban scene conception and cultural landscapes in the city follow the identification of the receptive interactions of the physical and the perceptual dimensions of a defined space. The se quencing of the historical memories forms the relatable images and the observable variations of the built environment. People’s perceptions and appreciation of their architectural and urban heritage become the indicator for generating a sense of place and symbolic character . The legacy of North African cities is related to the colonial past, where the design qualities produced during that period remain the focal interest of modern researches. By revisiting the urban scenery of the colonial times in Algeria, the French historical center’s study in the city of Biskra aims to approach the potentials of the French-built heritage according to the improvement of the urban ambiance in the site and the patrimonial experiences of its users. The objective is to adapt the significant values and poten tial of the site, along with the requalification of its cultural landmarks and urban perspectives. The research methodology consists of investigating the right strategies towards a comprehensive and sustainable elaboration of the French models in Algeria.