Preservation of Local Architectural Heritage in Slovenian Istria Against Coastal Flooding

Abstract. This article examines the problem of preserving the local architectural heritage of the town of Piran against of flooding. It presents an overview of the materials and techniques used in traditional construction in Piran and in the Sečovlje salt pans as well as it constitutes a review of the state of the flooding situation in these two places. The gap between what is done on the ground and the needs of the place have their source in the poor management of such emergency situations and the possible erroneous choice of techniques and materials used for the restauration of the infrastructure or buildings. The main conclusion is that, beyond crisis management, flood risks need to be considered in a holistic way, respecting the ancient knowledge or techniques and materials of construction, and including different stakeholders in order to better anticipate, organize and preserve the local and architectural heritage for future generations.