Exploring Sustainable Urban Identity through Experimental Aesthetics in Dialogue with Alhambra

This study investigates the future of sustainable urban identity through an experimental aesthetics approach informed by the spatial and perceptual intelligence of the Alhambra. The objective is not to recreate its historical forms, but to translate its architectural spirit, geometric clarity, and ecological sensibility into contemporary design strategies. Through this approach, the Alhambra is reframed as both a cultural inheritance and a forward-looking reference point capable of informing new models of urban sustainability. The research proposes design methods that enable the Alhambra to remain relevant within rapidly evolving social and ecological contexts. By integrating experimental aesthetics with sustainable design thinking, the study positions the monument as a living source of innovation rather than a static artefact. This perspective anticipates the emergence of contemporary architectural expressions that, while diverse in form and materiality, remain closely connected to the palace’s legacy of spatial coherence and environmental intelligence. These new expressions function as catalysts for renewing architectural and urban aesthetic consciousness. They foster a cyclical process in which historical environments continually inspire future design imaginaries, generating identities that evolve through adaptation rather than preservation alone. In this sense, the Alhambra becomes a generative system that mediates between memory and transformation, offering a model for urban identity that is culturally grounded, ecologically responsive, and aesthetically regenerative. Through this interdisciplinary inquiry, the study formulates a regenerative aesthetic framework for sustainable urban identity, drawing from the Alhambra’s spatial logic, sensory atmospheres, and ecological operations to guide the design of future urban environments.