Abstract
In the metropolitan area of Valencia, it is possible to distinguish residential areas that were independent municipalities several years ago. A lot of them have preserved their original morphology in their urban fabric. However these historical neighbourhoods have been modified by the economical dynamics of the metropolis and its expectations, due to their new situation of centrality achieved during the last decades. This article aims to propose a methodology for revitalizing those historical areas without monuments, from a re-interpretation of the concept of type such as it was developed by Quatremère de Quincy. The key topic is promoting this typological point of view as an alternative to other conservation strategies. As an example, this method is used in the analysis of El Cabanyal, an historical neighbourhood in Valencia. This approach is proposed as a tool to predict the future using the past, maintain the morphological characteristics of the historic urban fabrics, and reduce the risk of developing processes of gentrification and expulsion of the local population.
