A pragmatic approach that examines architectural preservation policies and offers new models for action.

This book provides a comprehensive, up-to-date overview on the most pressing issues in the conservation and management of archaeological, architectural, and urban landscapes. Multidisciplinary research is presented on a wide range of built heritage sites, from archaeological ruins and historic centers through to twentieth century and industrial architectural heritage. The role of ICT and new technologies, including those used for digital archiving, surveying, modeling, and monitoring, is extensively discussed, in recognition of their importance for professionals working in the field. Detailed attention is also paid to materials and treatments employed in preventive conservation and management. With contributions from leading experts, including university researchers, professionals, and policy makers, the book will be invaluable for all who seek to understand, and solve, the challenges face d in the protection and enhancement of the built heritage.

This Brief is the first comprehensive coverage of law and policy intended to protect built heritage in Hong Kong. Although characterized as a city of skyscrapers and modernity, Hong Kong has a rich cultural heritage and a surprisingly rich built heritage. The text considers what “built heritage” means in Hong Kong and what built heritage there is in Hong Kong. It introduces general readers, practitioners and students to the issues facing built heritage protection and how such protection usually develops in a modern city. In particular, it considers the problems and disputes that provided the focus for development of law and policy in Hong Kong, especially the legacy of 150 years as a British colony and the consequent identification as a “borrowed” and “temporary” place. The Brief considers how effective law and policy has been in protecting built heritage under the colonial and post-colonial administrations- their successes and failures. These include the Kowloon-Canton Railway Station, the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance, reclamation of Victoria Harbour, violent protests at Queen’s Pier, and the introduction of mandatory heritage impact assessments for government projects. The text concludes noting recent successes, which may indicate a brighter future for the protection of Hong Kong’s built heritage.

The word conservation, when used in the context of the preservation of built heritage, implies an intrinsically complex concept that evolved over time, since it has been influenced by the perception of history throughout time. This volume emphasises why an understanding of the cultural evolution of the conservation approach must be considered a prerequisite for architects and engineers if they are to cooperate in full harmony with historic-artistic culture for the preservation of global built heritage. In particular, the volume highlights how, during the second half of the last century, the preservation process also involved engineering – the science of making practical applications of knowledge – which, for a long time, made an uncritical use of techniques and materials and devised interventions on historical heritage that were heavily invasive. The volume also devotes special attention to the problems related to seismic risk, to which Italy, Greece and Portugal are particularly prone. Problems that emerge during the crisis and reconstruction phases are dealt with in detail, as is scheduled maintenance, as this latter approach always constitutes an improvement in the performance of the monument and is the most appropriate tool for the conservation of the built heritage. Finally, the volume collects examples of building restoration with case studies of many outstanding monuments. The work will appeal to professionals and academics in the broader fields of civil engineering (both geotechnical and structural engineering), architecture, art history, the history of architecture, restoration and cultural heritage management. This book will: Provide a critical reading of the history of conservation; Discuss materials and techniques of ancient architecture; Cover seismic vulnerability and preservation of the historic integrity of the monument; Advocate an approach based on programmed maintenance; Feature numerous case histories, including St Mark’s Basilica in Venice and the complex restoration of the cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris.

History is one of the main aspects that shapes a country’s culture and leaves its traces on the built environment in the form of an architectural heritage. Such a heritage records the existence of humans, their past endeavours and in doing so preserves their cultures and traditions for future generations and contributes to the formation of their identities by acting as an inspiration for their architectural achievements. From this perspective, conservation of architectural heritage becomes important to both current and future architectural endeavours. This book discusses several topics of great importance and relevance to the conservation of worldwide architectural heritage. From historic cities and cultural landscapes to some of the largest archaeological sites in the world, conserving such a legacy is a challenging task that requires commitment, effort and international cooperation that this book proves possible. The book has an abundance of information that undoubtedly covers major areas in the field of architecture heritage. It discusses the challenges faced in the field and demonstrates the importance of such an undertaking to individuals, communities, and cities’ identity all over the world. It also highlights the role of individuals and organizations in the precise and complex process of conserving architectural heritage.

A pragmatic approach that examines architectural preservation policies and offers new models for action.

It has become obvious that public policy will play a critical role in determining what portion of our architectural heritage will be passed on to future generations and what portion will be lost to deterioration, development, and natural hazards. In developed nations, as much as 10% of the built environment is deemed of sufficient cultural and historic importance to be given local or national listing. At the international level, UNESCO maintains a World Heritage List that includes many stone monuments. While the past two decades have witnessed a growing body of research devoted to understanding the fundamental mechanisms of damage to stone and to developing strategies for the conservation of stone, virtually no research has been conducted on the quantification of the economic role of stone buildings and structures as well as the valuation of cultural property. In order to introduce the tools and methods of economic analysis to the public policy debate on the preservation of cultural property, a multidisciplinary team of physical scientists worked with social scientists to explore how societal, economic, and ethical considerations might be integrated with technological options to lead to informed policy decisions. Recognizing that economic analyses must rest on firm technical data and sound conservation options, the state of our knowledge of mechanisms and rates of damage, the diagnosis of condition, and the evaluation of treatment options were subjected to critical review; special attention was given to the identification of promising, innovative areas of research. This volume represents an important first step in rationalizing the decision-making process for the setting of public policy in the preservation of our architectural heritage. It will be of interest not only to those actively engaged in research and conservation on stone structures, but also to those concerned with urban planning, public policy, economic analysis, and environmental standards setting. Goal of this Dahlem Workshop: to identify critical gaps in our knowledge of the deterioration mechanisms for treated and untreated historically important stone; to suggest innovative approaches to the study of deterioration mechanisms and novel remedial measures for treated and untreated historically important stone; and to address the socioeconomic factors that determine preservation actions for our architectural heritage.