Ponencia presentada a Session 9: Forma urbana y relaciones entre historia y proyecto: el medio ambiente como patrimonio / Urban form and relationships between design and history: environmental heritage, arquitecture and planningThe purpose of this paper is to study the cubas – small constructions known for their domes painted with whitewash – specifically those located in the “kûra” of Beja in Portugal. Although we can pinpoint the existence of many of these buildings in the Beja territorial area, many questions remain about them, such as: What was the purpose of the cubas? When were they built? What is their origin? In order to try and answer these questions, I will be following two methods of analysis. First, I will focus on the correlation that exists between these buildings and the landscape in which they are located. This can shed some light on the reason behind their construction and the purpose of this type of structures. Secondly, I will analyse the buildings themselves – with special attention given to the metric and constructive analysis – in order to clarify the period of construction and the origin of their architectural typology. With this project I also aim to raise awareness of both the academic community and the political decision-makers on the existence of these buildings and their importance for the understanding of Iberian-Islamic culture. And maybe this can eventually inspire political action that will lead to the forging of policies for the preservation of this important part of our architectural and cultural heritage
