Contemporary Architecture in the Historic Environment

15
Conservation Policy
UNESCO. 1976. Recommendation Concerning the Safeguarding and
Contemporary Role of Historic Areas (1976): Adopted at the General
Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization, meeting in Nairobi at its nineteenth session, from 26 October to
30 November 1976. http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=13133&URL_
DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
This document concerns the preservation of historic areas, which are defined as
“groups of buildings, structures and open spaces including archaeological and
paleontological sites, constituting human settlements in an urban or rural environment.”
It recommends a series of measures that should be implemented at
the national level by the United Nations’ member states.
Under “General Principles,” article 4 warns against damage to historic areas
caused by incompatible uses, additions, and changes. It also emphasizes the
importance of designing by following the same principles that define the local
character. Article 5 reinforces the need to preserve historic vistas.
Under “Safeguarding Measures,” article 28 describes the appropriate procedures
for designing new buildings in historic areas, which include an initial
assessment of the context in order to determine the basic principles that will
guide the design. This analysis shall examine dominant features, such as “the
harmony of heights, colours, materials and forms, constants in the way the
facades and roofs are built, the relationship between the volume of buildings
and the spatial volume, as well as their average proportions and their position,”
with particular attention given to lot size. (A.P.A.G.)
UNESCO. 2011. Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape, including a
glossary of definitions. http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_
ID=48857&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
This recommendation continues the discussion that started with the Vienna
Memorandum (2005) on appropriate principles for the conservation of historic
urban landscapes in the 21st century. The document was produced in preparation
for the formulation of the Valletta Principles (2011) and was meant to be
universal. Therefore, the concepts presented were relevant to different cultures
and forms of urban landscape, and the proposed tools were to be adapted to
local contexts.
This document identifies new developments in the historic city as both a threat
and an opportunity. It advocates for an approach that allows and supports development
and adaptation to meet new needs and improve quality of life for the
local population, but in a way that retains the values of the local heritage.
Section IV, “Tools,” presents four categories of tools that should help with
implementing the approach proposed by the document. These categories are:
civic engagement tools, knowledge and planning tools, regulatory systems, and
financial tools.
Regarding new constructions in historic urban landscapes, this document calls
for action to promote harmonious integration of contemporary interventions
(article 12). (A.P.A.G.)
[For the Vienna Memorandum, see entry: World Heritage Committee. 2005.
The Vienna Memorandum on "World Heritage and Contemporary Architecture:
Contemporary Architecture in the Historic Environment: An Annotated Bibliography - Getty Conservation Institute - 2015