Elisabetta Carnevale

Heritage Strategy | Urban Regeneration | Conservation Leadership | Saudi Giga-projects | Earthen, Adobe, Mudbrick Architecture

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

About

I help governments, developers and multidisciplinary design teams transform heritage into a driver of urban regeneration, destination development and long-term economic value. Over the past 15 years I have led heritage strategy, conservation and programme management across Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. Today I work on some of Saudi Arabia's largest regeneration initiatives, including Central Riyadh, Diriyah and AlUla, integrating heritage within complex masterplanning and development programmes. My work sits at the intersection of heritage, urban regeneration and programme delivery. Rather than treating heritage as a standalone discipline, I focus on embedding it within planning, governance, design, implementation and investment strategies that create resilient and economically sustainable places. My experience combines strategic advisory with practical delivery, including: • Heritage strategy and governance • Urban regeneration • Heritage masterplanning • Adaptive reuse • Programme and stakeholder management • Conservation planning • Capacity building and institutional development Alongside professional practice, I lecture at the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) and La Salle Barcelona, and continue to contribute to international research on earthen architecture, heritage conservation and sustainable construction. I am particularly interested in opportunities involving heritage-led regeneration, public-sector transformation, major development programmes and international advisory work.

Experience

  • Heritage Strategy | Urban Regeneration | Programme Leadership | Saudi Giga-projects at SETS
    Sep 2022 - Present · 4 yrs 3 mos

  • Founder Earthen Architecture Consultants at Earthen Architecture and Heritage Consultants
    Apr 2018 - Present · 8 yrs 8 mos

    Earthen Architecture Consultant is a global multidisciplinary network of highly skilled earthen design and construction specialists. We give advisory services to architectural, engineering offices, real estate developers and institutions, from the design to the construction site, in order to build with rammed earth, mud bricks (adobe), cob, poured earth.

  • Lecturer - Sustainability in Project Management at La Salle BCN
    Dec 2021 - Present · 5 yrs

    Lecturer for the "Sustainability" and "Innovation for sustainability" subjects within the Master in Project Management at LaSalle Barcelona University (Universidad Ramon Llull), considered one of the best Masters in Project Management in Europe.

  • Lecturer (Material expert - Earth) at Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia
    Sep 2019 - Present · 7 yrs 3 mos

  • Low Carbon Materials Coordinator and General Secretary at AuS Arquitectura i Sostenibilitat
    Sep 2022 - May 2024 · 1 yr 9 mos