This session gathers theoretical reflections and methodological suggestions for defining the meaning of grey heritage. The aim is not to create categories or lists (such as modern architecture, villages, disused industrial heritage, etc.), but rather to outline the features that unite grey heritage through possible definitions and comparisons. The objective, in short, is not to arrive at a single, shared definition of the term, but rather to compile a set of “possibilities” that guide strategies for its preservation. This session will also welcome contributions, if any, that trace a potential history of grey heritage, identifying the fields (academia, institutions, politics) where the theme first emerged in problematic terms.

This session is dedicated to contributions that document the limitations and potential of current tools and strategies—both in terms of preservation and planning—for the care of built environments on the margins, as previously defined, and highlight possible synergies between two worlds that rarely engage with each other. This area also includes contributions that offer a supranational perspective on the topic by comparing policies and potential models at the European scale.

The objective of this thematic session is the definition of possible new pathways, which, within an ambitious framework, could also guide future policies and rules for overcoming the current state. In this regard, contributions are welcomed that, even based on concrete experiences, suggest new directions and tools. Particularly useful in this sense is the contribution of technicians and experts from public administrations and the Ministry of Culture (MiC), as well as associations and institutions working on the territory.

This session gathers experiences stemming from virtuous projects or plans focused on the care of grey heritage. It offers a compendium of good practices, useful not only for reflecting on their outcomes but, more importantly, on the tools employed, thus evaluating their effectiveness. Once again, European experiences—well contextualized within the cultural, technical, and territorial frameworks in which they developed—may prove particularly valuable.