Contemporary Architecture in the Historic Environment
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CHAPTER 1<br />
Conservation Policy<br />
1.1 International Instruments<br />
Council of Europe. 1975. Declaration of Amsterdam. http://www.icomos.org/en/<br />
charters-and-texts/179-articles-en-francais/ressources/<br />
charters-and-standards/169-<strong>the</strong>-declaration-of-amsterdam<br />
As part of <strong>the</strong> Council of Europe’s European Architectural Heritage Year <strong>in</strong><br />
1975, many activities were held to raise public awareness of <strong>the</strong> importance of<br />
built heritage. This declaration is one of two sem<strong>in</strong>al policy documents issued<br />
that year (<strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r be<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> European Charter of <strong>the</strong> Architectural Heritage)<br />
address<strong>in</strong>g urban conservation issues. The Amsterdam Declaration, prepared<br />
by <strong>the</strong> Congress on <strong>the</strong> European Architectural Heritage (October 21–25, 1975),<br />
states that architectural conservation must become an <strong>in</strong>tegral part of urban and<br />
regional plann<strong>in</strong>g, and calls for an <strong>in</strong>tegrated conservation approach <strong>in</strong>volv<strong>in</strong>g<br />
both local authorities and citizens that also takes social factors <strong>in</strong>to<br />
consideration.<br />
The document emphasizes that “architectural heritage <strong>in</strong>cludes not only <strong>in</strong>dividual<br />
build<strong>in</strong>gs of exceptional quality and <strong>the</strong>ir surround<strong>in</strong>gs, but also all areas<br />
of towns or villages of historic or cultural <strong>in</strong>terest,” and that <strong>the</strong> people of<br />
Europe have a responsibility to protect <strong>the</strong>se towns and villages aga<strong>in</strong>st “<strong>the</strong><br />
grow<strong>in</strong>g dangers with which <strong>the</strong>y are threatened—neglect and decay, deliberate<br />
demolition, <strong>in</strong>congruous new construction and excessive traffic.”<br />
On <strong>the</strong> topic of new constructions, <strong>the</strong> declaration asserts that “s<strong>in</strong>ce <strong>the</strong> new<br />
build<strong>in</strong>gs of today will be <strong>the</strong> heritage of tomorrow, every effort must be made<br />
to ensure that contemporary architecture is of high quality.” (S.L.)<br />
Council of Europe. 1975. European Charter of <strong>the</strong> Architectural Heritage. http://<br />
www.icomos.org/en/charters-and-o<strong>the</strong>r-doctr<strong>in</strong>al-texts/179-articles-en-francais/<br />
ressources/<br />
charters-and-standards/170-european-charter-of-<strong>the</strong>-architectural-heritage<br />
This charter is one of two sem<strong>in</strong>al policy documents (<strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r be<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />
Declaration of Amsterdam) address<strong>in</strong>g urban conservation issued by <strong>the</strong><br />
Council of Europe dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> European Architectural Heritage Year <strong>in</strong> 1975.<br />
The charter aims to develop a common European policy for <strong>the</strong> preservation of<br />
built heritage. It def<strong>in</strong>es <strong>the</strong> nature of European architectural heritage, its importance,<br />
and threats to <strong>the</strong> heritage such as ignorance, neglect, deterioration, economic<br />
pressures, motor traffic, <strong>in</strong>appropriate restoration, and property<br />
speculation. The charter calls for an <strong>in</strong>tegrated conservation approach based on<br />
7<br />
<strong>Contemporary</strong> <strong>Architecture</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Historic</strong> <strong>Environment</strong>: An Annotated Bibliography - Getty Conservation Institute - 2015