This article stems from a joint project between Yaşar University in Turkey, the University of West Attica in Greece and ESADA School of Design in Spain, carried out within an Erasmus BIP framework. The initiative focused on an adaptive restoration workshop for a disused chapel in the village of La Cebadilla, located in the municipality of Capileira in the Alpujarra of Granada.

The workshop involved practical work by international teams of students and lecturers from the three institutions. Participants researched the following subjects:

• History of the Alpujarra: the region’s historical development, major events and influence on its current identity.
• Water and landscape: the link between water resources, geography and daily life in the area.
• Architecture: the evolution of traditional and contemporary Alpujarran design, integrating modern elements while preserving local identity and sustainability.
• Culture: traditions, festivals, music, gastronomy, and how these have been maintained over time.
• Tourism and contemporary change: the effects of tourism on the economy, society, culture, environment, heritage, social dynamics, sustainability, and the rise of digital and post-pandemic tourism.
  

An online phase featured contributions from professionals, including architects Fernando Ortega, María José Durán Vaquero and former Alhambra architect Antonio Ruiz Sánchez.
The chapel, built in the 20th century for hydroelectric workers, is intended to become a space for work, meetings and social interaction, blending its historical character with contemporary uses suited to its natural surroundings. The project responds to rural depopulation by positioning La Cebadilla as a hub for digital professionals wishing to live in nature, encouraging sustainable repopulation.

Research into potential users’ ergonomic, technological and social requirements aimed to ensure an inclusive, accessible design. The project not only restores a historic building but also contributes to La Cebadilla’s economic and social revival, merging tradition and modernity within a sustainable entrepreneurial context. Five projects have been developed.
This initiative builds on the experience gained from previous international workshops, such as the one held in Nantes in 2024 (Delannoy & González, 2024), and previous experiences incorporating the methodologies, collaborative approaches, and best practices developed in those events (Karabağ et al., 2023). Thanks to this prior experience, participants were able to optimise research, cultural integration, and adaptive design, applying established knowledge to the restoration of historic spaces and the creation of sustainable, functional environments.
We extend our thanks to all collaborators, including ESADA’s Erasmus coordinator Félix Guerrero Blanco, and especially to the Mayor of Capileira, José Fernando Castro Zamorano, for providing the resources needed to carry out the project.