Contemporary Architecture in the Historic Environment

2
Introduction to the Annotated Bibliography
texts focused on buildings. Future versions may expand on the range of intervention
typologies. The selected texts focus on new, freestanding buildings in historic
environments, rather than on additions to historic buildings. Some titles related to
additions are included, as many of the same arguments and approaches apply to the
insertion of new architecture in historic cities or settings, which are essentially
additions to a larger historic resource or district.
Within this bibliography, the term historic environment is considered to denote
urban or rural places with heritage values. Historic environments comprise ensembles
of buildings, streetscapes, and/or landscapes. Most of the included texts specifically
address historic urban environments—entire cities, towns, or villages, or
designated historic districts within them, though a few refer to regional historic
areas, rural landscapes, or other types of open landscapes. The texts target historic
environments that carry international, national, or local historic designations.
The bibliography is based on database searches of literature prepared by planning,
architecture, conservation, and development professionals, as well as on website
searches and direct communications with organizations and governmental and
nongovernmental agencies working in this area, all carried out between 2011 and
2014. After reviewing the results of this search, the project team used editorial
judgment to select only those titles that (1) fit within one of the subject categories
described below; (2) are concerned with the conservation of the historic environment,
whether advocating for new buildings that replicate or stand in juxtaposition
to the existing context; and (3) present a range of arguments and solutions on this
subject. Most of the literature dates to the second half of the 20th century and early
part of the 21st century, reflecting the rapid transformation of the urban landscape
resulting from the advent of modernism and unparalleled urban population growth
and economic pressures. A few key earlier titles have also been included.
Texts of international, regional, and national significance are listed, while
highly localized texts are omitted except as select examples of design guidelines.
The bibliography is focused on English-language literature texts and does reflect a
distinct Euro-American bias; as such, it cannot be considered fully comprehensive
at the global level.
Organization
Bibliographic references fall into two major subject categories: heritage conservation
policies and the resulting design control methodologies (chapters 1 and 2), and
design approaches and philosophies, with supporting case studies (chapters 3 and
4). The body of the bibliography is organized into four chapters, with a total of
seven subject categories. These chapters, with a summary of the subjects they
cover, are as follows:
Chapter 1: Conservation Policy
1.1: International Instruments
This subject category includes various international instruments—recommendations,
declarations, charters, and other documents—that have been written by
groups of experts on the conservation of historic environments and, more specifically,
on the integration of contemporary architecture in an urban context. In some
cases, documents have been developed by intergovernmental organizations such as
Contemporary Architecture in the Historic Environment: An Annotated Bibliography - Getty Conservation Institute - 2015