Circular Evaluation for Ranking Adaptive Reuse Strategies for Abandoned Industrial Heritage in Vulnerable Contexts

In recent years, the adaptive reuse of abandoned and underutilized cultural heritage has proven to be a sustainable winning strategy for the implementation of a new model of urban development centered on the principles of the circular economy. Cultural heritage, therefore, represents the entry point for the implementation of this new urban development model, and adaptive reuse practices, if integrated into strategic visions, can represent a driver to trigger a transition towards completely circular sustainability processes. However, resource allocation decisions for the adaptive reuse of assets require significant investments in the face of scarce available resources and investment projects characterized by high uncertainties. In this context, multiple-criteria approaches provide an adequate theoretical and methodological framework to address the complexity characterizing the adaptive reuse strategies of cultural heritage, with specific attention to adaptive reuse strategies of unused public assets of abandoned industrial heritage. This paper fits into this line of research by proposing a multi-criteria decision-making approach capable of supporting the decision-maker in optimizing investment choices for a more efficient allocation of public resources. In detail, applying A’WOT analysis to support decisions allows for classifying adaptive reuse strategies and establishing intervention priorities, especially in fragile and vulnerable contexts. The results provide useful information for the complex decision-making phase relating to the preliminary feasibility of interventions and the subsequent verification of their financial sustainability. In detail, the application of A’WOT analysis to supporting decisions allows for classifying adaptive reuse strategies and establishing intervention priorities, especially in fragile and vulnerable contexts. The results provide useful information for the complex decision-making phase relating to the preliminary feasibility of project intervention and subsequent verification of its financial sustainability.