INTEGRATED TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT AND RESTORATION STRATEGY FOR THE 'TOPULLI' HOUSE Revitalization Pathways and Advanced Digital Technologies

This research investigates the application of advanced digital technologies in the documentation, analysis, and conservation of this vernacular-built heritage, with a specific focus on the Cerciz Topulli House in Gjirokastra, Albania. Recognized as a key architectural and historical asset within the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the structure exemplifies 19th-century fortified domestic architecture characteristic of the region. The study was conducted as part of a collaborative restoration initiative in November 2024, involving the Faculty of Architecture, local governance units, and UNESCO. A multi-scale, data-driven methodology was implemented, integrating traditional architectural survey techniques with state-of-the-art tools including UAV-based photogrammetry, terrestrial laser scanning, and hybrid workflows in Building Information Modeling (BIM) and (hBIM). Detailed 3D geometric documentation facilitated structural assessments through finite element modeling (FEM), enabling the identification of material vulnerabilities and deformation patterns. Parametric modeling and digital reconstruction supported scenario-based analyses for future conservation planning. This interdisciplinary framework combining architectural heritage, structural diagnostics, and digital preservation demonstrates the efficacy of technologically enhanced approaches in safeguarding at-risk cultural assets. The outcomes contribute a replicable methodological model for heritage conservation in seismic and climatically sensitive contexts across the Balkan region.