ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on how small-scale heritage, and especially religious heritage, can serve as the canary in the coal mine, indicating that the physical, morphological evolution that is happening also has an impact on ordinary life. It aims to demonstrate how the collective space is shrinking progressively as the physical, visual and mental boundaries of heritage places are reframed and disrupted from communal life. The heritage of a society is irreplaceable since it generates a cultural and social identity for different communities. Global changes enhance the ‘right to heritage’ movement. The region of the Brabantse Kouters, in which the village of Brussegem is situated, is particularly interesting for its rich history and related heritage. In order to detect the formal and informal use of the heritage place, it was essential to find a different way to observe and map even very small events, as these could function as a tangible warning of a larger problem.
