This book proposes new ways of looking at the built environment in archaeology, specifically through postcolonial perspectives. It brings together scholars and professionals from the fields of archaeology, urban studies, architectural history, and heritage in order to offer fresh perspectives on extracting and interpreting social and cultural information from architecture and monuments. The goal is to show how on-going critical engagement with the postcolonial critique can help archaeologists pursue more inclusive, sensitive, and nuanced interpretations of the built environment of the past and contribute to heritage discussions in the present. The chapters present case studies from Africa, Greece, Belgium, Australia, Syria, Kuala Lumpur, South Africa, and Chile, covering a wide range of chronological periods and settings. Through these diverse case studies, this volume encourages the reader to rethink the analytical frameworks and methods traditionally employed in the investigation of built spaces of the past. To the extent that these built spaces continue to shape identities and social relationships today, the book also encourages the reader to reflect critically on archaeologists’ ability to impact stakeholder communities and shape public perceptions of the past.

Heritage Conservation in Postcolonial India seeks to position the conservation profession within historical, theoretical, and methodological frames to demonstrate how the field has evolved in the postcolonial decades and follow its various trajectories in research, education, advocacy, and practice. Split into four sections, this book covers important themes of institutional and programmatic developments in the field of conservation; critical and contemporary challenges facing the profession; emerging trends in practice that seek to address contemporary challenges; and sustainable solutions to conservation issues. The cases featured within the book elucidate the evolution of the heritage conservation profession, clarifying the role of key players at the central, state, and local level, and considering intangible, minority, colonial, modern, and vernacular heritages among others. This book also showcases unique strands of conservation practice in the postcolonial decades to demonstrate the range, scope, and multiple avenues of development in the last seven decades. An ideal read for those interested in architecture, planning, historic preservation, urban studies, and South Asian studies.

Architectural relics of nineteenth- and twentieth-century European and Japanese colonialism -- actively exploited and experienced neocolonialist sites of memory -- dot cityscapes throughout our globalizing world, just as built traces of colonialism remain embedded within the urban fabric of many European capitals. Neocolonialism and Built Heritage addresses the sustained presence and influence of historic built environments and processes inherited from colonialism within the contemporary lives of cities in Africa, Asia, and Europe. Novel in their focused consideration of ways in which these built environments reinforce neocolonialist connections among former colonies and colonizers, states and international organizations, the volume's case studies engage highly relevant issues such as historic preservation, heritage management, tourism, toponymy, and cultural imperialism. Interrogating the life of the past in the present, authors thus challenge readers to consider the roles played by a diversity of historic built environments in the ongoing asymmetrical balance of power and unequal distribution capital around the globe. They present buildings' maintenance, management, reuse, and (re)interpretation, and in so doing they raise important questions, the ramifications of which transcend the specifics of the individual sites and architectural histories they present.

This book provides a bidirectional investigation of Asia’s spatiotemporality by asking how Asia is located and how localities are Asianized. The author examines “display-ness” as a theoretical common divisor and argues that Asia’s architectural and urban spectacle is as meaningful and significant as an indicator of Asia’s postcolonial condition.

Structural Studies, Repairs and Maintenance of Heritage Architecture XVII The importance of retaining the built cultural heritage cannot be overstated. Rapid development and inappropriate conservation techniques are threatening many heritage unique sites in different parts of the world. Selected papers presented at the 17th International Conference on Studies, Repairs and Maintenance of Heritage Architecture are included in this volume. They address a series of topics related to the historical aspects and the reuse of heritage buildings, as well as technical issues on the structural integrity of different types of buildings, such as those constructed with materials as varied as iron and steel, concrete, masonry, wood or earth. Restoration processes require the appropriate characterisation of those materials, the modes of construction and the structural behaviour of the building. This knowledge can be gained through a series of material characterisation techniques, preferably via non-destructive tests. Modern computer simulation can provide accurate results demonstrating the stress state of the building and possible failure mechanisms affecting its stability. Of particular importance are studies related to their dynamic and earthquake behaviour aiming to provide an assessment of the seismic vulnerability of heritage buildings. Contributions originate from scientists, architects, engineers and restoration experts from all over the world and deal with different aspects of heritage buildings, including how to formulate regulatory policies, to ensure effective ways of preserving the architectural heritage. Earthquake Resistant Engineering Structures XIII Papers presented at the 13th International Conference on Earthquake Resistant Engineering Structures form this volume and cover basic and applied research in the various fields of earthquake engineering relevant to the design of structures. Major earthquakes and associated effects such as tsunamis continue to stress the need to carry out more research on those topics. The problems will intensify as population pressure results in buildings in regions of high seismic vulnerability. A better understanding of these phenomena is required to design earthquake resistant structures and to carry out risk assessments and vulnerability studies. The problem of protecting the built environment in earthquake-prone regions involves not only the optimal design and construction of new facilities but also the upgrading and rehabilitation of existing structures including heritage buildings. The type of highly specialized retrofitting employed to protect the built heritage is an important area of research. The included papers cover such topics as Seismic hazard and tsunamis; Building performance during earthquakes; Structural vulnerability; Seismic isolation and energy dissipation; Passive earthquake protection systems.

Containing the proceedings of the 14th Conference on Studies, Repairs and Maintenance of Heritage Architecture (STREMAH 2015), this book provides the necessary scientific knowledge required to formulate regulatory policies and to ensure effective ways of preserving the architectural heritage. First held in 1989, the STREMAH conference attracts an extensive range of quality contributions from scientists, architects, engineers and restoration experts from all over the world dealing with various aspects of heritage buildings. The conference proceedings cover a wide range of topics related to the historical aspects and the reuse of heritage buildings, as well as technical issues on the structural integrity of different types of buildings, such as those constructed with materials as varied as iron and steel, concrete, masonry, wood or earth. Material characterisation techniques are also addressed, including non-destructive tests via computer simulation. Other topics include: Surveying and monitoring; Performance and maintenance; Modern (19th/20th century) heritage; Maritime heritage; Simulation and modelling; Material characterisation; New technologies or materials; Corrosion and material decay; Seismic vulnerability; Assessment and re-use of heritage buildings; Heritage and tourism; Social and economic aspects in heritage; Guidelines, codes and regulations for heritage; Heritage management; Defence heritage; Industrial heritage; Transportation heritage.

Architectural relics of nineteenth and twentieth-century colonialism dot cityscapes throughout our globalizing world, just as built traces of colonialism remain embedded within the urban fabric of many European capitals. Neocolonialism and Built Heritage addresses the sustained presence and influence of historic built environments and processes inherited from colonialism within the contemporary lives of cities in Africa, Asia, and Europe. Novel in their focused consideration of ways in which these built environments reinforce neocolonialist connections among former colonies and colonizers, states and international organizations, the volume’s case studies engage highly relevant issues such as historic preservation, heritage management, tourism, toponymy, and cultural imperialism. Interrogating the life of the past in the present, authors thus challenge readers to consider the roles played by a diversity of historic built environments in the ongoing asymmetrical balance of power and unequal distribution capital around the globe. They present buildings’ maintenance, management, reuse, and (re)interpretation, and in so doing they raise important questions, the ramifications of which transcend the specifics of the individual sites and architectural histories they present.