Introduction: Unforeseen Paths towards impactful heritage-based actions

Within its multifaceted contexts, Architectural Heritage and its vestiges, voices, and values should be reconsidered to reshape the future of borderless territories and intergenerational communities. The use of adaptive methodologies, value-driven exploration, and civic engagement are crucial for paving new unforeseen paths in the cultural heritage domain. This chapter provides a brief overview of principles, trajectories, and opportunities enabled by digital exploration tools and advanced design approaches for analysing and preserving heritage sites. Rather than focusing on the distinctive characteristics of each tool used in the case study, we provide an overview of perspectives and findings from this editorial project to tackle the core question: How can we construct a value-centred model for a critical design process? These insights lay the foundation for future heritage-related practices that can improve people’s lives and serve as powerful catalysts for sustainable development.