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Traditional “hórreos”, vernacular granaries widely distributed across northern Spain, constitute a highly valuable form of cultural heritage due to their historical, architectural, and ethnographic significance. However, their progressive deterioration, dispersion in rural contexts, and limited maintenance resources pose significant challenges for their long-term conservation. This research article explores the potential of the Historic/Heritage Building Information Modelling (HBIM) methodology as an innovative and effective tool for the documentation, analysis, conservation, and management of “hórreos” as cultural heritage assets. The study proposes an HBIM-based workflow adapted to the specific characteristics of “hórreos”, integrating data acquisition techniques such as laser scanning, photogrammetry, and historical archival research with parametric modelling of traditional construction elements. The resulting HBIM models are conceived not only as geometric representations, but as comprehensive digital repositories that store historical data, construction techniques, materials, conservation states, and recorded pathologies. The research analyses how HBIM supports decision-making in restoration planning and enables preventive maintenance strategies over time. Furthermore, the article discusses the role of HBIM in improving heritage management at a territorial scale, enabling standardised inventories and supporting institutional protection policies. The potential of HBIM for heritage dissemination, education, and digital preservation is also examined. The results highlight HBIM as a powerful and adaptable methodology that contributes to a more sustainable, informed, and holistic approach to the conservation of “hórreos”, enhancing both their physical preservation and their transmission as living cultural heritage.
Fernández et al. (Tue,) studied this question.