Sfide ed Opportunita’ nella Conservazione Sostenibile del Patrimonio Industriale Portuale Challenges and Opportunities in the Sustainable Conservation of Port Industrial Heritage

The paper examines the modernist warehouses (tinglados) and historic cranes of the Port of Valencia as paradigmatic examples of industrial maritime heritage. Built between 1911 and 1914 within the framework of the port’s modernization, the tinglados combined structural solutions in steel and reinforced concrete with a modernist decorative language that turned them into unique urban landmarks. The study combines archival research and technical analysis with on-site observation, addressing both their constructive features and cultural value. Current challenges related to marine corrosion and urban pressure are analyzed, as well as opportunities for adaptive reuse inspired by international case studies. In doing so, the paper highlights the relevance of these structures within broader debates on the conservation of industrial heritage, emphasizing their potential role as cultural resources capable of fostering sustainable urban development. The ensemble of warehouses and cranes represents not only a testimony of Mediterranean industrial engineering and architectur, but also an opportunity to strengthen Valencia’s maritime identity and project its historical memory into the future.