Cultural heritage

1. Preservation ofCultural
Heritage
Katharina George November 2015

2. Definition
What can be considered as Cultural Heritage?
 Legacy of physical artifacts inherited from past generations,
maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future
generations.
 Conservation is our thanks to the past, the joy of the present and our
gift to the future.
 Again and again a society must discuss what is to be considered as
their cultural heritage, which is worth, to take financial efforts for its
preservation.
Nowadays we have widened the definition:
 Tangible culture: buildings, monuments, landscapes, books, works of
art, and artifacts
 Intangible culture: folklore, traditions, language, and knowledge
 Natural heritage : Historic gardens, culturally significant landscapes,
Flora and Fauna (Biodiversity)
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3. Charta of
Athens 1931
Definition of 7 Principles:
1. International organizations for restoration on operational and
advisory levels are to be established.
2. Proposed restoration projects are to be subjected to
knowledgeable criticism to prevent mistakes which will cause
loss of character and historical values to the structures.
3. Problems of preservation of historic sites are to be solved by
legislation at national level for all countries.
4. Excavated sites which are not subject to immediate restoration
should be reburied for protection.
5. Modern techniques and materials may be used in restoration
work.
6. Historical sites are to be given strict custodial protection.
7. Attention should be given to the protection of areas
surrounding historic sites.
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4. Charta of
Venice 1964
International charter for the conservation and
restoration of monuments and sites (extract)
 Monuments are mostly part of an ensemble
 Not only great works of art but also more modest works of the
past which have acquired cultural significance are considered as
worthy of preservation
 No new construction, demolition or modification which would
alter the relations of mass and color must be allowed.
 A monument is inseparable from its place and the setting in which
it occurs.
 All additions must bear a contemporary stamp.
 The valid contributions of all periods to the building of a
monument must be respected, since unity of style is not the aim
of a restoration.
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5. EuropeanYear
of Preservation
of Monuments
in 1975
“Preserve thespirit ofthe
place,the importanceof
urbanenvironment”
Integrated Conservation
New aspects in the recognition of cultural heritage:
1. Importance of the monument’s environment: Architectural heritage consists
not only of our most important monuments, it also includes the groups of lesser
buildings in our old towns and characteristic villages in their natural or
manmade settings.
2. Use of existing resources: Our society now has to husband its resources. Far
from being a luxury this heritage is an economic asset which can be used to
save community resources.
3. Keeping of social balance: The renewal of old towns must be undertaken in a
spirit of social justice and should not cause the departure of the poorer
inhabitants. Our old towns favoured social integration. They can once again
lend themselves to a beneficial spread of activities and to a more satisfactory
social mix.
4. Educational aspect:The survival of cultural heritage will be assured only if the
need to protect it is understood by the greatest number, particularly by the
younger generation who will be its future guardians.
5. Capacity building: Traditional crafts should be fostered rather than allowed to
die out
6. Dangers: Heritage is threatened by ignorance, obsolescence, deterioration of
every kind and neglect. Urban planning can be destructive when authorities
yield too readily to economic pressures and to the demands of motor traffic.
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6. EuropeanYear
of Preservation
of Monuments
in 1975
“Preserve thespirit ofthe
place,the importanceof
urbanenvironment”
Integrated Conservation
7. Financial aspects: Financial resources made available by public
authorities for the restoration of historic centres should be at least
equal to those allocated for new construction
8. Participation: Citizens are entitled to participate in decisions
affecting their environment.
9. Integration into general urban planning in the sense of preserving
renewal instead of demolition and new building: Because of this,
conservation must be one of the first considerations in all urban
and regional planning.
10. Role of administration: In order to carry out a policy of integrated
conservation, properly staffed administrative services should be
established.
11. Creation of an European network for Cultural Heritage
preservation:The European architectural heritage is the common
property of our continent. Conservation problems are not peculiar
to any one country.They are common to the whole of Europe and
should be dealt with in a coordinated manner
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7. Change of
Paradigm
This EuropeanYear of Preservation of Monuments in 1975 was the
turning point in the policy of dealing with historical urban fabrics:
 Deteriorated city quarters were no longer subject of demolition
and fanciless new build constructions. Inhabitants which were
before send to the outskirts to live in unfamiliar high risers should
now be kept in their accustomed environment.
 Town centers, which were previously pure shopping centers
should be converted into mixed use areas where it is worth to live.
 Inhabitants who had been considered as objects or even obstacles
in the upgrading procedures should be involved and asked about
their opinion.
 In various European cities strategies were tested to find a way for
this new policies:
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8. Examples
From Germany
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9. IBA* Berlin
1984-1987
“CarefulUrban
Renewal”
International BuildingExhibition
Strategic goal
“Social, structural and
economical stimulation of
historic city quarters and its
sustainable development as a
mixed use district with
improved living conditions.”
Main Objectives:
 Protection and restauration
of historical buildings and
fabric
 Economic and social
stabilization
 Activation and integration
of local communities and
activists.
 Upgrade of houses and flats
 Increase of workstations
 Improvement of social
infrastructure, public spaces
and greens.
 Reduction of through traffic
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10. IBA* Berlin
1984-1987
“CarefulUrban
Renewal”
International BuildingExhibition
12 Principles for Cautious Urban Renewal
1. Urban renewal must be planned and – fundamentally – realized
with the current residents and entrepreneurs.
2. Planners must reach an agreement with residents and
entrepreneurs about the aims of the renewal measures.Technical
and social plans will go hand in hand.
3. The special character of the Quarter must be preserved. In parts of
the city that are under pressure, confidence must be reawakened.
Fundamentally threatening damage to housing should be
redressed immediately.
4. The careful change of floor plans will enable new housing types.
5. The renewal of houses and buildings must be gradual and must be
completed little by little.
6. The physical situation must be improved by minimum demolition,
by green development in courtyards, and by the decoration of
facades.
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11. I
BA* Berlin
1984-1987
“CarefulUrban
Renewal”
International BuildingExhibition
7. Public facilities such as streets, squares and parks must be
renewed and preserved in accordance with public needs.
8. The rights of participation and tangible rights of persons
affected by the social planning must be settled.
9. Decisions about urban renewal must be made in an open way
and preferably be discussed on location.The participation of
affected people is to be reinforced.
10. After confidence has been generated, urban renewal needs
solid financial commitments. Money must be available quickly.
11. New forms of project responsibility must be developed.The
responsibility for the commissioning and the responsibility for
the actual work of the renewal measures must be separated.
12. Urban renewal according to this concept must be secured for
the citizens.
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12. Berlin
“Carefulurban
Renewal”
Implementation of a long-term
process of social regeneration and
stabilization
 Installation of citizen councils
 Commissioning of an agency to
evaluate wishes of the inhabitants
 Facilitation of self-help projects
 Craft trainings for self-helpers
 Making available shops or other
spaces for social activities and
participation
 Organization of social events
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13. Leipzig
GuardianBuildings An important prerequisite for the preservation of a monument is that it
should be used continuously. If a building is empty for a longer time,
damages occur and make it difficult to reuse.
Building preservation via occupancy
 Tenants become guardians and pay only operating costs.They provide
repair and maintenance costs.
 Owner save the accruing upkeep costs
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14. Leipzig
GuardianBuildings An local consulting agency is providing related services:
 It brings owner and tenants together
 It has developed different forms for rent contracts
 Six possible concept variations are created (e.g. for ateliers, shops, etc.)
 Consultancy services for other cities is provided
 Is supported by the city
 Until today 25Guardian houses are reused.
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15. Leipzig
GuardianBuildings
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16. Leipzig
GuardianBuildings
Advantages:
 Space for activities and initiatives.
 Preservation of heritage on a low
level
 Fresh impulse in problematic
urban quarters
 Vacant shops are reused
 Contribution to local economy
 Prevent vandalism
Disadvantages:
 Low standards
 More tenants than houses
 Owners often prefer
degradation than maintenance
 Contract terminations
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17. Practical
Solutions
Manuals orUrban
DesignCodes
Some cities or institutions offer
manuals or Urban Design Codes
for professionals (like architects
or craftsman) investors or
laymen to give a guide for the
renovation of old houses.
GIZ Manual for Lviv
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18. Practical
Solutions
Manuals orUrban
DesignCodes
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19. Practical
Solutions
ManualsorUrban Design
Codes*
*Leipzig 1994
Technical and design requirements:
 Reconstruct historic eaves cornice
 The streetscape (edge - line of the
street ) should be kept
 The reconstruction concept has to
consider the urban environment
 The original colors and materials
should be considered
 Large wall panels should be avoided
 Windows should be homogenous,
division should be kept
 Entrance doors need to keep their
original dimension and material
 Shop windows and lettering should
be integrated in an over all design
concept
 Roof shape and inclination should
not be changed
 Satellite bowls must be posted at
invisible places.
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20. Berlin
Student ‘s
Competitions
With different initiatives the Berlin Monument Authority has aimed to
mobilize many activists to develop strategies for the future of
innovative conservation and conservative conversion.
 To strengthen the public and specialist debate, strategic competitions
for students are initiated.
 Fostering the co-operation of monument owners, architects, town
planners and monument "fosterers" these competitions are open to
future generations of planners.
Since 2002, these student ideas competitions organized in a Public
Private Partnership, have proved to be a successful way of promoting
conservation as well as integrating a new generation of planners.
 Here, town planning students are given an opportunity to work on a
concrete project with the topic reuse of a historic site and are also
able to sharpen their minds for the needs of the conservation.
 The worked out concepts show manifold possibilities, such as how
industrial monuments can have their lives extended through new
perspectives for their use.
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21. Legislation
 Council of Europe: Has given General Guidelines
 Germany as a federation guarantees the cultural sovereignty to
every federal state , so they have their own legislations.
 Inside the federal state, cities can define their own policies to deal
with this laws.
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22. Organization
e.g. Berlin
Head
of Conservation for
the Berlin region
Monument
Preservation
Preservation of Historic
Gardens
Archeology
Inventarisation and
PR
Legal Matters
UNESCOWorld
Heritage
Office
Management
Organigram of the
Department Berlin Monument Authority
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23. Preservation of
Cultural
Heritage
Thank you for your attention!
Basic information available in English on :
http://www.icomos.org/en/
http://www.haushalten.org/de/index.asp
http://www.stadtentwicklung.berlin.de/index_en.shtml
http://english.leipzig.de
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