Editorial. By Minja Yang, president of the RLICC. Raymond Lemaire International Centre for Conservation

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3 Editorial By Minja Yang, president of the RLICC The first-year students of this academic year had the privilege to meet Prof. Dr. Arch (IT) Andrea Bruno, President of the RLICC, ( ) and now Honorary President who is renowned internationally as one of the leading conservation architects specialized in contemporary adjunctions to historic buildings, during their November 2014 study tour to Torino. Preceded by visits to Freiburg and Basel, and followed by Biella and Venice, this study tour conducted as part of Integrated Project Work 2 supervised by Prof. Arch. Paul Lievevrouw, focused on the theme of the Historic Urban Landscape, notably on contemporary architectural interventions in historic districts and monuments, and how cultural heritage conservation now needs to respect the energy-efficiency norms in the global quest for sustainable development. The visit of Freiburg-Rieselfeld enabled the students to see the new low-energy housing development project of some 70 hectares in the district, which was formerly a huge sewage farm of 320 hectares. The Maria Magdalena Church built for both Catholics and Protestants also furthered the reflection on interfaith use of religious buildings, which may perhaps give a response to the large number of churches being abandoned throughout Western Europe and beyond. In Basel, visits to the headquarters of the Novartis International pharmaceutical company, a city within a city, as well as of the Kunstmuseum and the Museum Foundation Beyeler known for the architectural design of Renzo Piano and new additions by young architects to the 1930s Kunstmuseum were eye-openers on how contemporary additions can be made to continue the great architectural and urban planning traits of a historic city such as Basel. Andrea Bruno s conservation philosophy, demonstrated by his numerous realizations of audacious contemporary additions to protected historic monuments was a valuable lesson to the students and some of the participating alumni on how to respect the Venice Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites which celebrated its 50th anniversary since Raymond Lemaire, the Founding President of our Centre, helped to coauthor. How to make historic structures and environments adapted to contemporary needs while respecting the principle of reversibility has been Andrea Bruno s largest contribution to the theory and practice of cultural heritage conservation for development. A tour of Venice, despite the torrential rain and the flood, led by Prof. Daniel Pini, reconfirmed the grandness of the erstwhile maritime capital built on a group of some 117 islands defying engineering logic of all times. Although considered by many to be a frozen city immobilized by the weight of its heritage, a careful look at the historic core demonstrated how the city has maintained its version of urban dynamism through mini-projects of adjunctions and rehabilitation. Visit of the 14th Venice Architectural Biennale, directed in this edition by Architect Rem Koolhaas culminated the study tour with a reflection on Fundamentals, which we all agreed was an architectural and urban expression of the essentials of life, ie how to protect and give comfort to the inhabitants through the built environment by ensuring harmony with nature and peace within our 3

4 community, whether local of global (see article on the Venice Workshop in this issue of the Newsletter). In our relentless effort to mainstream cultural heritage in meeting contemporary needs of society, the RLICC has been actively participating in the research project Cultural Heritage Counts for Europe, funded by the Culture Program of the EU. An update of these joint research projects is provided in this Newsletter. The Europa Nostra-led project focuses on a study of indicators to measure the value of investments in culture. Heritage as a resource has become a major research theme in recent years, partially in view of growing difficulties in financing conservation projects other than those related to tourism. Prof. Christan Ost who continues to inspire our students through his lectures on the economic and social merits of investment in heritage, along with Prof. Christer Gustafsson of Uppsala University, have been leading the international debate on this important issue and have shared their findings during the 2015 Thematic week of the RLICC. This yearly international conference dealt with the topic of Heritage Counts, the economic, social, environmental and cultural impact of immovable heritage. The conference took place in the Arenberg Castle from 3-6 February 2015 and the opening day of the Thematic Week was co-organised by the Europa Nostra, project leader of Cultural Heritage Counts for Europe, and brought together European policymakers and international researchers involved in cultural heritage. Gathering speakers from 23 countries, the Seminar was honored by the participation of Mr. Xavier Prats Monné, Director-General, DG Education and Culture of the European Commission, Mr. Mircea Diaconu, MEP, Vice-Chair of the European parliament Committee on Culture and Education and Rapporteur on the EC Communication on an integrated approach to cultural heritage in Europe (COM(2014) 477 final) and Ms. Sneska Quaedvlieg-Mihailovic, Secretary-General of Europa Nostra, among other leading policy makers, activists and researchers framing the role of culture in development. The Conference also provided an opportunity for young scholars to present their research progress, selected out of some 60 respondents to the Call for Papers launched by RLICC. The many case studies and research analyses presented, showed the diversity of actions being undertaken in different countries aiming to demonstrate the economic and social values of investing in culture. More information on the 2015 Thematic Week will follow in the next issue of this newsletter. The results of this conference will certainly feed into the on-going international effort to frame the Post-2015 Development Agenda to follow suite on the Millennium Development Goals, notably by stressing the vital role of culture in pursuing the multi-faceted objectives of sustainable development. In this regard, RLICC will be strengthening its research work on the social implications of preventive conservation as well as in the implementation of the UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) to contribute actively in promoting the cultural dimension of sustainable urbanization to be showcased at Habitat III, the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development, to take place in Quito, Ecuador in October 2016, a hallmark event twenty years after Habitat II held in Istanbul in 1996, to focus on the New Urban Agenda to address the planning and management needs of cities, towns and villages in a world where 70% of the global population is projected to become urban inhabitants by the year Conscious of our role in training the next generation of 4

5 managers of cultural heritage in all its form, the RLICC programme through its lectures, Thematic Week conferences, study tours, integrated field projects, internships, research and thesis work is in constant evolution to meet the needs of tomorrow with the wisdom and knowledge of the past and present. Minja Yang and Andrea Bruno in Andrea Bruno s atelier in Venice, autumn 2014 Thomas Rigauts 5

6 Opening academic year September Leuven By Koen Van Balen, director of the RLICC Invitation to the opening of the academic year, design by J. Stevens, Department of Architecture 2014 ASRO/KU Leuven On September 22nd 2014 the new academic year started again. The Raymond Lemaire International Centre for Conservation organized the opening lecture on behalf of the Master in Human Settlements, the Master in Urban and Strategic Planning and the Master of Science in Conservation of Monuments and Sites. The topic chosen for the inauguration was Conservation and Creativity new roles for cultural heritage management in an innovation-driven economy. After the words of welcome by vice-rector Prof. Georges Gielen, Vice Rector Group Science and Technology of the KU Leuven, Prof. Christian OST from ICHEC Brussels Management School (Belgium) and Prof. Christer Gustafsson from University of Uppsala (Sweden), both Members of the ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Economics of Conservation, have shed their light on the topic. Prof. Christian Ost highlighted how the 6 concepts on heritage preservation have followed general tendencies in society referring to the parallelism between economy and culture. Soon after WWII, international cultural heritage policy concepts evolved from Western-centered public-driven policies for protection and conservation towards todays more holistic concept that positions culture as the fourth pillar of sustainable development (Hangzhou declaration of UNESCO, 2013). Based on the theories of Nikolaï Kondratiev ( ) and of Joseph Schumpeter ( ) he argued that changes go through crises and that economic prosperity comes with innovation in which culture plays a crucial role. In an optimistic turn the actual crisis can be seen as a disruptive process of transformation that accompanies innovations in which culture heritage will be given it s appropriate place in (urban) development. Prof. Christer Gustafsson sketched in a

7 similar way how the context in which heritage preservation has been acting; evolving from regarding historic buildings and their preservation as an obstacle to economic growth, to devouring financial resources without contribution of any economic return and as being fully depending on public financial support towards a context that sees cultural heritage management as a dynamic and sustainable management of changes, that promotes inclusive, sustainable and innovationdriven development. His doctoral research introduced the trading zone concept to the cultural heritage field management for local sustainable development. The underlying assumption is that financial investment schemes allocated to cultural heritage management should not only be limited to those (narrowly) intended for spending and activities in the heritage field, Adaptive Use of Churches Meetings and publications By Prof. Thomas Coomans, RLICC e.g. public funding and restoration grants. These traditional investment schemes could be elaborated with resources from other sectors (e.g. social cohesion, labour market, regional development, creative industries ). The two lectures positioned heritage protection and management in the core of the debate of sustainable development, including development in the cities of tomorrow and in regional development strategies. After these lectures, Prof. Hilde Heynen, head of the department of Architecture welcomed the new students to take full profit of their time at the University of Leuven, being immersed in the various interesting and challenging programs they started attending. The ceremony was closed with a reception. The increasing issue of adaptive use of churches is becoming one of Europe s most important heritage challenges. Countries such as The Netherlands and the United Kingdom have developed a certain experience in the field since three decades. Other countries, however, are recently experiencing the issue and are starting reflection. These last month, I gave lectures at conferences in Italy and Wallonia, and co-authored several publications in Canada and Belgium. In Italy, the first international conference Patrimonio Architettonico Religioso. Nuove Funzioni e Processi di Trasformazione took place in Turin on December Co-organised by the department of architecture and design of Politecnico di Torino (Prof. Carla Bartolozzi) and the Ufficio Nazionale per I beni culturali ecclesiastici, about 30 lectures, most from Italy, shown the richness and the diversity of religious heritage in Italy. Beside the dominating and outstanding Catholic heritage, very interesting papers presented the Italian Jewish heritage as well as the heritage of the Waldensian communities in the region of Piemonte. The conference was organised in three parts: 1. history and legislation, 2. survey and management of movable and immovable religious heritage, 3. studies and projects for the restoration and valorisation of religious heritage. On 29 November 2014, the Comité d histoire

8 religieuse du Brabant Wallon (CHIREL) organised a study day in Louvain-la-Neuve: Les défis du patrimoine religieux. Héritage encombrant? Patrimoine d avenir? The new Walloon legislation was discussed and several local or diocese initiatives regarding surveying movable and immovable heritage were presented. Both Italy and Wallonia are in an early phase of the reflexion and have not (yet) developed a solid critical mass in the field of adaptive use and extended use of churches. This will certainly develop in the coming years and benefit from the experience of other countries. In 2014 RLICC was actively involved in two conferences on churches heritage: 1. In Leuven, the Ninth international young scholars conference on heritage, coorganised with the Chaire de recherche du Canada en patrimoine urbain (Prof. Luc Noppen), 2. in Brussels, organised by the Brussels Capital Region (see Newsletter 13, p. 3-5). Both resulted in publications that enrich the growing international bibliography on church heritage s challenges: 1. Jean-Sébastien Sauvé & Thomas Coomans (eds.), Le devenir des églises. Patrimonialisation ou disparition (collection Nouveaux patrimoines, 5), Montréal: Presses de l Université du Québec, 2014 ; 2. a thematic issue of the heritage journal Bruxelles patrimoines/ Erfgoed Brussel, 13, In 2015, the topic of church heritage will still be on RLICC s agenda, amongst others with an international meeting of AlterHeritage network in Leuven on June, and further involvement in Future for Religious Heritage (FRH), the European network for historic places of worship. More to follow Chapel of Basse-Wavre college, reused as a multimedia centre, AR&A architects, 2004 THOC

9 10th International Conference on Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions (SAHC) Organized by RLICC and Civil Engineering Department (KU Leuven) By Nathalie Van Roy, PhD researcher RLICC The Raymond Lemaire Centre for Conservation and the Civil Engineering Department of the University of Leuven, with the support of the UNESCO Chair on Preventive Conservation, Maintenance and Monitoring of Monuments and Sites (PRECOM³OS), will organise the 10th anniversary edition of the International Conference on Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions (SAHC2016) from 13 until 15 September International researchers and experts within the field of structural conservation are invited to Leuven to discuss and review upcoming trends and technologies in the analysis and repair of historical structures. The theme of the conference is Anamnesis, Diagnosis, Therapy, Controls, which emphasizes the importance of all steps of a restoration process in order to obtain a thorough understanding of the structural behavior of built cultural heritage. Original contributions within fifteen main themes are now being assembled, since the call for abstracts is ongoing until June 15, In view of the 10th anniversary edition of the SAHC meetings and in view of addressing themes relevant to the UNESCO-chair on Preventive Conservation, Monitoring and Maintenance of Monuments and Sites (precomos.org) chaired by RLICC, the conference organization will also organize thematic discussions within six specific themes, namely innovation and heritage, preventive conservation, computational strategies, certification and standardization, values and sustainability and subsoil interaction. An introductory day will be dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the Raymond Lemaire International Centre for Conservation (RLICC, established by Professor Raymond Lemaire ( 1997) in 1976, at the initiative of ICOMOS) on 12 September For more practical information on the conference, the themes that will be discussed and the submission of abstracts, please take a look at our website be. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for regular updates on the organization. SAHC 2016

10 Between Bruno and Koolhaas Fundamental lessons of architecture in Venice By Francis Carpentier, alumnus RLICC Andrea Bruno within his Bagrati Cathedral (Georgia) Francis Carpentier Fare, Rifare, Disfare Architettura: Da Rivoli A Bagrati, the exhibition of Andrea Bruno s architectural oeuvre at the Wilmotte Foundation in Venice, re-introduced the personal narrative of the RLICC s honorary president back into the minds of its students and alumni. From 14 to 16 November 2014, a group of alumni from the Centre joined the yearly workshop of Prof. Paul Lievevrouw and his students to meet Andrea Bruno and his work in Venice, and to visit Elements of Architecture and Fundamentals, the 14th International Architecture Biennale curated by Rem Koolhaas. On Saturday morning 14 November, president Minja Yang and Prof. Paul Lievevrouw introduced Andrea Bruno at the Wilmotte Foundation, followed by a talk and guided tour by Bruno through a Both the work of Andrea Bruno as well as the Biennale conveyed one strong message: a sensitive understanding of the fundamental principles of modern architecture, away from theory and over-intellectualization. In his recent lecture at the Centre for Fine Arts in Brussels (23 February 2015), Koolhaas explained how he wanted to disconnect the Biennale from contemporary architecture, stop focusing on cities, and look once again at architecture in its most pure form. Andrea Bruno has always been suspicious of theoretical debate and conservation regulations ( il faut avoir des principes, mais il ne faut pas croire en des règles ), preferring instead to learn by comparing practices based on the architect s personal application of les règles de l art. While being an advocate of the RLICC s interdisciplinary method of cooperation, selection of his life work from the musée Andrea Bruno does believe in the de la mémoire, his studio in Torino: une architecture archivée est à moitié sauvée! fundamental role of the architect as the leading guide during the process. Irritated 10

11 by the use of the term restoration architect ( je déteste le mot architecte-restaurateur ), Bruno believes the architect is not only responsible to save the memory and authenticity of historic buildings, but also needs to dare introducing new, reversible elements in them. Simultaneously dependent and independent, equally sensitive and brutal. In this regard he considers the interventions of Viollet-le- Duc to be valuable works of architecture rather than restorations that can be removed again. An analysis of Bruno s lessons in architecture, the narrative of the Biennale, and reflections on the city of Venice and other cities visited during their workshop were presented later on Saturday evening by the first year students in front of the president and honorary president of the RLICC at the Palazzo Rota Ivancich. This vacant palace near San Marco could be used as the venue for presentations and discussions on Saturday and Sunday, thanks to the UNESCO Venice Office and the generous host Mrs. Irina Ivancich. After the students presentations, the whole group enjoyed a common diner in the neighborhood. On Sunday morning one of the Centre s first alumnae, Françoise Descamps shared her experiences and critically reflected on the recent ICOMOS GA in Florence, while Prof. Daniele Pini explored Venice and modernity, starting from the alternative project of Palladio for the Rialto bridge, and ending with recent interventions in historic buildings such as those by Tadao Ando at the Punto della Dogana. Recent alumni Amable García Enguita (see newsletter autumn 2014), Clara Villalba Montaner (see newsletter autumn 2014), Francis Carpentier (see article newsletter), and second-year students Thomas Stroobants and Freddy Prado (see article newsletter) gave short PechaKucha talks (20 images, each for 20 seconds) on new trends in research and conservation practice, based on their master thesis, internship, or integrated project work. Group photo of a selection of participants Laura Ceriolo

12 Before re-visiting the Architecture Biennale on Sunday 16 November, the last common activity consisted in a brainstorming session on the creation of a renewed alumni network and platform. The outcome of the discussion was the starting point for several consultation rounds with various alumni such as Paul Lievevrouw, Françoise Descamps, Bénédicte Selfslagh, Henry Chesnot, Barbara Van der Wee, Teresa Patricio, Mario Santana, and alumni-friend Luc Verpoest. Currently a group from the younger generation is coordinating the process and will soon launch a mission statement, for which everybody is invited to provide critical feedback in order to continue and renew professional exchange between different generations of alumni. Special thanks go to all speakers and participants and to those who have been particularly involved in the organization of our stay in Venice such as Laura Ceriolo (Wilmotte Foundation), Irina Ivancich, Martin Efremovski, Sanja Taseva, Niels Dabaut, Eva Weyns, Laurence Dauwens, Barbara Van der Wee, Luca Visconti, Ilse Vernaillen, and Paul Lievevrouw. Update on SeArch Archaeological Heritage in the North Sea By: Sorna Khakzad, PhD researcher RLICC The interdisciplinary project of Archaeological Heritage in the North Sea (SeArch) is producing new data. Each partner provides data in regular bases according to the plan. The geological and archaeological data and legal studies are being compiled. Meanwhile, RLICC as a collaborator to the project has been working on Assessment of harmonization of underwater cultural heritage with heritage on land and criteria for tailoring the management regime as parts of its tasks which is covered by Sorna s Ph.D. research. Several meetings with experts in the field of coastal management were held. Meeting with legal expert from Ghent University (Prof. Frank Maes) and advisor for Regional Cooperation Coast (Kathy Belpaeme) provided insight to the practical issues in Belgian coastal management process. 12 The research conducted by Sorna Khakzad, and supervisory of Prof. Koen van Balen, has been compiled, the analysis were performed, several tools and methods were proposed through her research, and the final report was presented to SeArch. For more information about SeArch project please check out:

13 ArchDOC Belgium & Canada working together for Architectural Heritage Documentation By Mario Santana Quintero, guest lecturer RLICC and assistant professor Carleton University The 14th edition of the Architectural Heritage Documentation for Conservation Workshop (ArchDOC ) was organised December 8-12, The buildings, i.a. architectural photography, simple and cost-effective aerial photography, REDM Measurements (Total Station, Theolt and AutoCAD), scaled-rectified Belgian-Canadian collaboration (RLICC, photography, SFM photogrammetry, University College St. Lieven and Carleton panoramic photography and GigaPan Immersive Media Studio) brought photography, hand sketches and 3D documentation experts from English scanning. Heritage, Politecnico di Milano, Politecnico di Torino, National Technical University of Athens, and Public Works and Government Services Canada to teach 15 international students the why and how to record historic buildings. For this ArchDOC edition, the former Town Hall of Leuven served as prime research stage for the training course. Using a combination of Electronic Distance Measurement survey, photography and photogrammetry 4 rooms of this important landmark were recorded. During the workshop, the students were introduced to and engaged with the use of recording The course consisted of 1/2-days session of lectures, 4 ½ days of fieldwork sessions and a final presentation prepared by students on the activities prepared. Different seminars were organised throughout ArchDOC on selecting Heritage recording tools and techniques (Bill Blake), heritage recording using photographs (Christian Ouimet) and 3D Scanning and BIM (Luigi Barazzetti). ArchDOC is a consolidated RLICC training approach that can be easily replicated in other countries and venues, the teaching environment as proven to be both an efficient learning environment and an exciting experience for students in the techniques in documenting historic field of conservation. Group picture of the participants in front of the Town Hall Mario Santana Quintero

14 Time in Leuven September January 2015, Leuven By Gabriela Garcia, PhD candidate RLICC Research Advances A year ago, in the frame of the Institutional University Cooperation program (IUC) VLIR-UOS between the University of Cuenca, Ecuador and the KU Leuven, Belgium, a PhD research was boosted in order to study the potential impacts of Cultural Heritage Conservation in Development process. In that context, a first visit to Leuven took place on 2013 and recently a second period of work at the Raymond Lemaire International Centre for Conservation took place from September 2th to January 31st On this second period, the intermediate results obtained from the literature review were presented and discussed in several meetings with experts in the field, members of the RLICC, such as Prof. Koen Van Balen (supervisor), Prof. Christian Ost, Prof. Luc Verpoest, and Prof. Thomas Coomans. Besides external experts such Prof. Viviana D Auria, Prof. Ron Van Oers have contributed to calibrate the conceptual frame of the PhD research. Furthermore, important contributions were obtained as result of the internal seminar organized by the RLICC at the beginning of December. On that event, the PhD candidates Sorna Khakzad, Gabriela Garcia, Maria Siguencia, and Aziliz Vandesande presented the current advances and different approaches to study of notions such as cultural heritage, cultural values and cultural impacts. Part of the theoretical advances and reflections generated on each meeting with this group of experts, have been summarized in the article Towards a contemporary approach of the binomial: Development & Cultural Heritage. The purpose of the article is to contribute with a baseline for the study of the binomial Development and Cultural Heritage, exploring the relevant moments on the evolution of these notions, as well as the current understanding of their relationship. Complementary activities The time in Leuven gave me the opportunity to participate on relevant events to my IEPER, CLT student s group. English course Gabriela Garcia 14

15 Gabriela in Amsterdam Gabriela Garcia research such as the Hungary s World Heritage Sites which took place on the Balassi Institute, Brussels November, 2014 and events organized by the KU Leuven University such as the scientific integrity lecture held at January 6th The last event was directed to new doctoral researchers in order to discuss the overall idea of scientific research as a culture promoted by the KU Leuven University. Marie-Christine Janssens, Ben Nemery, Kris Diericks, Annemie Geeraerd, Martin Meganck were part of the didactical team of the lecture. Finally, in addition these activities, I decided take advantage of the academic courses offered by the Centrum voor Levende Talen (CLT). In fact, I attended an English course during the first semester in order to improve my English language proficiency and I met a group of invaluable people from other countries. Furthermore, part of this period in Europe was invested to visit other historic cities in Belgium such as Brussels, Liege, Antwerpen, Mechelen, Brugge, and Ieper, and other countries such as Italy and Netherlands. As student my sincere words of gratitude are given to the group of Professors and colleagues of the RLICC who help me to advance on each conversation and become this experience in one of the most memorable of my life. Gabriela in Rome Gabriela Garcia

16 Retail-Reuse: an interior view on adaptive reuse of buildings RLICC alumna presents her doctoral dissertation By Dr. Bie Plevoets, alumna RLICC Bie Plevoets studied interior architecture at PHL University College in Hasselt, before she followed a postgraduate master at the RLICC ( ). In 2010 she started her PhD research at the Faculty of Architecture and Arts of Hasselt University on the tension between heritage conservation and retail development in historic areas. She defended her doctoral dissertation in September Supervisor of this PhD was Prof. dr. Koenraad Van Cleempoel, and Prof. dr. Annemie Draye, who is a guest professor at the RLICC. Prof. Luc Verpoest of the RLICC was a member of the advising committee. The research was financed by a grant of the IWT Flanders. The research of Bie Plevoets was entitled: Retail-Reuse: an interior view on adaptive reuse of buildings. Adaptive reuse, which implies partly changing the function and programme of a building and physically adapting it to new needs and requirements, has become an increasingly important part of contemporary architectural and interior architectural practice. Also in the retail sector, a significant part of the occupied buildings are historic buildings that initially had other functions but are now transformed into shops and other commercial functions. This practice, which we have called retail- Stadfeestzaal, Antwerp - an example of retail-reuse that failed on commercial level, partly due to problems related to aspects of the interior (e.g. circulation, visibility of the retailers, atmosphere) Bie Plevoets 16

17 Raad Van State, The Hague, design by Merkx+Girod - this adaptive reuse project is an aemulatio of the original interior of the building Bie Plevoets reuse, faces particular opportunities and threats for the heritage sector as well as the retail sector. Many projects therefore fail as to conservation standards, or as a commercial retail environment. Existing studies on retail-reuse are scares and focus its isolated aspects such as urban regeneration, sustainable design or customer behaviour. A study on the tension between retail and heritage preservation from the smaller scale the interior dis not exist so far and became the goal of this PhD research. We looked at the phenomenon of retailreuse with an interior view, investigating its threats and opportunities. However, in order to elaborate on retail-reuse from an interior point of view, we need a lexicon rooted in and built on the particular qualities of the interior. As such, a second goal was added to the research project, namely developing such lexicon. Through sketching the evolution of the emerging discipline of adaptive reuse, we showed that adaptive reuse theory and practice is influenced by both heritage conservation and architecture. Four different approaches in contemporary adaptive reuse theory were distinguished: typological approach, technical approach, programmatic approach, and strategic approach. We noted, however, that there is a fifth approach that received little attention so far and that builds further on the building s soft values, its interior qualities; we call this the interior approach. As part of the interior approach towards adaptive reuse we described three strategies for that involve copying as a method for adaptive reuse. We introduced three concepts from Renaissance art theory into the theory of adaptive reuse: translatio, imitatio, and aemulatio; each of these concepts describes a particular relationship between the copy and the model which we recognized in selected examples from contemporary adaptive reuse practice. Moreover, we elaborated further on three concepts that are at the core of conservation and architectural theory today by looking at them from an interior perspective: sustainability, authenticity, and genius loci. Next, we focused on retail-reuse in particular. We firstly explained the legal framework for protection and safeguarding of immovable

18 heritage in Flanders, focussing on two aspects that are important in relation to our study: adaptive reuse, and protection and reuse of historic interiors. Secondly, we outlined the opportunities and threats for the retail-reuse for both parties (retail sector and heritage sector) on the basis of the typology of the host space, relying on literature and case studies. Some building typologies turned out to be more suitable for retail-reuse than others. Industrial buildings and buildings that initially designed for retail seemed most suitable; town houses and public and semi-public buildings are suitable, but under very specific conditions, and military and religious buildings are in general not suitable to be reused for retail, although some good examples do exist that deal with the particular challenges of this typology in relation to retail-reuse. To conclude, we presented a concept for the measures that we believe could and should be taken by the Flemish government to stimulate reuse of (protected) historic buildings by the retail sector and to improve the overall quality of such projects from the point of view of both the heritage and retail sector. The proposed measures include policy measures, and in a limited extent also legal measures. A first important measure would be to formulate transparent criteria based on which proposals for restoration, renovation and adaptive reuse of protected buildings and sites are evaluated by the agency immovable heritage. Instead of the current rigid approach that only seem to evaluate how the existing heritage values and elements are respected by the new proposal, we believe a more dynamic evaluation that also takes into account the relationship between the old and the new might be beneficial towards adaptive reuse. On the 18 one hand, broadening the criteria might open up opportunities for programmes that demand very specific requirements such as retail, or care; on the other hand, it might increase the overall quality of adaptive reuse projects. The preservation or construction of a genius loci should be the overall goal of the evaluation system. We have formulated a set of parameters that can help (interior) architects, conservators and other stakeholders involved in adaptive reuse projects to unravel the sensitive quality of the genius loci. Particularly for adaptive reuse into retail, we believe that developing a standard for good practice can help to make protected historic buildings more attractive for retailers, to increase the success rate of retail-reuse projects, and to improve the overall quality of retail-reuse projects. Such standard may include specific legal issues, an overview of the opportunities and threats towards retailreuse in relation to distinct architectural typologies, an illustration of the evaluation criteria used by the agency immovable heritage to evaluate proposals for adaptive reuse, and examples of good and bad practice.

19 First meeting PRECOM³OS Mexico September 2014, Mexico City By Aziliz Vandesande, PhD researcher RLICC, and Koen Van Balen, director of the RLICC Since the establishment and inauguration of the PRECOM³OS UNESCO Chair, an international network of organisations and universities interested in the results and advancement on preventive conservation approaches was established. Following the active participation of Belgium, Italy, China and Ecuador that address preventive conservation approaches, a first PRECOM³OS meeting was held in Mexico. This meeting was organized at the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM, Xochimilco) by the interdepartmental division: Conservación y Reutilización del Patrimonio Edificado. Coordinated by Prof. Carlos A. Mercado Limones and supported by Prof. Ariadna Álvarez and Prof. Luis Enrique Martínez Barrón, the meeting aimed to analyse problems and solutions for properties that for various reasons have not considered monuments. Thereby the lack of measures for their conservation and restoration was stressed. Among others the following places will be examined: historic gardens, chinampas, rural structures, railway infrastructure, cemeteries, vernacular architecture, temporary structures, twentieth century architecture and associated traditional knowledge on construction. Parallel to the meeting, a workshop on Alternative Technologies Construction and Reuse (TACRA 2014) was organised by the el Laboratorio de Investigación Tecnológica of CYAD. The first meeting of PRECOM³OS RLICC delegates with Mexican alumni of the RLICC Koen Van Balen

20 Conference participants during site visit Aziliz Vandesande Mexico was attended by approximately 100 interested academics, professionals and students of the division Ciencias y Artes para el Diseño. The international contributors were all directly related to the PRECOM³OS network. Prof. Koen Van Balen, director of the PRECOM³OS UNESCO Chair, cochaired the first day of the meeting and gave an overall introduction to the principles and meaning of preventive conservation. Prof. Fausto Cardoso, representing the University of Cuenca in the PRECOM³OS UNESCO Chair and South Leader of the VlirCPM project, presented some very elaborate experiences and good practices of preventive conservation. Mrs. Aziliz Vandesande, PhD researcher in context of the PRECOM³OS UNESCO Chair, gave some insights on the advancements of preventive conservation research, the Italian experience in preventive conservation approaches and the underlying economic principles of monitoring and maintenance approaches. In addition, the students of the Maestría en Reutilización del Patrimonio Edificado were given the opportunity to present their graduation 20 projects and enter in discussion with the participants of this event. Furthermore, the meeting was the occasion to meet Mexican alumni of the RLICC: Gabriela Lee Alardín who obtained her PhD degree in Urbanism at the UNAM and is currently working at the Universidad Iberoamericana (Ciudad de México) and Gerardo Hernández Septién who is currently Subdirector de Restauración de Bienes Histórico Culturales at the Dirección General de Sitios y Monumentos Del Patrimonio Cultural. In conclusion, the first meeting of PRECOM³OS Mexico was very successful and productive, both in terms of enlarging the international preventive conservation network as well as disseminating and raising awareness of the potential and advancements of this specific heritage management approach. All members of the preventive conservation network look forward to continue this collaboration through feedback and involvement within PRECOM³OS activities.

21 3 rd WTA International PhD Symposium 5-27 September 2014, Stuttgart, Germany By Gabriela Garcia, PhD candidate RLICC, and Els Verstrynge, international representative for WTA-NL-VL On September 25th to 27th, 2014 the 3rd WTA International PhD Symposium took place in Materials Testing Institute University of Stuttgart, Germany MPA-. The scientific committee has previously invited PhD candidates to present their research in the fields of: Conservation principles, rehabilitation and conservation; Climate impact on cultural heritage monuments and objects; Building materials and building technologies for preservation; Analysis and assessment of masonry structures; Timber construction and historic wooden buildings; Smart monitoring and non-destructive / minimal-invasive testing; Simulation and modeling methods; and Energy efficiency of historic buildings. The meeting was opened with a speech by Prof. Dr. Ing. Harald Garrecht, Managing Director of MPA. During the introduction, Garrecht highlighted the successful results of previous PhD symposiums, organized by the MPA Institute, realized in Leuven, Belgium (2009) and Brno, Czech Republic (2011). Furthermore, a brief introduction about the MPA Institute and the current research lines, were presented. The speech was followed by the successive intervention of PhD candidates form different nationalities who presented the intermediate results of their studies in progress. Group picture at the 3rd WTA International PhD Symposium Gabriela Garcia

22 On behalf of the VlirCPM City Preservation Management project, which is part of an Institutional University Cooperation program between the University of Cuenca, Ecuador and the KU Leuven, Belgium, the lecture Traditional knowledge and its contribution to Preventive Conservation, was presented. The lecture was focused on discussing a methodology of work to develop maintenance activities in heritage buildings, supported by members of the local community (authorities, owners, students). This methodology of work was applied to groups of heritage buildings considered part of the vernacular architecture in Susudel (2011) and Cuenca (2013), Ecuador, in a rural and urban context, respectively. The 3rd WTA Symposium provided a useful opportunity for PhD candidates to exchange knowledge with other students, as well as, to be informed about the research studies in progress. Clearly, it was the place to discuss recent advances and establish contacts within the frame of the international scientific community. maintenance and monument preservation, thus enhancing the application of new insights and technology in restoration and renovation practice. WTA-Netherland-Flanders recently developed a new website, to found at: wtanl-vl.org This website contains information on our work and on the symposia which are organized twice per year, once in Flanders and once in the Netherlands. The publications from previous conferences can also be found on the website after one year. Are you a practitioner or a student in monument conservation within The Netherlands or Flanders and are you interested in staying updated on new technologies and broadening your network? All details on becoming a member are mentioned on the website (wta-nl-vl.org/ contact en lidmaatschap). Students who become student members in 2015 are allowed free entrance to the symposia in The Netherlands and Flanders! WTA International WTA int. is the International Association for Science and Technology of Building Maintenance and Monument Preservation. WTA has regional groups in Germany, Netherland-Flanders, Swiss and the Czech Republic. WTA international s objective is to support research and its practical application in the field of building 22

23 The 10th Maritime Heritage Conference September Norfolk, UK By Sorna Khakzad, PhD researcher RLICC The 10th Maritime Heritage Conference was held from September 2014 in Norfolk, VA. Sessions covered a range of topics from international trade, immigration, maritime law, shipbuilding, small craft preservation, lighthouses and lifesaving stations, whaling, underwater archaeology, historic ships, sailors lives, African-American maritime history, maritime museums and organizations, seaports, naval history, literature, native maritime cultures, marine art and sea music, education, sail training and tall ships, and other topics related to global maritime heritage. Sorna Khakzad chaired a session, where three prominent experts in the field of maritime archaeology presented their research. Frank Cantelas, from NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) presented The Monterrey Shipwreck Project in the Gulf of Mexico, Dr. Della A. Scott-Ireton presented Florida Public Archaeology Network works and explained the Florida s Programs in Historic Preservation Underwater, and finally Dr. James P. Delgado from NOAA presented the latest news about activities on famous Titanic which has been underwater for 100 years by 2012 and therefore it is protected by UNESCO through the 2001 Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage. In the poster session, Sorna, as a fellow researcher to NOAA, presented a poster titled: Reevaluation of Native American Maritime Cultural Landscape: Cape Fear, Southeastern North Carolina, which summarized the ongoing research which is conducted in collaboration with East Carolina University on Native Americans coastal cultural heritage. For more information about this conference please visit: The ECU students and alumni attended to the 10th Maritime Heritage Conference, among other 300 participants Sorna Khakzad

24 PRO MONUMENTA in Slovakia 7-9 October Slovakia By Koen Van Balen, director of the RLICC Church Skalica 2014 Koen Van Balen From 7th till the 9th of October 2014 Prof. K. Van Balen, chair holder of the PRECOM3OS UNESCO chair, was invited by the new project PRO MONUMENTA in Slovakia to share experiences with preventive conservation and the monitoring of built heritage. PRO MONUMENTA in Slovakia is a non-governmental organisation based on the model of Monumentenwacht in The Netherlands and in Flanders that aims to help owners in monitoring the state of conservation of their historic buildings. The project start-up is financed by the Riksantikvaren, Norway. During this three days seminar experiences have been exchanged on monitoring practices. One of the initiators of the set-up of PRO MONUMENTA is Pavol Ižvolt, an alumnus of the Raymond Lemaire International Centre for Conservation. Beside site visits to monuments on the monitoring list in Trnava, Skalica, Holíč, Modra, Kopčany and Sveta Jur, lectures were given by representatives of the the Riksantikvaren, Norway and from the Norwegian Defence Estates Agency (NDEA). The presentation by Christian Boehaven showed how the NDEA is developing value based strategies to adapt the use of former military camps for public use acknowledging the value of historic buildings and valuable landscapes they have. Interaction with civil society is also the link with another related initiative initiated with the support of Pavol Ižvolt. This innovative joint project of the Slovak 24

25 Republic s Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, and Family involves the unemployed in saving items of built cultural heritage. The project operates with unemployed citizens who, together with the active participation of civic associations, restore selected monuments under state supervision. The project focuses on creating short-term job positions in the sector of heritage conservation. After three years of operation, it can be concluded that the results have been above expectations. The project had a positive effect not only on decreasing the unemployment rate in regions with low economic productivity but also with integrating the long-term unemployed into the process of heritage conservation, building up good relations with cultural heritage, regional traditions, and local citizens cultural values. By gaining specific skills (for instance, medieval building techniques and traditional methods of stone working and wood carpentry) the prospects for job seekers in the job market also have been improved. The restored cultural heritage also becomes more attractive for tourism, creating opportunities for more employment in the service sector. The preconditions for success are: quality preparation, an individual approach, and good leadership. Also important are engagement in training and education, as well as motivational elements. (See: Ižvolt P. Smatanová K.(2014), Strategic Heritage Conservation Practices: Inclusion of the Unemployed in Saving Cultural Heritage in Slovakia; The historic environment, Vol. 5 No. 1, March 2014, p. 36 p. 54) EU council meeting October Rome, Italy By Koen Van Balen, director of the RLICC On October 13-14, 2014 Prof. K. Van Balen, representing the Consortium of the Heritage Counts for Europe project, was invited to attend the conference of the Italian Presidency of the EU Council devoted to Measuring impacts of cultural heritage valorisation. Tools for evidence based policies. The conference took places in the National Roman Museum - Baths of Diocletian in Rome, a particular impressive location to deal with this subject. The Conference, organized by the General Directorate of Management and Promotion of Cultural Heritage - Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism - in collaboration with Fitzcarraldo Foundation, dealt with the broader framework of cultural heritage, as an important tool to promote sustainable development processes and as an essential component of quality of life. The Conference aimed at comparing the main and most innovative evaluation methodologies to assess social and economic impacts of cultural policies in European Union Countries, by means of a discussion involving institutional representatives and world renowned experts. The conference was subdivided in three sessions. Session I dealt with Heritage values. It focused on different ways of valuing

26 The conference venue at the Baths of Diocletian in Rome Koen Van Balen cultural heritage in different EU countries. Besides the obvious economic valorisation processes, one of the questions asked concerned how also social and cultural values of heritage could be valorised in order to deliver sustainable benefits for society. These benefits are not only defined through financial income and economic growth but through the way they contribute to a good quality environment, social well-being, intercultural dialogue and promotion of community spirit. Session II was titled Measuring impacts: metrics for policies. Here, the need for reliable and suitable indicators that contribute to the quantification of the (economic, cultural and social) benefits of cultural heritage valorisation was stressed. Speakers argued that quantitative data should evidence not only economicfinancial impacts but they should also capture multidimensional, long term effects such as the increase of cultural capital, the strengthening of social cohesion, the reduction of unemployment or the improvement of quality of life. Such data are needed to develop innovative policies of cultural heritage valorisation; policies to be communicated and shared with public, stakeholders and local communities. In this session, Prof. K. Van Balen gave a presentation on the intermediate results of the Cultural Heritage Counts for Europe project. Particularly the methodology developed in the project on how to gather, analyse, compare and consolidate existing data and how to relate them to the direct and indirect impact of cultural heritage on society and on economy, was shared. Preliminary results of the macro and meso level were also given. With the case study of socio economic impact of heritage in the city of Mechelen, based on the master thesis of Clara Thys and Emma Schiltz made at the RLICC, the demonstration of data collection at the micro-level was presented. Session III dealt with Future challenges, with regard to evidence based development policies and sustainability. The challenge of future policies is to interweave cultural heritage and economic cycle. It could help to diversify resources and activities to protect and conserve cultural heritage, hence the importance of evidence based policies. The sustainability theme is not only rhetoric; the concern for sustainability should lead to decision making processes based on evidences that bind economic and cultural-social values one to another; that connect preservation to the use of heritage. If it is an illusion to prevent transformations, the integration of cultural heritage into the path to sustainable development will define the future of that heritage. 26

27 The Third ICZM Symposium October Antalya, Turkey By Sorna Khakzad, PhD researcher RLICC The ICZM symposium in Antalya Sorna Khakzad The third ICZM symposium was held from the October 2014 in Antalya, Turkey. This international multi-disciplinary conference was intended to promote science and integration of knowledge for the sustainable management of coastal resources. It provided a venue for scientists, engineers, managers, and policy-makers to discuss recent advances and innovative ideas, and to share experiences and develop networks. It was acknowledged that growing pressure from increasingly diverse human activities coupled with climate change impacts threaten the functional integrity of these coastal ecosystems. A multi-disciplinary approach towards understanding the drivers, pressures, and impacts in the coastal zone requires effective integration of data and information in policy and management. Sorna Khzakzad presented a paper at this conference, title: Coastal cultural Heritage: A resource to be included in ICZM. Although the major focus of the conference was not on cultural heritage, Sorna presentation opened discussions about the importance of culture in sustainable development of the coastal areas. Topics such as inclusion of coastal and underwater cultural heritage in Marine Spatial Planning and evaluation of this heritage for improvement of the coastal plans were discussed. For more information about this conference please visit: org/?page=background

28 4th Cultural Heritage Counts for Europe (CHCfE) Steering Committee meeting October, Krakow, Poland By Aziliz Vandesande, PhD researcher, and Clara Thys, researcher at RLICC The 4th Cultural Heritage Counts for Europe (CHCfE) Steering Committee meeting took place on 16 October in Krakow. Hosted by CHCFE partner, the International Cultural Centre, 12 representatives of the six project partners were in attendance. The purpose of this meeting was to have progress reports from the two teams responsible for mapping and analysing the multiple benefits of Europe s cultural heritage and to discuss the project s draft report and recommendations. The two-year project is funded by the EU Culture Programme ( ). Since the beginning of the year, teams from the International Cultural Centre (ICC) in Poland and the Raymond Lemaire International Center for Conservation (RLICC) in Belgium have been collecting existing evidence on the impact of cultural heritage in Europe through extensive desk research, contributions from the heritage sector via an online survey, and by working with national experts in 11 countries. Now in the phase of analysing this evidence, ICC and RLICC are elaborating a cultural heritage impact matrix to present in detail the potential of cultural heritage and its intersecting influences across all aspects of society with a specific focus on Europe s economy, society, culture and environment. ICC organised two additional events open to the public entitled What is Heritage Worth? : first an international debate on the evening of 16 October and an open lecture on the evening of 17 October. The Steering Committee meeting in Krakow ICC 28

29 aim was to nourish the Steering Committee discussions, present the project to a wider Polish and Central European audience, and broaden knowledge on the topic of cultural heritage s impact in Europe. The international expert debate with Péter Inkei, Monika Murzyn-Kupisz, Christian Potiron and Kate Pugh, chaired by Joanna Sanetra-Szeliga gathered over 40 people (academics, students, practitioners) interested in the four pillars of impact of cultural heritage on various spheres of life that were identified as a part of the project (economy, society, environment, and culture). During the debate experts presented the pillars and discuss various approaches to measuring the value of heritage. The following day a renowned expert of heritage management and urban tourism, Professor Gregory J. Ashworth, gave a lecture to over 80 participants on heritage as a means of using the past for the contemporary purposes. Heritage directly and indirectly influences socio-economic development. Although widely attempted, there is no universal model for success of heritage-led development projects. It might happen that such a project fails as aside the benefits there are costs to be born as well. The lessons are to be learned from practice, but they are the lessons of careful management and not the lessons of automatic imitation of successful projects already implemented somewhere else. These two events helped project partners to collect additional information, opinions and recommendations regarding evaluation practices that can be useful for the project s final report which will be presented to the public on 12 June in Oslo on the occasion of the Europa Nostra Annual Congress The CHCFE Steering Committee has anew on 2 February 2015 in Leuven, just prior to the start of the Thematic Week Heritage Counts (3-6 February) organised by the Raymond Lemaire International Centre for Conservation (RLICC) at KU Leuven. More information on the Thematic Week will be provided in the next issue of the newsletter. Group picture of the Steering Committee members in Krakow ICC

30 World Heritage in South Korea Seowon Confucian Academies By Prof. Thomas Coomans, RLICC In Korean culture and history, seowon are private Confucian academies where, for more than 400 years, teaching, selfcultivation and honouring scholarship are kept alive through memorial rites. Seowon are traditional Korean-style buildings located in beautiful sites in harmony with nature. As centres of social activity for regional scholars, seowon also are an important contribution to intangible heritage. Through its library and publishing functions, each seowon has preserved various cultural heritages and historical documents. The nine most remarkable South-Korean seowon are inscribed on the tentative list for a serial nomination on the World Heritage. In the context of the nomination process, an international symposium was organised on 24 and 25 October 2014 on the theme of traditional educational institutes and their value as cultural heritage. The first day was a conference in Seoul that aimed to place the seowon in international comparative perspective. I gave a lecture on the evolution of educational heritage in mediaeval Europe, from the monastic schools to the universities. The second day, we visited Dosan Seowon, Byeongsan Seowon and Sosu Seowon as well as the exceptional collection of printing woodblocks conserved at Jangpangak advanced centre for Korean studies. The perfect organisation and the wonderful autumn colours of the natural sites contributed to enhance the serene simplicity of the buildings. I had the great pleasure to meet Prof. Hae- Un Rii and Prof. Jae-Heon Choi, the two key persons of Icomos South Korea, also very active at Icomos international level. The previous introduced me to a heritage volunteer organisation that animates Bukchon old residential area of Seoul. The latter invited me to give a heritage lecture at the Department of Geography and World Heritage Studies at Konkuk University in Seoul. I was very impressed by the dynamics of South-Korean heritage identity and the aim to put the local secular traditions in todays global heritage perspective: a great challenge for every culture in the 21st century! Byeongsan Seowon, established in 1613 THOC With Prof. Hae-Un Rii and a group of heritage volunteers at Bukchon area in Seoul THOC 2014.

31 ICOMOS 18th General Assembly and Symposium Heritage and Landscape as Human Values 9-14 November, Florence, Italy By Ona Vileikis and Aziliz Vandesande, PhD Researchers at the RLICC The ICOMOS 18th General Assembly took place in the World Heritage City of Florence, Italy. More than 1000 ICOMOS members gathered around the topic of Heritage and Landscape as Human Values from the 9th to the 14th of November, The two days symposium included five main themes: (1) Sharing and experiencing the identity of communities through tourism and interpretation; (2) Landscape as cultural habitat; (3) Sustainability through traditional knowledge; (4) Community driven conservation and local empowerment and (5) Emerging tools for conservation practice. The RLICC was selected to present 2 papers. Within theme 3, Aziliz Vandesande presented her PhD research in context of the UNESCO Chair on Preventive Conservation, Monitoring and Maintenance of Monuments and Sites (PRECOM³OS). The lecture dealt with A preventive and planned conservation (PPC) strategy aimed at sustainable development through public participation. First a bold introduction was given on policy changes that call for sustainability and sustainable development in context of cultural heritage. Next, the lecture introduced the potential of implementing PPC strategies in preserving the overall quality of the historic urban environment, innovate existing economic processes and foster local community involvement. Given the scope of the lecture, it was opted to present one specific case study in collaboration with Stefano Della Torre (Politecnico di Milano) and Rossella Moioli (University of Nova Gorica): the research output of the Distretti Culturali. The latter is a wide area project co-financed by the Cariplo Foundation, a huge matching-grant program aimed at producing new attitudes toward culture as a factor for local development. In practice, a Cultural District is a model of integrated local development in which culture plays a strategic and cross role by relating social and economic dimensions.

32 Ona Vileikis contributed with the overall discussion in theme 5, about the link of technology, heritage and landscape, with the paper presentation Monitoring and measuring change: The Silk Roads Cultural Heritage Resource Information System (CHRIS). The Silk Roads CHRIS is an Information System designed to support the preparation of the Silk Roads World Heritage nomination in Central Asia. The use of geospatial features linked to a content management system showed the capabilities of digital technology to overcome challenges in heritage documentation such as different types of languages, recording and inventories. The paper also discussed the advantages and limitations of these kind of systems for the future monitoring of serial transnational properties. For further information: The full papers presented will be published in the upcoming ICOMOS symposium s publication. On Thursday afternoon the International Scientific Committees met. Ona attended the CIPA heritage Documentation meeting as expert member. Through a series of presentations, experts in the field of heritage documentation showed their recent work. Emphasis was given to the documentation of Syrian cultural heritage. The initiative of creating a open database of heritage documentation of monuments and sites of Syria was also introduced to the members. Next CIPA Symposium 2015 will be in Taipei, Taiwan. For more information: On occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Venice Charter (1964) and the 20th Anniversary of the Nara document on Authenticity (1994), an evening seminar was organized on November 10th at the Teatro Verdi, Nara + 20: on Heritage Practices, Cultural Value, and the Concept of Authenticity. The seminar consisted of presentations and a round table discussion with some of the most eminent heritage experts on the topic, i.a. Jukka Jokiletho, Franseco Bandarin, Michael Turner and Cristina Cameron. Throughout the reflections on the contemporaneity and effectiveness of the 2 international guidelines today, several topics were discussed: ranging from the diversity of heritage processes, cultural values evolution, multiple stakeholders involvement and conflicting interpretations. The discussion concluded that there is a need to improve methodologies Aziliz Vandesande during her lecture on Preventive and Planned Conservation Rand Eppich 32

33 on how to assess the relationship between tangible and intangible heritage, broaden the understanding of authenticity, and to identify the integration of community involvement in the development process among others. As researchers of the RLICC were of course very honored to hear that Raymond Lemaire, the founder of our Centre, is still very much recognised as an important contributor to the original Venice Charter and Nara document Mission Cuba and El Salvador November Santiago de Cuba By Koen Van Balen, director of the RLICC on Authenticity, and influencer of the discussions that we are having today. Further, we are proud to mention that Mario Santana Quintero, alumnus and guest professor at the RLICC was elected member of the ICOMOS Executive Committee ( )! The final General Assembly meeting concluded highlighting the value of human beings as the center of heritage. From the 21st until the 26th of November a project meeting took place at the University del Oriente in Cuba, a next step in the collaboration within the VLIR- UOS project in the project P 4 the social sciences, the humanities, and architecture: facing the challenge of local development in Santiago de Cuba. The enhancement of heritage preservation and more particularly for the sub project Documentary sources of Cuba eastern region and the contribution to rescue, preservation and promotion of heritage. For the first time the team members met in Santiago de Cuba so we could share knowledge on the heritage in the city and the nearby environment. On 24th of November a workshop was organised for all members of the P4 project entitled Historical-Cultural Patrimony and Development in Santiago de Cuba. Main University Building Universidad del Oriente 2014 Koen Van Balen

34 Experimenting with earthen paints SIACOT 2014 Koen Van Balen The workshop aimed at facilitating the exchange of experiences between the Project Members (Universidad de Oriente (UO), the University of Antwerp (UA), the University of Leuven (KULeuven) the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and other institutions and researchers interested in heritage related topics. The workshop focussed on the interdisciplinary aspect of socio-cultural development potential of heritage. Prof. K. Van Balen contributed with a key-note lecture on PRECOMOS: insights gained on prevention conservation; Built Cultural Heritage: development and Inter-disciplinarity. Last arrangements have been made for the planning of the activities of the next project year and more particularly for the planned research stay of Luis Bello Caballero at RLICC to start his PhD research. His stay is planned from the end of January until the end of June After the mission in Cuba a short visit to the SIACOT(Seminario Iberoamericano de Arquitectura y construccion con Tierra) 34 in El Salvador allowed to meet Prof. F. Cardoso from the University of Cuenca and to develop a collaboration to involve the PRECOMOS UNESCO chair in the preparation of the next SIACOT conference in November 2015 in Cuenca (EC). Various papers presented insights gained on the development and improvement of earthen architecture. Prof. K. Van Balen was able to attend one of the workshops that demonstrated the application of traditional vernacular construction techniques. Those applications show how the preservation of the skills are necessary to guarantee the maintenance of earthen heritage buildings. The great enthusiasm and interest of young architects and craftsmen for the workshop shows the interest for such sustainable construction techniques.

35 Integrated Project Work I The Cloister of the Cathedral Saint-Paul in Liège, October 20th-23rd, 2014 By Barbara Van der Wee, program director RLICC Within the course Building Archaeology or Bauforshung, we started the academic year with the first integrated project (IPW1): a detailed survey of an architectural element. Caroline Bolle, architect and alumna of the RLICC, with whom we have a close collaboration since several years, proposed different survey topics in relation to the project work site, more specific in the Cloister of Saint-John the Evangelist, Place Xavier Neujean, Liege. Caroline Bolle, currently working for the Archaeological Service of Liege has been realising remarkable historic and archaeological research on the building. Therefore 7 topics (doors, windows, chimneys, portals, columns, etc.) of architectural elements were proposed to survey. Beside Caroline Bolle and Barbara Van der Wee, the main organisers and coachers on the site, also RLICC research assistant Clara Thys was present. Following the survey, the students presented their dossier in group, focusing on the following topics: presentation of the subject, graphic documents, method of measuring and observations. The objectives of the survey exercise are multiple: being in the field is the best way to be introduced to the real problems of a survey. Therefore the exercise is linked to the course Practical Introduction of Survey, by Teresa Patricio, architect and alumna of the RLICC. By sketching, measuring and drawing an element of a wall in detail, students learn to observe attentively a part Students at work at the Cloister of the Cathedral Saint-Paul Pieter-Jan Debuyst 35

36 of a building to get a full understanding of its construction and building history. This way they are introduced to the field of building archaeology. For all those reasons this workshop is the best introduction to the large conservation project (IPW3), carried out during the second semester, that undertakes the complete conservation study of a large building and its rural or urban context. Integrated Project Work II 16 RLICC Students, 5 cities & 9 days Road Trip to Venice (November 8th-16th, 2015) By Julie Hendrickx (language and regional studies, Belgium) Prof. Arch. Urban Planner Paul Lievevrouw has been organising the second integrated project work (IPW2) for years. This year he took the students of the Raymond Lemaire International Centre for Conservation on a study trip, visiting Freiburg (DE), Basel (CH), Turin (IT), Biella (IT) and Venice (IT). Freiburg & the green city After arriving in Basel, the bus took us to Freiburg in Germany. Alain Martin guided us around in Quartier Rieselfeld, a residential area founded by the municipality of Freiburg as a response to the neighbourhood s lack of housing. Because the site used to suffer from severe pollution, the architects involved insisted on making the necessary social houses part of an overall ecological project, characterised by low energy standards. The Maria Magdalena Church was built in the same spirit. This energy producing church houses both the catholic and protestant communities. The architectural volume, in which two different religions coexist, might represent the future of religious architecture. Maria Magdalena church, outside view Pieter-Jan Debuyst Basel & modernistic 20th century development Basel is known for its chemical and pharmaceutical industry. The multinational pharmaceutical company Novartis International AG has its headquarters in this Swiss city. The entire research centre is gated for security reasons. This city within the city of Basel initiated a discussion about the concept of a gated community. After a visit to the Goetheanum in Dornach, a school for spiritual sciences, the idea of a mentally gated community arose. Basel is a very cultural city as well. In the short period of time we were there, we visited both the Kunstmuseum and the Museum Fondation Beyeler. The Kunstmuseum, designed by Rudolf Christ and Paul Bonatz, dates back to the 1930s. There we witnessed 36

37 Fondation Beyeler, 1998, Renzo Piano Pieter-Jan Debuyst the exhibition of Swiss landscape painter Caspar Wolf. The Museum Fondation Beyeler is well-integrated in a beautiful landscape, just outside the city of Basel. It was designed by Renzo Piano to house the collection of Ernst Beyeler and it offered the ideal home for Monet s Water Lilies. Another feature building in Basel is the Sint Antoniuskirche. Although the shape and materials of this Roman Catholic church, designed by Moser, are characteristic of the 1920s, the well-thought-out integration in the urban space makes this building unique. The evening walk through Turin eventually lead us over the river Po to the atelier of Italian architect Andrea Bruno. We visited one of Andrea Bruno s masterpieces in Rivoli as well. The additions he made to the castle of Rivoli, which is over a thousand years old, are truly proof of his conviction that combining the past and the future is the right approach when it comes to rehabilitation projects. The same cannot be said about the Fiat Lingotto Factory we visited afterwards. Before it became a modern complex with shopping arcades, convention centres, concert halls and a hotel, this factory belonged to Fiat Automobiles. The finished cars, produced in this factory, were brought to the track on the rooftop for a test drive. This early 20th century factory combined modernistic architectural beliefs with the growing fascination for traffic and mobility. Today, the track is still used for transportation. Sint Antoniuskirche, 1927, Karl Moser Thomas Rigauts Turin & Andrea Bruno Arriving in Turin in the late afternoon, we were guided around town by Luca Visconti, an alumnus of the Centre. We started our city walk at Piazza Vittorio Veneto and walked by some of Turin s highlights. 37 Rivoli Castle, 1984, Andrea Bruno Pieter-Jan Debuyst

38 Lingotto, 1989, Renzo Piano Thomas Rigauts Biella & sustainable architecture La Città dell Arte Fondazione Pistoletto in Biella, founded by Michelangelo Pistoletto himself in 1998, was the next stop on our way to Venice. We were welcomed by Luca Furlan, who also gave us insight into the mind of Michelangelo Pistoletto by showing us some of the art works he created. Their concept of The Third Paradise, created by Pistoletto in 2003, caught our attention. The basic idea of The Third Paradise is to overcome the conflict between nature and artifice. The symbol of The Third Paradise derives from the mathematical sign for infinity. In the new sign three circles are recognizable. The two opposite ones symbolize nature and artifice, while the middle one represents the combination of the two and thus The Third Paradise. Venice & the Biennale We had hardly arrived in Venice, Prof. Arch. and Urbanist Daniele Pini was already expecting us. He showed us around town and pointed out some of Venice s most astonishing places and monuments, while explaining its history and addressing its problems. Of course there was time preserved to visit the 14th International architectural Pistoletto s Third Paradise at Elefsina Biennale. Curator Rem Koolhaas chose Fundamentals as its theme and title. Attention was paid to the history of the fundamentals of architecture, used by architects at any time and any place. The presented architectural elements were the floor, the wall, the ceiling, the roof, the door, the window, the façade, the balcony, the corridor, the fireplace, the toilet, the stair, the escalator, the elevator and the ramp. In Venice we also had the opportunity to visit the exhibition Fare, Disfare, Rifare of Andrea Bruno. Several of his projects were displayed in the Wilmotte Foundation. During our visit to this exhibition we were accompanied by the alumni and staff of the RLICC, for whom it must have been a joyful reunion with Andrea Bruno, honorary president of the RLICC. The students would like to thank the RLICC staff and the participating alumni. Their presence was very much appreciated and their presentations and advice inspired all of us. 38

39 Integrated Project Work II Interview with Andrea Bruno, November 10th, 2014 By Thomas Rigauts (historian, Belgium) and Maud Rochez (architectural engineer, Belgium) As a part of their study trip to cities like Basel, Turin, and ultimately Venice, the students of the Raymond Lemaire International Centre for Conservation attended the exposition Fare, Disfare, Rifare of the Italian architect Andrea Bruno, also known as the former president of the Centre. He is especially renowned for his additions to built heritage and adaptive re-use of historical buildings. Before visiting the exposition of his projects in the Wilmotte Foundation in Venice, we got the chance to meet the architect in his own atelier in Turin. It was in this studio, his own little microcosm, that we asked him a couple of questions about his main ideas regarding how to deal with architectural heritage as an architect. Visit to A. Bruno s studio Pieter-Jan Debuyst 39 Thz void of the Buddhas of Bamiyan news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/ / jpg/_ _bamiyan3_getty624.jpg Andrea, as an accomplished architect you have worked on many projects. Could you tell us something about your projects in Afghanistan, the country where it all started for you? In Afghanistan we wanted to make a museum near the Buddhas of Bamiyan, but at the beginning of the third millennium, the statues were destroyed by the Taliban. In the end the Taliban did not win because they wanted to destroy the memory and ultimately failed in doing that. While the Buddhas were indeed demolished, there was still a void, a suggestion of the missing statues. The message is not the statue, but the emptiness of the niche. The niche of the Buddha is the sculpture of dynamite. The destruction is not only materialistic, but also the quality of life changed in Afghanistan after the war. There is nobody

40 left that has the same quality of life as the people that lived there forty or fifty years ago. Because of that, you have to safeguard memory, to understand what was previously there. Perhaps it is not polite to say this, but killing people is terrible, killing their memory might be even worse. The Mostar bridge in Yugoslavia was also destroyed during a conflict. The local community wanted to reconstruct it completely, but you proposed a counter project. Yes, I proposed to not rebuild the bridge as it was, but only to keep the remaining parts as an example to show that we cannot just destroy heritage. I followed the original shape with a metallic structure. I also kept the small bridge they had built immediately after the destruction to still be able to cross the river. This means that we could see at the same time the three different phases: the original bridge that was destroyed, the preliminary crossing, and finally, the proposed metallic structure of the project. It would be a testimony of the things that should not be done. In the end, the local community decided to reconstruct the original bridge. Why did they not opt for your solution? The will of reconstructing is fundamental. Because of nostalgia, people want to see the same image as before. The current bridge of Mostar is a copy. This is justifiable on the 40 Killing people is terrible, killing their memory might be even worse level of sentiments, but youngsters who never saw the first bridge will think that the reconstruction is the original one. It would be better to make this point of history understandable rather than to hide it. You clearly try to make a distinction between the old and the new in your projects. Sometimes it is not realized, like in Mostar, but it was highly appreciated in your restoration of the fortress of Vauban in Nîmes. Here I won the international competition to transform the biggest prison of France into a university. The program of the project asked to keep the monument as it was, but I made the absolute opposite proposition. I said no, I will build on the fortress itself in the same spirit as the builders of the Middle Ages, who used what was already built by the Romans before them. I will build on the already built. This is fundamental. In the end I presented my project for the fortress of Vauban and I won. Do not look at the program! It is the architect who has to manage. It is the architect who has to create authenticity. You add new layers on historical buildings, which are often protected monuments that need to be kept intact. How do you respect the old material? I look at reversibility with respect for the primary authenticity. When I make an extension I add things, which are aesthetically compatible with what exists, but I design something that is reversible. Reversibility is something well constructed and solid, but there is an intellectual possibility to remove it, to find again the solution the architect was confronted with before the restoration took place.

41 Should there be a limit on modern additions that are to be added to architectural heritage in your opinion? No, there should be no limit, but sometimes it is understandable there is. People are often afraid to touch heritage. They are slaves of the monument. An architect has to be brave enough to perform these interventions. Of course it differs case by case, but in general, there should not be any limits on the architect s creativity. In your design for the Brigittines chapel in Brussels you added a whole new volume to the existing building in order to make it function as a theatre. How did you came up with this design? In the case of the Brigitinnes chapel you have to consider that there is a railway fifty meters away, a big building behind the church, a whole disorder. We had to make something shocking to make it possible to enter into a dialogue with the surroundings It is the void that makes the architecture which are more brutal. In the case of the Brigittines chapel we won the competition with just one sketch. One good sketch can define the whole concept of a design. It was also important to incorporate the possibility to perform in this building, as it had to become a theatre. How has this influenced your design? We come back to the debate of space and architecture. We can compare the void of the niche of the Buddhas of Bamiyan with the void within the chapel of the Brigittines. It is the void that makes the architecture. Is there one last thing you would like to share with the students of the Centre? Une architecture archivée est à moitié sauvée [Archived architecture is already half saved]. Visit to A. Bruno s studio in Torino Pieter-Jan Debuyst 41

42 Between Architectural Shrine and Urban Resource Rethinking the Relationship Between Heritage Values and Program Renewal in Conservation Narratives Master thesis by Francis Carpentier (arts and heritage, Belgium) Promoters: Paul Lievevrouw, Andrea Bruno Functional diagram - closed & open walls in a house in Hoeilaart XDGA In the Middle Ages the obsolete Roman amphitheaters were converted to new uses; there were no problems of the conservation of past memories as evidence of history and civilization. Utilitarianism and urgency led to total, unscrupulous but extremely forceful reappropriations. (Andrea Bruno, 1996) heritage values. This quest for a perfect match between building and function is a time-consuming process involving a lot of expertise and financial means (CRISIS). Since these preconditions are not continuously at hand, one can wonder whether conservationists shouldn t consider alternative ways of dealing with our built As students of the Raymond Lemaire environment. Personal voices, equally International Centre for Conservation, we are trained to follow a scientific methodology that will allow us to make sensitive to programmatic needs of future functions as to heritage values. My master thesis was a quest for today s well-argued choices when dealing with forceful reappropriations, a reflective monuments and sites. An integrated project proposal should always be preceded by a strong value assessment, which can only be the result of an in-depth analysis of building and context. Ideally, when it comes to reusing historic buildings, new functions are being sought that are in line with the previously identified exercise structured along five essential steps: Crisis - Confrontation - Change - Continuity - Coherence. Six program-based initiatives were taken as a starting point to find out how innovative professionals outside of the conservation realm are dealing with today s changing use paradigms (CONFRONTATION): 42

43 1. Royal Courts of Justice, London ( ) 2. XDGA, Private House, Hoeilaart ( ) 3. Druot / Lacaton & Vassal, Tour Boisle-Prêtre, Paris ( ) 4. LOCUS, Street Lighting, Cairo ( ) 5. Festivity Hall Atheneum, Antwerp (2014) 6. National Pop-Up Store, Brussels (2014) This confrontation with six projects, which were not a priori focused on heritage values, served as a conceptual exercise to reverse our common methodology: an analysis from function to building rather than from building to function. Fourteen emerging use trends (CHANGE) were extracted from the different references and reformulated to a set of qualitative criteria towards more program-based conservation (CONTINUITY): 1.Time-Based: envisioning programmatic functioning for the long-term and the short-term 2. Means-Effective: creating added value through the use of the built environment as a resource or through a minimum of interventions 3. Value-Multiplicative: making sure interventions are more than one solution to one problem 4. Incubated: testing and questioning the built environment through temporary projects 5. Mixed: inserting a diversity of users and functions as urban empowerment and to anticipate a future functional short circuit 6. Shared: minimizing costs and maximizing social interaction through the sharing of spaces 7. Flexible: anticipating future programmatic and functional changes 43 through less determined design 8. Additive: foreseeing future growth through the creation of more flexible space 9. Reversible: allowing the built environment to start over again 10. Appropriative: accepting users for who they are by allowing them to individualize spaces 11. Unfinished: realizing that spaces can benefit from less finishing 12. Cross-Fertilized: implementing best practices from other disciplines and vice versa 13. Stakeholder-Engaged: extracting urban needs through stakeholder engagement and through the presentation of flexible project scenarios towards local communities 14. Management-Driven: controlling overall vision in an inspired and efficient way After the redaction of these criteria, narratives from within the conservation realm (e.g. Andrea Bruno s approach of designing the existing ) were compared to other forceful references of today (e.g. Jean- Philippe Vassal s approach of the generosity of the existing ) to show interesting synergies between architectural innovation, and sensitivity towards our remains from the past. Five cultural considerations were further developed as a basis to build overall visions transcending the traditional tension between heritage values and program renewal (COHERENCE): Authorship, Anamnesis, Authenticity, Actualization, and Atmosphere. My thesis was written as a plea to start thinking differently, next to the existing methodologies based on the priority of heritage values. An impetus to take programmatic considerations seriously, as they will always be the motor behind the conservation and renewal of our monuments and sites.

44 Master Plan of Conservation and Development for the British Building in Cospicua (Bormla), Malta Master thesis by Sonia Borugă (architect, Romania) Promoters: Koenraad Van Balen, Paul Lievevrouw No.1 Dock after the completion of landscaping project in October 2014 Times of Malta No.1 Dock is a representative site for the Maltese customs, national identity and culture. This group of constructions was selected as the topic of research because of its singularity, derived from the fact that it is a wonderful example of industrial Colonial Georgian architecture and also by its resilience in time and history. The site is located in Cospicua (Bormla), a town which forms together with Senglea(L Isla), Birgu (Vittoriosa) and Kalkara the oldest conurbation in the Maltese islands, known as the Cottonera area. The No.1 Dock is situated in the heart of Cospicua, next to the main gathering areas, the Giulia and the Vassallo Squares. No. 1 Dock nowadays consists in what it is popularly known as the British Building, the former dry dock which is flooded and a recently created recreational area. This research focus on two main areas of study, namely the assessment of the current state of conservation and the drawing of a strategy for restoration and secondary the 44 investigation of expansion possibilities and the introduction of new uses. As a base for the study, a historical and architectural analysis was conducted, in order to understand the various modifications and the characteristics of the site. As well, the value assessment revealed that the No.1 Dock has a significant historical, aesthetical, social, economic and cultural importance as an ensemble and it is recommended to be preserved accordingly. An urban planning analysis indicated that this area is under research for more than 70 years, but only recently, the local development plans presented general guidelines for this site. However, the economical context in Cospicua, which can be describe as problematic, provides some general directions for a future possibility of development of the site. As a conclusion for the urban, historical and architectural analysis, a general strategy of reuse of the site was presented, which emphasize the main areas of interest, namely recreational activities, education

45 Restitution of the original structure of the No.1 Dock Sonia Borugă and training opportunities, and public services and facilities. The technical analysis revealed that the British Building, the only existing structure from the No.1 Dock is in a poor state of conservation and requires urgent interventions. The main causes of decay are the rising dampness originated from the flooded dry dock, coal vaults and basement, the penetrating moisture from the damaged rooftop or unsuitable building materials and the improper maintenance of the building. As well, the research highlighted the fact that there is ample documentation to be used as a base for the reconstruction of the demolished elements and the execution of proper restoration works. This research also concluded that a new construction encompassing many of the public services and facilities which are modestly represented in the area can bring benefits for the local community. Therefore, a new mix use building was proposed to complete the historic site. The design for the new construction was inspired from the original dock planed by W. Scamp and was focused on maintaining the unity and symmetry of the ensemble. The British Building would accommodate the public market, police station, the Dock s museum and exhibition spaces, and also a training centre dedicated to shipbuilding industry. The new building will be dedicated to cultural, educational and social activities, acting like a cultural and recreational hub for the community. This building will encompass cafeterias, a theatre, and spaces for art, writing and dance classes, but also recreational and social activities. The revitalisation of the site will bring important financial benefits to local community and will ensure the continuation of a tradition, considering that this site was always the engine of the local economy. The No. 1 Dock can be preserved for the future generations if the site becomes a cultural, educational and social hub for the local community. Master plan for revitalisation of the No. 1 Dock area Sonia Borugă 45

46 Reconstructing Monuments in Croatia in the Early Post-Second World War Period Theoretical Principles and the Case of the Šibenik Town Hall Master thesis by Iva Raič Stojanović (art historian, Croatia) Promoters: Prof. Thomas Coomans, Prof. Luc Verpoest, Prof. Marko Špikić The thesis deals with the reconstruction of damaged cultural monuments in Croatia early after the Second World War, giving special emphasis to the rebuilding of the town hall (loggia) in Šibenik and the theoretical principles governing the project. War destruction and the rebuilding process The Second World War brought widespread destruction to many Croatian urban areas. In 1945, now part of the new socialist Yugoslavia, the country faced a sustained rebuilding period. The main objectives were to replace the lost building stock to meet the current demand levels, while at the same time create environments which would help build a stable socialist community. The rebuilding of historic urban centers, notably in the coastal region of Dalmatia, posed a particular challenge. The scale of demolition, the radically changed sociopolitical reality and the aspiration to preserve the towns unique character prompted The town hall in Šibenik, 1928 Ministry of Culture, Croatia, Photo Archive Dalmatian conservators to search for a new conservation paradigm, moving away from the minimal-intervention principle that had dominated the conservation theory in the region since the 1900s. Although burdened by economic difficulties and a fragile legal framework, they ventured to rebuild a large number of war-scarred sites, employing a variety of methods. The reconstruction of the town hall Among the most significant post-war projects was the rebuilding of the town hall in Šibenik, originally built in the sixteenthcentury when Dalmatia was ruled by the Venetian Republic, and almost entirely demolished in a 1943 bombing raid. The project, run by conservator Cvito Fisković and architect Harold Bilinić, involved the reconstruction of the building in the form of a near facsimile with a freely remodeled interior. Fisković s decision to reconstruct the building in its previous form was motivated to a large degree by its urban value (it had formed a striking ensemble with the neighboring Gothic-Renaissance cathedral), and by his fear of a potentially inappropriate modern infill. His other arguments, namely that the building had great national and social value for the Dalmatian people as it evoked the memory of their Slavic ancestors (when in fact it could have been perceived as a symbol of the centuries-old Italian rule over the region), were in accord with the ideological climate of the time and the 46

47 prominent Croatian art historians and architects over facsimile reconstruction as opposed to modern design in historic settings, which is to be seen within the context of the contemporary European, and particularly Italian, conservation developments. The town hall after the bombardment, 1944 Ministry of Culture, Croatia, Photo Archive country s emancipatory agenda. Fisković and Bilinić brushed aside the ethical postulates concerning the monument s authenticity in favor of bringing back the historical appearance of the urban setting and imbuing it with new meaning all in order to give the new society a strong cultural-political identity. Fisković and Bilinić brushed aside the ethical postulates concerning the monument s authenticity in favor of bringing back the historical appearance of the urban setting and imbuing it with new meaning all in order to give the new society a strong cultural-political identity. Subsequently, the project had spurred debate among The structure of the thesis The first chapter contains a historical overview of the urban development of the town of Šibenik from the early Middle Ages to the Second World War. The second one provides a brief account of the war destruction and the damage caused to the town s historic center. Chapter Three focuses on the policies and theories underpinning the reconstruction of built heritage in Croatia after the war. It describes the legal and organizational framework of heritage conservation, outlines the contemporary Italian restoration theories and traces the development of Croatian theoretical tradition. The final chapter deals with the reconstruction of the town hall in Šibenik, providing information on other conservation projects carried out within the town s historic core in the immediate postwar years. The town hall in Šibenik, present-day view of the exterior as reconstructed after 1945 Iva Raič Stojanović,

48 Internship at Portico Medievale on the Forum Romanum Internship in Italy By Astrid Van Damme (architect, Belgium) Portico Medievale in front of the Basilica of Maxentius Astrid Van Damme My internship started in mid-july 2014 in Rome (Italy), and it is still ongoing until March I am working for the architect Maria-Maddalena Scoccianti who is part of the Soprintendenza Speciale per i Beni Archeologici di Roma, itself belonging to the Ministry of Cultural activities and Tourism. When I arrived into the organization, I directly joined a team of four architects and two archeologists working on the Roman Forum. We were responsible for a new restoration project which had just started when I arrived. Perfect timing! The project, which I also chose as my thesis subject, is the Portico Medievale, along the Via Sacra, and against the wall of the Basilica of Maxentius. It is an incredibly interesting archeological zone, the central heart of European civilization. According to the archeologists, the portico dates from the 12th century. It was rediscovered in 1879 by Rodolfo Lanciani. Further excavations were carried out until 1986 inside the portico, to discover several layers of archaic pavements of the Via Sacra. Since the portico has not been touched since the latest excavations in 1986, and was not accessible to the public, a real jungle has grown up inside. The received for the project was mainly reserved for weeding and archeological cleaning. This part of the works was carried out by the two archeologists and several workers, and lasted for two weeks in November. An important part of this step was to stabilize the pavements released during the 20th century excavations. Another part of the project is dedicated to the archival research to trace the history of the building. I was fortunate to be given this independent task, since it has not yet been done for this particular building. I spent three full months at the numerous beautiful Weeding and archaeological cleaning of the portico s excavations Astrid Van Damme 48

49 archives of the eternal city to collect all the information about the portico and its history. The most challenging part was to trace the ownership of the house from the mid 18th century until its destruction in 1879, looking at the deeds archives. When the archeological cleaning was entirely done, two other architects (Paola and Chiara), a geometer (Michele) and myself, started the survey. We used two laser-scanners (ZOOM 300 and CAM 2), the first of which unfortunately broke after the first day, and the second being of a much higher caliber. In mid-december, the Geometer gave us several sections from the pointcloud, and the two other architects and I could start to draw the plans and sections on Autocad. Now that the archeological cleaning, historical research and survey are done (and the money for the project extinguished), I will start an independent conservation and restoration project for the portico, with the guidance of my promoter arch. Scoccianti. We are hoping that the project will soon get more funding to be continued further. I feel very fortunate to have been present for Restoration of frescos at the Domus Transitoria Astrid Van Damme a full survey project on the Roman Forum of almost nine months. I also tried to understand the functioning of the Soprintendenza, which is a big and historical organization. The rigid body has improved a lot these past three years, since the new Soprintendente Mariarosaria Barbera is in charge. Many new projects have emerged, and the tourist information is in its beginning. A general management plan for the Roman Forum is however lacking since, up until a few years ago, each architect was carrying his or her own project individually. Another big threat to the site is Astrid at the Portico s excavation site Astrid Van Damme 49

50 the Metro C being currently dug just below the Roman Forum. During the internship, Maria-Maddelena Scoccianti brought me on a few of her other site project works. I visited with her the underground Basilica of Porta Maggiore, a Roman Street and its Tabernae under the Basilica Sant Anastasia, the Domus Transitoria (Nero s first palace), and a lot more Survey with the CAM 2 Astrid Van Damme Jan Hird Pokorny Associates (JHPA), New York Intership in the USA Thomas Stroobants (architect, Belgium) I decided to do my internship with Jan Hird Pokorny Associates, a restoration firm in New York City. My choice for NYC came out of my personal interest how heritage was being dealt with in one of the most dynamic cities in the world. New York, being one of the oldest cities in the United States, has a vast amount of old buildings and monuments, which I presumed to be much contested by new developments. My experience however was that many New Yorkers care about their heritage, and mostly take good care of it. Many old warehouses, row houses and apartment-blocks are in private hands, and most of these owners understand very well the intrinsic qualities of their old buildings. For many of them the fact of owning an old house was a status symbol, and therefore their willingness to pay for the conservation of the building was pretty high. I mainly dealt with façade- and roof restorations, which gave me the chance to experience New York from scaffolds and rooftops, which was an amazing experience. I was following up several projects, from window-replacements to façade restorations and structural issues, but the most interesting project was the 141 5th Avenue Cupola restoration. In this project we were restoring an old copper cupola-roof from the penthouse of a 19th century apartment Battery Lewis Battalion, 1944 Fort Hancock Archives Highlands Military Reservation Battery 116 (Battery Lewis), 2010 John Stanton 50

51 Flatiron Building, 1903, Detroit Publishing Co., 5th Cupola restoration, 2014 Thomas Stroobants building. The cupola was already restored a few years before, but it had flaws all over it so JHPA was appointed to redo it. The historical analysis was already done before my arrival, but my colleagues told me it was not too difficult to find historic documents about it, since the entire area was already being documented thoroughly for decades: 141 5th appeared to be the backside neighbor from the Flatiron Building (see picture). One can imagine iconographic research was easy, since the cupola appeared on almost every picture that had the Flatiron on it. Through historical plans that were kept in the city archives reconstruction drawings were made to mold the copper and compile the baton-roof, though some adaptations were made for insulation, acoustic absorbance and water tightness. The new owner of the penthouse wanted to build a round library inside of the cupola, which had to be thought through pretty thorough in planning all the restoration work. I had to leave NY before seeing the final result, but was promised I could make a visit next time I am visiting. Though most projects were private projects, we also had some public works for the State of New York or the State of New Jersey. One of them was a 1943 anti-marine-bunker on the banks of the Atlantic Ocean, at Sandy Hook, which was built as a defense against German and Japanese forces. The bunker held two 16-inch guns that protected the entire coastline up to Brooklyn. The guns were fired once as a test (which shattered glass windows for a mile around), but never really used. They were moved to a memorial sites in anotherstate, but negotiations were going on to bring it back. Today the bunker is empty, but plans were made to integrate it in the walking-routes of Hartshorne Woods Park. For this the concrete had to be assessed, in order to make the building public. We surveyed the entire bunker and started plans for restoration, which should be going on right now. My experience in New York was an unforgettable one and I certainly hope to be able to go back one day. 51

52 Internship at ICOMOS Ireland - Mapping Flood Risk to Moveable and Immovable Heritage Internship in Ireland By John Du Preez (architect, South Africa) I was fortunate enough to undertake an internship in Dublin, Ireland for ICOMOS Ireland under the mentorship of ICOMOS Ireland President, Deirdre McDermott during September and October, The primary objective of my stay was to assist with the development of a GIS-based risk analysis tool focusing on the flood-risk to moveable and immovable heritage assets within Ireland. EU initiatives such as the Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) programme aim to analyise flood risk as it relates to human assets and safety, with this particular study seeing its conclusion in Ireland. That said, analysis of the risk to heritage with focus on flood-risk management strategies is seen as a priority in the continued preservation of Ireland s rich portfolio of moveable heritage. An initial objective in this regard was to determine the opportunities and challenges in the development of a risk-analysis tool, define the stakeholders, and draft a methodology towards a development strategy. A preliminary assessment indicated that much of the required data already existed, albeit fragmented within various heritage interest groups. Interest in the consolidation of this data brought about the added complexity of accommodating different heritage groups with different focus and varying objectives, along with data of varying levels of privacy and access restrictions. Because of this the draft methodology that was developed looks at the layering of critical information as to effectively apply privacy layering according to institution and study requirements. The Museum Standards Programme of Ireland (MSPI) was also brought into the discussion of implementing context-specific flood and fire plans, based on GIS-derived risk indicators, allowing for evacuation Development of a risk-analysis tool framework John Du Preez Development of a GIS system (National Monuments) John Du Preez 52

53 Recommended development process of a riskanalysis tool John Du Preez and management plans based on local conditions and threats. The internship period culminated in the Irish National Committee of the Blue Shield (INCBS) conference, Prepare to Protect, which was held on the 22nd of October The conference brought in speakers focusing on different aspects of heritage protection, from flood to fire, war to evacuation, and gave an incredibly insightful and inspiring overview of the current issues of heritage protection both in Ireland and around the world. I had the privilege of speaking at the same conference regarding ICOMOS Ireland s interest in flood risk to Irish heritage. The debates that took place during the conference were immensely interesting and further emphasised the need to bring stakeholders together through standardisation of information and transparency. The process of protecting heritage is a complex interaction of different stakeholders, from the military to volunteers, heritage professionals to academics, and the INCBS conference succeeded in opening up a dialogue in this regard, taking clear steps forward in the direction of unified protection and risk strategies. In addition, I was lucky enough to spend time at the Heritage Council in Kilkenny during which time I looked into the relationship and possible interactions between the Blue Shield and the MSPI as well as the revision of ICOMOS Ireland membership policy. I also spent time visiting natural heritage sites in Ireland while in Kilkenny, and participated in site visits to interesting case-studies in Northern Ireland as part of an ICOMOS Ireland outing. Furthermore, I attended and participated in meetings for the INCBS, ICOMOS Ireland, and the OPW which dealt with current heritage issues, and which was insightful as to how heritage concerns are addressed and resolved. I am indebted to Deirdre McDermott (ICOMOS Ireland President), Grellan Rourke (Heritage Service Office of Public Works), Colm Murray (The Heritage Council), Peter Cox (ICOMOS ISC) and Catherine Gorman (DIT), to name a few, for the invaluable experience I had in Ireland. Their professionalism was only ever surpassed by their hospitality, and in the process of learning about the care and protection of heritage from experts in the field, I have gratefully come out with a deeper understanding of the heritage sector, and with fantastic memories and new friends. Countryside on tour with ICOMOS Ireland John Du Preez 53

54 Monumentenwacht Vlaams-Brabant (Monument Watch Flemish Brabant) Internship in Belgium By Ine Huybreghs (engineer-architect, Belgium) Monument Watch was founded in 1991 in Flanders. Its main aim, since its establishment, is the stimulation of the maintenance of valuable historical heritage. In this way the organization contributes to the valorization of cultural heritage. By preventive action and regular control of the object and by stimulating timely interventions, extensive reparations or restorations will be unnecessary. The tasks of Monument Watch fit in an integral heritage approach. The main task is to support in maintenance of buildings by carrying out periodic inspections and thoroughly reports and giving advice for valuable interiors, movable, sailing and archaeological heritage. Important to mention is that this advice is independent. I did my internship at the department of Flemish Brabant, which consists of 14 employees, with a multidisciplinary background. During most of the time, I joined the structural monument watchers. I joined several inspections of churches, houses, mills and other buildings. This gave me the opportunity to see a lot of places of a building which you normally don t see while visiting it. I could see several damages and damage processes which were mentioned in class in the first year. For example damage due to wood boring insects. Monument Watch determines whether the insect is active or not, and the size of the attacked zone is ascertained. In order to determine whether a wood boring beetle, for example the Xestobium rufovillosum (deathwatch beetle), is still active, a beam end can be wrapped up with paper. When Monument Watch returns later for another inspection, and little holes can be seen in the paper, this means the beetle is still active. I also saw another method with a trap with an UVlamp and sticky paper. This is also a way to defeat the wood boring insects. I joined some interior inspections too with the interior watchers. Furniture, paintings, statues, clothes, metal work, are inspected. Patterns due to thermophoresis were found several times on the vaulted ceilings of churches, especially on wooden vaults. Thermophoresis is a phenomenon resulting from a temperature gradient established in a gas medium. This phenomenon is intensified when underfloor heating is present. Thermophoresis - Church of Sint-Niklaas, Perk, 2014 Ine Huybreghs 54

55 Attic of church of Sint-Veronus during inspection, Lembeek, 2014 Ine Huybreghs I got the opportunity to participate to an internal training on the use of the resistograph, a device to measure the resistance of wooden beams. The first day we got an explanation about how to use the device. For the other days we always went to different churches to make drillings in the wooden (roof)structure. At the office we were analyzing and interpreting the results. I designed a layout for reporting the results and made the report of two churches. I also wrote a report about using the resistograph and which possible benefits it can give to the inspections of Monument Watch. To keep their knowledge up to date, the monument watchers participate to several seminars. During the period of my internship, I participated to some seminars about iron sandstone from Diest, funerary heritage, the new immovable heritage decree, During this internship I learned how to look properly to a building when searching for damages and evaluating the condition 55 of the building. The inspection of the roof construction is very important. We mostly spent half a day on this part of the building. Another aspect I will remember is that the accessibility in a building is important. Everything that is not accessible, cannot be inspected. Consequently this is harmful for the building itself. Perhaps the most interesting part of this internship was that I got the opportunity to see several damages, processes and techniques in practice. Using the resistograph during the resistograph training Monumentenwacht Vlaams-Brabant

56 Building Environment Forum Scotland (BEFS) Internship in Scotland By Amanda Sherrington (architectural historian, Canada) View on Edinburgh Amanda Sherrington I was very fortunate for my experience as an intern during the summer months of 2014 with the Building Environment Forum Scotland (BEFS) team, located in the beautiful city of Edinburgh, Scotland. These were indeed exciting times in Scotland with the upcoming Referendum vote on September 18th, 2014, and even more so at the BEFS office, due to the Historic Environment Scotland Bill and the Our Place in Time the Historic Environment Strategy for Scotland, both recently published in March The Historic Environment Scotland Bill was published with the intention of producing a new lead body, Historic Environment Scotland (HES), by merging the functions of Historic Scotland (HS) and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS). The Bill s goal of improved management and success of Scotland s historic environment reflects the vision and framework of the newly developed Our Place in Time the Historic Environment Strategy for Scotland. With their expertise as a mediator and advocate concerning issues and policies reflecting the historic environment sector of Scotland, BEFS was tasked with developing and leading a working group within the Our Place in Time the Historic Environment Strategy for Scotland, with the input of stakeholders, that may help identify what success of the sector may look like, and how such success could be qualitatively measured. The collaborative approach advocated and called upon within the Strategy requires a means of identifying the co-ordination gaps within the sector, as well as areas which merit improvement. This resulted in the identified need for a performance framework that would enable the sector s success to me measured, and ideally measuring the success of the Strategy itself. In light of BEFS project, I was tasked to complete parallel independent research to identify how Canada had approached the challenge of developing systems to monitor their policies and strategies in respect to the conservation of the historic environment. For this study, two initiatives which 56

57 represent Canadian efforts at a national level were examined in order to be able to make worthwhile comparisons with the Strategy for Scotland. The first, the Historic Places Initiative (HPI), initiated by the Parks Canada Agency in 2001, speaks of national efforts being made within the historic environment sector. Secondly, the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS), although not an initiative for the country s historic environment, provides a federal collaborative approach and framework. The working paper, and final deliverable completed within my internship, aims to help identify recurring issues between both evaluated strategies evaluated as well as to compare the performance framework being developed by BEFS. The HPI proves a good example of a failed communications strategy and implementation plan, regardless of important questions having been raised. The FSDS strategy s logic model, on the other hand, is complex and identifies the measuring of success as integral to the strategy, not a separate facet. Difficulties however remain for BEFS in adopting an organized voluntary participation, as the latter framework is not initiated for financial reasons such as the FSDS. In addition to my independent research, which was by no means exhaustive, I was also able to participate in local discussions and site visits pertaining to BEFS Small Town Initiative, and co-write the Cupar Report following our travels and local meeting in Cupar, Scotland. I am more than pleased with my experience at the BEFS office, since it was such an interesting time to work in Scotland due to the country s changing historic environment policy. I am indebted to the wonderful staff at BEFS and their chair at the time, Professor Emeritus Cliff Hague, for the guidance and kindness they have provided me with during my time as an intern in their office. Town of Cupar Amanda Sherrington 57

58 A Central Asian experience Internship at the UNESCO Office in Tashkent Internship in Uzbekistan By Annelien Sys (historian, Belgium) & Eva Bouton (art historian, Belgium) From September until November 2014 we had the unique opportunity to undertake an internship at the Culture Unit of the UNESCO Office in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The office was opened in 1996, three years after Uzbekistan joined UNESCO, and represents the organization in Uzbekistan as the national office for the country. Today the office has two cultural officers, both for tangible and intangible cultural heritage. One of the main occupations of the Culture Unit is raising awareness among local stakeholders about the values and threats of their national tangible and intangible heritage and how it can be managed in an efficient way. Within the framework of the implementation of the 1972 World Heritage Convention a national training MAPAUZ: Management Plans of World Heritage Properties in Uzbekistan was organized by the UNESCO Office and the Board of Monuments of Uzbekistan in September We were able to contribute in this workshop, which was a unique way to get into contact with heritage stakeholders on a national and local level in Uzbekistan. The location of the workshop, the Harem of the Kuhna Ark located in Itchan Kala one of Uzbekistan s four World Heritage cities, was a perfect example to apply the lesson learnt within the workshop. The workshop informed the stakeholders in Uzbekistan about national and international legislation on heritage, the importance of participatory The Historic City Centre of Itchan Kala. World Heritage since 1990 Annelien Sys 58

59 The aim of the children brochure is raising awareness about their heritage Annelien Sys planning for management plans and buffer zones. Working together with the participants during these three intensive days made clear the devotion that experts and local people have towards the preservation and protection of their heritage for future generations. Additionally, an informative brochure to build awareness with the local people about their heritage and how to involve them in its maintenance was shown during the workshop. Two brochures are under preparation for the residents as well as for the children of the Historic Centre of Bukhara. During our three months, as part of our internship and research, we had the chance to visit Uzbekistan s four cultural properties on the World Heritage List: Itchan Kala, the Historic Centre of Bukhara, the Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz and Samarkand Crossroad of Cultures. During these visits and our time in the office we learnt that Uzbekistan deals with heritage using a different approach than we have grown accustomed to. In that sense the work of UNESCO, such as the workshops and guidance of management plans are of upmost importance. Reconstruction and conservation are not uncommon in Uzbekistan since most of the monuments are constructed of mud bricks and walls. The minimal rain and seasonal extreme changes in Uzbekistan harms these earthen constructions, which need constant maintenance. Some works have been done with modern materials such as concrete, but recent programs by UNESCO, such as the conservation of the Itchan Kala walls, encourage the traditional way of rebuilding and preserving the earthen monuments in Uzbekistan. Group picture participants MAPAUZ Workshop Itchan Kala UNESCO 59

60 As a follow up of this internship Annelien will write a thesis about one of the World Heritage sites of Uzbekistan, Itchan Kala, which will be finalized in June Part of the internship was devoted to collecting information in the form of interviews with local stakeholders, photo mapping of the city and research in archives. Living for two weeks in a historic city like Itchan Kala is a once in a lifetime opportunity and gave me the chance to talk to the local people and hear their opinion about living in a World Heritage City in Central Asia. Our time in Uzbekistan was an incredible experience, from both, a professional and a cultural point of view. Working at a UNESCO field office gave us a good insight in the way UNESCO works and how important their projects are. We became familiar with the procedures of UNESCO and got a better understanding of the importance of the field offices. Therefore, we would like to thank our supervisors, Sanjar Allayarov and Krista Pikkat, and Ona Vileikis who gave us the chance to experience working at UNESCO in this interesting and beautiful country. Historic Building Information Modelling and its potential use in the area of conservation Internship in Ireland By Evelien Dirix (art historian, Belgium) From the 15th of September until the 19th of November 2014, I did my internship at the Dublin Institute of Technology (Campus Bolton Street) at the School Of Surveying and Construction in Dublin (Ireland). The internship topic specialised in the technological possibilities of Historical Building Information Modelling (HBIM) in the area of the conservation of monuments and sites as a technique for the analysis and documentation of cultural heritage. I was under the guidance of Dr. Maurice Murphy (and with help of PhD. researcher Conor Dore). I participated in two projects namely Four Courts and the former St. George s church. Four Courts: conservation issues after war damage reconstructions The neoclassical building has known a turbulent history since its construction in by the designs of Thomas Cooley and James Gandon. The symmetrical lay-out of the construction has a central vertical focal point: the raised colonnaded drum and dome on top of the central entrance hall. During the Irish Four Courts after the aftermath of the 1922 Civil War Byrne and Fewer

61 Detailed picture of a damaged Corinthian capital in 2014 Evelien Dirix Civil War of 1922 (a direct consequence of the 1916 Easter Rising), Four Courts was occupied by the Anti-Treaty IRA members for several months. On the third day of the war, a large explosion blew the building to pieces and left it a ruin. Architect Thomas Byrne was called up to perform the task of restoring the building in between 1922 and The 45cm wide dome itself largely was reconstructed in To literally top it off, Byrne added a 150mm shell of reinforced concrete. The capitals, used with their columns as the support of the dome, were scattered by the explosion. The 24 Corinthian columns all but two were thus turned 180 to the public s view instead of replacing them. The two destroyed capitals were recreated out of an artificial stone. Anno 2012, the dome and capitals started to tumble down. Since then, research by DIT has been undertaken to work out a conservation solution for the restoration of the mentioned structures. This research includes the integration of HBIM. Anno 2014, with the further decay of the dome and drum, new research has started into the historic documentation as a source ArchiCAD screenshot showing a fill drawn over a section of the historic drawing as found in the Irish Architecture Archive and the complex profile as a result next to it Evelien Dirix for HBIM. Some of these possibilities are shown in the figure above. Former St. George s Church During my internship, I incorporated the possibilities of HBIM into my thesis research into the reuse of places of worship in the Dublin city area. One of these case studies is the former St George s church at Hardwicke Place in the northern inner city of Dublin. The church was constructed in between 1802 and 1826 by the designs of Francis Johnston. He won the competition with his neo-classical design. The church acted as a parish for the new and flourishing up-state Georgian community until the 1990 s. The deteriorating state of the building and especially of the spire resulted in the closure of the church in In 1995, the former church building was sold, renamed Temple Theatre and used for the following eight years as a nightclub. Financial and legislative issues forced the closure of the nightclub in 2004 and the 61

62 View on and 3D model of the former St George church Evelien Dirix building was put on the market for 1.25m euros. That same year, the building was sold to property developer Eugene O Connor who took up the task of saving the church by converting it into offices. Between September 2005 and December 2008, the church underwent a restoration by Joseph Doyle Architects in four different phases. The total restoration and conservation had a cost of 7.5m euros. The former church building is still for let since the completion of the last restoration phase. As part of my thesis, under the guidance of Dr. Murphy, I ve analysed, documented and recreated the original church (interior and exterior) by using several different types of techniques and software. There are several steps to be taken into the creation of the 3D model: first the necessary measurements and analysis is done on site. Then in further stages, this date in combination with archival and historical documents is used for further analysis by photography (rectifications and AutoCAD), photogrammetry (123D Catch & MeshLab) and further research into archival documents. The combination of all this data is then used in the output of HBIM namely ArchiCAD 18. This internship has given me the opportunity to get acquainted with some improving technical possibilities and aspects of conservation. As an art historian, these skills were lacking and thus after meeting Dr. Maurice Murphy at our ArchDOC workshop (in 2013) I did not doubt long to contact him for a possible internship. I was very grateful for this opportunity and for the help and skills I ve received during this internship. Historic picture showing the west corridor in the former St George church and 3D model Photography collection of the Irish Architecture Archive and Evelien Dirix 62

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