Santorini’s Urban Landscape: Integrating Heritage, Memory, and Spatial Design

Santorini’s urban landscape serves as both a historical and geological record, shaped by its Minoan heritage, the Bronze Age settlement of Akrotiri, and its volcanic transformations. The island’s vernacular architecture, including whitewashed cave dwellings, blue-domed churches, and compact street networks, represents a tangible expression of its cultural memory. This research examines how these architectural elements function as both repositories of historical narratives and structural frameworks for contemporary urban design while offering adaptable frameworks for contemporary urban resilience. The study explores the role of landscape architecture in preserving and interpreting embedded cultural memories through participatory design methodologies. Santorini’s distinctive topography, sculpted by the Aegean Sea and shaped by repeated volcanic activity, provides a crucial framework for examining the relationship between natural and built environments in constructing place identity. The research evaluates how spatial configurations influence collective memory, social engagement, and adaptive reuse of historical forms. Public engagement and heritage interpretation strategies are considered essential in ensuring that intangible cultural assets are recognized and integrated into contemporary urban design. Examining the interaction between traditional settlements and evolving public spaces, the study aims to identify methods through which historical narratives can be made more accessible while reinforcing a shared sense of identity. Santorini’s built environment, deeply connected to its geological past, offers a model for understanding how landscape and architecture shape long-term social and cultural resilience. By investigating how traditional spatial arrangements promote interaction and community resilience, this research highlights the role of landscape architects in balancing heritage conservation with modern urban needs. The findings contribute to broader discussions on the intersection of memory, vernacular heritage, and contemporary landscape practices, ensuring that shared spaces remain meaningful, inclusive, and reflective of their historical and environmental context. The objective of the study is to bridge the gap between heritage preservation and evolving urban development, offering insights into how participatory design, place-based identity, and adaptive reuse strategies can be applied to culturally significant landscapes like Santorini. The results will inform approaches to designing resilient urban spaces that maintain historical integrity while supporting contemporary social dynamics. By examining how cultural memory is embedded in architectural and landscape forms, this research provides a framework for integrating heritage values into sustainable urban development practices.