The Office of Heritage of the Consell de Formentera has commissioned a team of archaeologists to draft plans to intervene at and restore the former penal colony of the island. This week preliminary efforts by the team involved drawing up an exhaustive planimetric survey of the remains. The work party is led by Felipe Mejías, a professional with extensive experience in the study of post-war prisons who is currently excavating the Albatera concentration camp in Alacant.

Promoting conservation
According to Raquel Guasch, heritage councillor, "the goal is to create a roadmap prioritising specific archaeological research and conservation actions to be carried out progressively". The former penal colony was designated a cultural interest site in 2014. "Whilst questions of land use are being resolved, the Office of Heritage sees advancing toward a space to dignify memory as crucial", said Councillor Guasch.

Field work
The three archaeological technicians –Mejías, Víctor Martínez and Eloy Poveda– are specialists in photogrammetrically recording and virtualising heritage assets and, for five days, thoroughly documented structures of the colony in field work. With centimetre precision, the crew geo-referenced the remains of barracks, piping and water storage ponds as well as the open spaces and walls marking the boundaries of the facility. They also used a camera-equipped drone to create a photographic record of the entire complex. With it, they hope to better understand the layout and characteristics of the complex and map it using orthophotos and geographic information systems (GIS). Finally, they will make 3D photogrammetric models of the most significant structures, such as a building were nets were stored and the remaining barracks.

14 April 2023
Office of Communication
Consell de Formentera

The Office of Heritage of the Consell de Formentera has completed plans to rehabilitate Can Ramon and revamp it as a museum. The project was developed by Formentera Can Ramon, a temporary joint venture formed by Kultura Ideas and Strategies for Patrimoni SL and Inès Vidal Farré, the architect who won the tender. On securing the approval and considerations of the Consell and the Technical Advisory Committee for Urban Planning, Spatial Planning and Historical Heritage (CTA), the project will go out to tender in the second half of the year.

Raquel Guasch, heritage councillor, cast the project as "the definitive boost" to the Museum of Formentera. As Guasch put it, "in terms of Formentera's heritage, Can Ramon constitutes unfinished business". "Today marks the start of the project and we will continue working on future museum spaces on the island".

Project engineers envision two exhibition spaces: one on the ground floor with a surface area of 210 m2, and the other, on the second floor, of 64 m2. It also includes a new 32 m building with reception, offices and ticket counter.

As set out in plans for the future Museum of Formentera which were drafted by Carles Fargas and Antoni Garau and commissioned by the Balearic Government, Can Ramon will focus on productive and expressive farming culture and include the Formentera Ethnographic Collection, which comprises a permanent exhibition of tools, utensils, furniture and clothing that make up a representative collection of traditional everyday life on Formentera.

The future Museum of Formentera is divided into three sites: Can Ramon; a newly constructed building on Carrer Sant Joan housing an exhibition and archaeological materials; and Sa Senieta, based on reproductive and expressive culture in domestic spheres. The museum is conceived as a "local museum" with various parts scattered around the island.

€200,000 for Sa Senieta project
Councillor Guasch indicated that the Consell would direct €200,000 from the Balearic Government to start developing the museum and rehabilitating the Sa Senieta building.

1 April 2023
Office of Communication
Consell de Formentera

The traditional cooking course organised by the Office of Heritage of the Consell de Formentera and Es Forn Gastronomic Association in the kitchen of Sant Ferran de ses Roques Primary School ended yesterday with a session on flaó. All told, roughly 80 people came out over the last three months to prepare traditional recipes such as sofrit pagès, guisat de peix, bullit d'ossos, peix escabetxat and flaó.

In attendance at the final session, Raquel Guasch, heritage councillor, congratulated and thanked the cooks of Es Forn — "not only for the success of this first traditional cooking course, but for their dedication and clear passion for passing on Formentera's hometown fare, which is undoubtedly a very important part of our heritage".

29 March 2023
Office of Communication
Consell de Formentera

The Office of Heritage of the Consell de Formentera is pleased to report that from 23 to 28 March, the island will host the second VerSus+ Heritage for People festival of Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV). The festival is organised in collaboration with other universities and research centres in Portugal, France and Italy and this year benefits from the participation of the Consell de Formentera. Approximately fifty people will participate in the event, which combines expert working sessions with activities for the general public.

The initiative aims to raise universal awareness of vernacular heritage. On Formentera, the 20-point programme will encompass lectures, workshops, an exhibition, family activities and working days. Participants will include experts from UPV, the universities of Cagliari and Florence, the CRAterre-ENSAG Association of France and Portucalense University.

In the words of Raquel Guasch, heritage councillor, "Formentera is helping to organise this event because it is an ideal opportunity to showcase our architecture, traditional techniques and local materials and to share them with experts from other countries. It is also a way to promote Formentera's heritage and cultural treasures and showcase our values in tourism".

Activities for the general public:
Thursday 23 March
7.00pm | Exhibition opening: 'Art i artesania per al futur de la tradició' (Centre Antoni Tur 'Gabrielet').

Friday 24 March
7.30pm | Heritage for People Lecture 1 (Sala de Plens)
- 'Formentera l'inici de la tradició'; Antoni Ferrer Abárzuza, cultural heritage specialist of the Consell de Formentera.
- 'La gestió del patrimoni cultural de Formentera';  Jaume Escandell, cultural heritage specialist of the Consell de Formentera.

Saturday 25 March
7.30pm | Heritage for People Lecture 2 (Sala de Plens)
- 'Documentación y estudio de la arquitectura vernácula'; Letizia Dipasquale, Alessandro Merlo, Saverio Mecca and Lucia Montoni (Università degli Studi di Firenze).
- 'Actividades de participación, formación y sensibilización sobre el patrimonio vernáculo'; Nuria Sánchez Muñoz (Centro International de la Construcción en Tierra).

Sunday 26 March
9.00am | Field work of the various groups
- The family game (Centre Antoni Tur 'Gabrielet', Sant Francesc)
7.30pm | Heritage for People Lecture 3
- 'El trabajo de gestión del Patrimonio Cultural Inmaterial de la Administración Pública para la salvaguardia de los conocimientos vernáculos'; Cristina Lafuente (General Subdirectorate of Management and Coordination of Cultural Assets of the Ministry of Culture and Sports).
- 'Strategies for the recognition and the enhancement of the cultural heritage in Sant'Antioco'; Maddalena Achenza, Pier Francesco Cherchi, Amanda Rivera Vidal (Università degli Studi di Cagliari).
- 'Documentación y difusión de la arquitectura vernácula, el proyecto 3D Past'; Ana Lima (Universidade Portucalense).

Monday 27 March
7.30pm | Heritage for People Lecture 4 (Sala de Plens)
- 'Experimentación con hormigón de cal y posidonia para una arquitectura contemporánea y sostenible'; Sara Ferran, Taller 11 (online).
- 'Una isla y su fibra: la madera de sabina en la arquitectura tradicional de Formentera'; Valentina Cristini (Universitat Politècnica de València).
- 'Presentation of European Heritage Volunteers Programme 2023'; Bert Ludwig, European Heritage Volunteers (online)

Tuesday 28 March
5.00pm | Closing ceremony and presentation of results (Sala de Plens)
- Activities and results of festival workshops.
- Announcement of the award and mentions to the artists and artisans of "Art i artesania per al futur de la tradició" with remarks from winners
- Closing by Raquel Guasch, heritage councillor of the Consell de Formentera.
 

22 March 2023
Office of Communication
Consell de Formentera