Expected vibroacoustic behaviour of Greek Doric-style temples and its relation with geometrical physics design as part of the intangible cultural heritage
This study proposes a new approach to the interpretation of Greek Doric-style temples, based on the integration of its tangible and intangible dimensions as a cultural heritage asset. Rooted on the Greek concept of techne, the work considers a unifying design principle, integrating both structural and functional aspects within the architectural style. A multidisciplinary perspective was adopted, combining archaeological, documentary, and metrological analysis of 41 Doric temples from the 6th to the 4th century BC, located in Greece and Magna Graecia. Starting from the evidence of a statistical correlation among key geometric parameters, these quantitative data are re-interpreted through a geometrical physics vibroacoustic model. The results demonstrate that structural elements act as acoustic attenuators, minimizing environmental forces (particularly wind) on the temple cell's walls. The study also suggests that slight deviations from the classic East-West orientation were adopted to reduce the acoustic coupling with prevailing local winds. The Archaeological Park of Paestum (Salerno, Italy) provides significant evidence for this hypothesis, as its temples, despite their different construction periods, share a consistent orientation, distinct from the city's street grid. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of Greek know-how, being a part of the intangible dimension of cultural heritage and traditional ecological knowledge related to the architectural design in relation to the environmental factors.