From monuments to living heritage. Revisiting the Venice Charter in the conservation of younger industrial heritage
Alberte Klysner Steffensen
aks@aarch.dkAarhus School of Architecture, Denmark (Denmark)
https://orcid.org/0009-0004-5111-7839
Abstract
The Venice Charter of 1964 has been the benchmark for tenets governing architectural conservation and set forth pivotal principles that shaped conservation practices for decades. However, conceived during a time when heritage was primarily associated with physical monuments, the landscape of cultural heritage has transformed significantly since then, encompassing immaterial aspects, democratisation of heritage values, and diverse sustainability considerations.
This research aims at exploring the strengths, limitations, and adaptability of the Venice Charter in light of evolving perspectives on heritage. The paper delves into the charter's historical context, asking whether it remains a guiding beacon or a potential hindrance. A key focus of the research is the examination of obstacles associated with the conservation of younger heritage in the face of contemporary challenges posed by sustainability imperatives. The inherent complexities of managing heritage structures marked by ongoing developmental histories and changes are explored with an example of industrial heritage dealing with the concept of ‘living heritage’. In the context of a future where resource responsibility and reuse are paramount matters, firm definitions of original substance as defined in the Venice Charter, as well as a static perception of conservation, may pose challenges, particularly for unintentional monuments situated in complex environments or marked by evolving narratives through time. Marking the 60th anniversary of the Venice Charter, this research sheds light on the charter’s legacy and its validity in the contemporary landscape of heritage protection as well as the future role of the monuments in our ever-changing societal context.
Keywords:
industrial heritage, living heritage, sustainability, conservation doctrines, changeReferences
Alberti, L. B. ([1486] 1988). On the Art of Building in Ten Books. (J. Rykwert, N. Leach & R. Tavernor, trans.) Cambridge: MIT Press.
Google Scholar
Albertsen, N., Boris, S. D., Boye, A. M., Daugaard, M., Hjortshøj, R., Martens Gudmand-Høyer, S., Hupalo, M., Geert Jensen, B., Ahrenkiel Jørgensen, A., Krag, M. M. S., Morgen, M. A., Nielsen, T., Olesen, K., Pasgaard, J. C., Thorborg, C., & Toft, A. E. (2018). Concepts of Transformation. Aarhus: Arkitektskolens Forlag.
Google Scholar
Albrektsen, K. (2023). Transformativ byomdannelse: Undersøgelse af konfliktområder i de indledende faser af kommunal byplanlægning i omdannelsen af eksisterende bykvarterer [Doctoral dissertation, Aarhus School of Architecture]. Danish Portal for Artistic and Scientific Research. https://adk.elsevierpure.com/da/publications/transformativ-byomdannelse-unders%C3%B8gelse-af-konfliktomr%C3%A5der-i-de-i
Google Scholar
Australia ICOMOS. (2013). The Burra Charter - The Australia ICOMOS Charter for Places of Cultural Significance. Australia ICOMOS Incorporated. https://australia.icomos.org/wp-content/uploads/The-Burra-Charter-2013-Adopted-31.10.2013.pdf
Google Scholar
Bandarin, F., & Van Oers, R. (2012). The Historic Urban Landscape – Managing Heritage in an Urban Century. Wiley-Blackwell.
Google Scholar
Braae, E., & Hansen, M. F. (Eds.). (2007). Fortiden for tiden: Genbrugskultur og kulturgenbrug i dag. Aarhus: Arkitektskolens Forlag.
Google Scholar
Brand, S. (1994). How Buildings Learn: What Happens After They’re Built. New York: Viking.
Google Scholar
Brundtland, G. H. (1987). Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future. United Nations General Assembly. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/5987our-common-future.pdf
Google Scholar
Bryld, C. J. (2007). Verden før 1914—I dansk perspektiv (1st ed.). Systime.
Google Scholar
Christiansen, J. H. (2020). Maltfabrikken i Ebeltoft: En vellykket transformation til multifunktionelt kulturhus. Fabrik & Bolig, 38, 114–127. https://tidsskrift.dk/fabrikogbolig/article/view/128311
Google Scholar
Council of Europe. (1985). Convention for the Protection of the Architectural Heritage of Europe (ETS No. 121). https://www.esiweb.org/pdf/granada%20convention.pdf
Google Scholar
Council of Europe. (2005). Council of Europe Framework Convention for the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society (CETS No. 199). https://rm.coe.int/1680083746
Google Scholar
Eybye, B. T. (2020). Maltfabrikken: Hele historien. ARKITEKTEN, nr. 06, 73-78. https://arkitektforeningen.dk/arkitekten/maltfabrikken-hele-historien/
Google Scholar
Exner, J. (2007). Den historiske bygnings væren på liv og død. In: Braae, E., & Hansen, M. F. (Eds.). Fortiden for tiden: Genbrugskultur og kulturgenbrug i dag. Aarhus: Arkitektskolens Forlag.
Google Scholar
Fairclough, G. (2009). New heritage frontiers. In: D. Thérond & A. Trigona (Eds.). Heritage and beyond. Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publishing. pp. 29-41.
Google Scholar
Fouseki, K., Guttormsen, T., & Swensen, G. (2021). Heritage and Sustainable Urban Transformations: Deep Cities. London: Routledge.
Google Scholar
Geddes, P. ([1915] 1968). Cities in Evolution: An Introduction to the Town Planning Movement and to the Study of Civics. London: Harper & Row.
Google Scholar
Gudmand-Høyer, S. M. (2018). Værdibaseret udvikling af Danmarks almene boliger [Doctoral dissertation, Aarhus School of Architecture]. Danish Portal for Artistic and Scientific Research. https://adk.elsevierpure.com/da/publications/v%C3%A6rdibaseret-udvikling-af-danmarks-almene-boliger
Google Scholar
Harrison, R. (2013). Heritage: Critical Approaches (1st Edition). Routledge.
Google Scholar
ICOMOS. (1931). The Athens Charter for the Restoration of Historic Monuments. ICOMOS. https://www.icomos.org/en/167-the-athens-charter-for-the-restoration-of-historic-monuments
Google Scholar
ICOMOS. (1964). International Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites (The Venice Charter 1964). Paris: ICOMOS. https://www.icomos.org/images/DOCUMENTS/Charters/venice_e.pdf
Google Scholar
ICOMOS. (1975). European Charter of the Architectural Heritage. ICOMOS. https://www.icomos.org/en/charters%ADand%ADtexts/179%ADarticles%ADen%ADfrancais/ressources/charters%ADand%ADstandards/170%ADeuropean%ADcharter%ADof%ADthe%ADarchitectural%ADheritage
Google Scholar
ICOMOS. (1994). The Nara Document on Authenticity. ICOMOS. https://www.icomos.org/en/charters-and-texts/179-articles-en-francais/ressources/charters-and-standards/386-the-nara-document-on-authenticity-1994
Google Scholar
Jokilehto, J. (2010). The idea of Conservation - an overview. In: M. S. Falser, W. Lipp, & A. Tomaszewski (Eds.). Conservation and Preservation: Interactions between Theory and Practice: In memoriam Alois Riegl (1858-1905). Firenze: Edizioni Polistampa. pp. 21-36.
Google Scholar
Jokilehto, J. (2017). A History of Architectural Conservation (2nd edition). Routledge.
Google Scholar
Jørgensen, M. B., Jensen, T. B., Braae, E., Brandt Dam, E., Harlang, C., Mechlenborg, M., Riesto, S., Severrild, P., Vadstrup, S., Thau, C., Ventzel Riis, N., & Zerlang, M. (2019). Levende Bygningskultur: En essaysamling (A. Høi, Ed.). Realdania. https://realdania.dk/publikationer/faglige-publikationer/levende-bygningskultur
Google Scholar
Kulturarvsstyrelsen. (2012). VAF: Vejledning til Vurdering af Fredningsværdier. Kulturarvsstyrelsen. https://slks.dk/fileadmin/user_upload/SLKS/Omraader/Kulturarv/Bygningsfredning/Fredninger/Dokumenter/Vejledning_til_vurdering_af_fredningsvaerdier.pdf
Google Scholar
Mortensen, L. R., & Braae, E. (2017). The Commonplace as Heritage—Younger Industrial Landscapes. Nordic Journal of Architectural Research, 29(2), Article 2. http://arkitekturforskning.net/na/article/view/1119
Google Scholar
Møller, L. G. (2011). S.B. Lundbergs Maltfabrik i Ebeltoft: En historisk undersøgelse og en dokumentation af en industrivirksomhed i Ebeltoft. Museum Østjylland. https://maltfabrikken.dk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/S.-B.-Lundbergs-Maltfabrik-Ebeltoft-af-Lea-Glerup.pdf
Google Scholar
Richardson, K., Steffen, W., Lucht, W., Bendtsen, J., Cornell, S. E., Donges, J. F., Drüke, M., Fetzer, I., Bala, G., von Bloh, W., Feulner, G., Fiedler, S., Gerten, D., Gleeson, T., Hofmann, M., Huiskamp, W., Kummu, M., Mohan, C., Nogués-Bravo, D., … Rockström, J. (2023). Earth beyond six of nine planetary boundaries. Science Advances, 9(37). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adh2458
Google Scholar
Riegl, A. ([1903] 2011). Den Moderne Monumentkult. Passepartout, 17. årgang (32), pp. 171-199.
Google Scholar
Riis, N. V. (2019). Den levende bygningskultur - et forhold mellem menneske og bygning. In: A. Høi (Ed.). Levende Bygningskultur: En essaysamling. Realdania. pp. 91-97. https://realdania.dk/publikationer/faglige-publikationer/levende-bygningskultur
Google Scholar
Rossi, A., & Eisenman, P. (1982). The Architecture of the City (Reprint edition). MIT Press.
Google Scholar
Ruskin, J. ([1864] 2017). The Seven Lamps of Architecture. Dover Publications, Inc.
Google Scholar
Smith, L. (2006). Uses of Heritage. Routledge.
Google Scholar
Smith, L., & Campbell, G. (2015). The elephant in the room: Heritage, affect and emotion. In: A Companion to Heritage Studies (pp. 443-460). John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Google Scholar
Therond, D., & Trigona, A. (Eds.). (2009). Heritage and beyond. Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publishing
Google Scholar
UNESCO. (1976). Recommendations on the development of adult education. UNESCO. https://uil.unesco.org/fileadmin/keydocuments/AdultEducation/Confintea/en/Nairobi%20Recommendation_Eng.pdf
Google Scholar
UNESCO. (2019). Living Heritage and Education: Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. UNESCO. https://www.unesco-centerbg.org/wp-new/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/46212-EN.pdf
Google Scholar
UNESCO. (n.d.). Sustainable development and living heritage. Retrieved [25-03-2024], from https://ich.unesco.org/en/sustainable-development-and-living-heritage
Google Scholar
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). (2020). 2020 Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction: Towards a Zero-emission, Efficient and Resilient Buildings and Construction Sector. Nairobi. https://globalabc.org/news/launched-2020-global-status-report-buildings-and-construction.
Google Scholar
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) & International Solid Waste Association (ISWA). (2015). 2015 Global Waste Management Outlook.
Google Scholar
Walter, N. (2021). Narrative Theory in Conservation: Change and Living Buildings. Routledge.
Google Scholar
Wong, L. (2016). Adaptive Reuse: Extending the Lives of Buildings (1st edition). Birkhäuser.
Google Scholar
Authors
Alberte Klysner Steffensenaks@aarch.dk
Aarhus School of Architecture, Denmark Denmark
https://orcid.org/0009-0004-5111-7839
Statistics
Abstract views: 72PDF downloads: 50
