Public works’ relationship with the landscape should be among the factors addressed in heritage studies. Their association with place defines their purpose while contributing to the construction of the cultural landscape. Unawareness of the existence of public works is their most powerful enemy. Inventorying and cataloguing are therefore imperative in any study of these assets. The research described here drew from information technologies to develop cost-free mobile apps in an innovative approach to dissemination with the aim to enhance public awareness of and esteem for such elements. The applications described, which are all author-developed and designed to promote Spain’s heritage public works, address the heritage value of rural public works (VAPROP_Rutas), geolocation of the built heritage (GEOPACK), heritage public works on the River Duero (PHDuero), major works of engineering (GOING) and geolocation of Eduardo Torroja’s public works (underway). All these applications build on the geo-positioning features of mobile handsets and are characterised by simple and intuitive interfaces for ready accessibility by the public at large. Users may participate in the experience by entering useful information, new content and suggestions. These apps deploy the latest technologies to enhance the understanding and appreciation of civil works by explaining their territorial, social and cultural significance.

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El río Bogotá conforma el territorio de la Sabana de la capital colombiana. Sus puentes definen la historia de cómo las personas se han relacionado con el río y el territorio; muestran la evolución tecnológica así como los cambios sociales. Las técnicas constructivas del momento histórico construyen conexiones que superan las limitaciones geográficas. Este artículo plantea un análisis histórico y tecnológico a través de tres puentes que representan tres episodios clave en su historia a partir de tres tipos estructurales y sus correspondientes momentos tecnológicos y sociales: el Puente del Común, el Puente Antonio Nariño y los Puentes de Guadua. La investigación se apoya en una recopilación inédita de fuentes históricas y documentales sobre las que se argumenta cómo los puentes, más allá de su relevancia constructiva y tecnológica, aportan un importante valor identitario. Constituyen elementos relevantes como patrimonio cultural y establecen conexiones que configuran la identidad social del territorio.

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The historic water supply to large cities constitutes a constructed heritage characterised by comprising a range of public structures—dams, canals, tanks, siphons and aqueducts—over a large geographical area. Within this international context, this paper looks at the case of Canal de Isabel II (CYII) and its historic infrastructure, built in the second half of the 19th century and the early 20th century. The purpose of this study is to analyse how these water supply public works, which maintain their original use, have also taken on new functions through the conversion of some of their parts and added new values to the existing ones. In order to do this, an inventory was drawn up with the location and cultural value of each structure based on its historic, technological, landscape and symbolic features, as well as its use. The results establish the significance of the overall system, not only in functional terms but also as a cultural resource. It is essential to understand the historic water supply infrastructure as a whole, not just as individual components but rather as pieces of a network. This is also essential for the management and preservation of the system, both where the structures are still in use as part of the water supply and where they have been converted for other uses.