Surveying methods and instruments for heritage properties, using decision tree and Artificial Neural network analysis

Abstract

This paper demonstrates the application of surveying methodologies aiding the management of heritage properties, especially for UNESCO World Heritage sites. The objective of the current study is to provide an overview of the historical background of surveying a particular field of engineering and the related social environment. In Europe, all types of historic streets and avenues share a centuries-long common history. Investments financed by governments, capital or residential sources relating to these streets have provided opportunities for interesting architectural experiments. This study demonstrates the intensity of these investments and the morphological and functional changes in relation to their distance from the CBD. To achieve this objective, based on an on-line database of housing features and values, apartments (n = 1,031) from the range of Residential Real Estates in Teréz Town Budapest were collected. Data statistics tools included a Decision Tree and an Artificial Multi-layer Neural Network employed in order to analyse inequalities in price according to the condition of the property and available conveniences. The characteristics of monocentricity/polycentricity are shown to be adaptable elements that have been used historically in urban landscapes and can be implemented in urban design to enhance green spaces and improve the overall quality of urban life. As good examples, the Andrássy/Hübner - Court and the ICOMOS prize-winning renovation of the Wahrmann Palace are presented. Real estate can carry both real and philosophical meaning. Sometimes buildings express physical reality in the environment, at others, they have a symbolic meaning, e. g. an urban idyll, harmony with the habitat, local community, heritage property, wealth or poverty, integration or segregation of people or families. Functional changes support long-term decision-making for investors and city residents in search for better locations within global cityscapes.