ARCHITECTURE CONSERVATION – 2015

Part A
I. Answer all questions. Each question carries 5 marks:

Write short notes on:

a) Importance of heritage conservation.

The cultural heritage and the natural heritage are among the priceless and irreplaceable possessions,
not only of each nation, but of mankind as a whole. The loss, thro’ deterioration or disappearance of any
of these priced possessions constitutes an emptiness of the heritage of all the peoples in the world.

The built heritage of our country, which forms a part of our cultural heritage, is a priceless
nonrenewable resource that is seriously threatened. The responsibility of safe guarding our heritage
rests with us – the citizens of India.

Central Government through the ASI protects monuments more than 100 years old declared to be of
national importance.

Monuments of importance to the States are protected by the state governments through their
respective Departments of Archaeology.

Innumerable historic buildings and precincts of architectural, historical, and aesthetic importance
remain ‘unprotected’, largely neglected, threatened by urban pressures and thus are in need of
conservation.

The immense variety and the qualitative and quantitative richness of the archaeological, architectural,
historical and artistic, environmental and natural, archival and written (paper & palm leaf) heritage of
our land has to be preserved and should be put to wise sustainable use.

Heritage sites includes buildings artifacts structures areas and precincts of historic and/or architectural
and of cultural significance and /or environmental significance and natural features of environmental
significance and/or of scenic beauty including sacred groves hills, hillocks, water bodies open areas
wooded areas etc.

b) Venice Charter.
• The Venice Charter: International Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments
and Sites (1964) was adopted by the 2nd International Congress of Architects and Technicians of
Historic Monuments, Venice, 1964
• The Venice Charter is a remarkable document that sets out to define the common responsibility
of nations to safeguard cultural heritage for future generations.
• Drafted by delegates from places including Peru and Mexico, Tunisia, France and Italy, and
finally written by two Belgians and an Italian.
• The Charter emphasizes that each country is responsible for applying the plan within the
framework of its own culture and traditions, in “the full richness of their authenticity”.
• It became the founding document of ICOMOS (the International Conference on Monuments and
Sites), and was later adopted by UNESCO, (the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural
 Organization). Today it provides the fundamental reference for conservation policy for the 191
UNESCO member states
• It sets forth principles of conservation based on the concept of authenticity and the importance
of maintaining the historical and physical context of a site or building. The most influential
international conservation document.
• The Venice Charter states that monuments are to be conserved not only as works of art but also
as historical evidence.
• It also sets down the principles of preservation, which relate to restoration of buildings with
work from different periods.

c) Authenticity and integrity of conservation practice.

Authenticity

• The traditional knowledge systems and the cultural landscape in which it exists, particularly if
these are ‘living’, should define the authenticity of the heritage value to be conserved.
• In the absence of such contexts, the official and legal guidelines should determine the nature of
the authenticity of the architectural heritage and site.
• Traditional knowledge systems and cultural landscapes vary from one regional/cultural context
to another or within the same region/culture. Thus, the values of ‘living’ architectural heritage
can differ from one context to another, reflecting the cultural diversity of the country. In each
case, however, conservation should faithfully reflect the significant values, which define the
heritage.

Integrity

• Integrity is a measure of the wholeness and intactness of the natural and/or cultural heritage
and its attributes.
• Historic integrity is the property’s historic identity, evidenced by the survival of physical
characteristics and significant elements that existed during the property’s historic period. For
example: Dutch buildings in Fort Cochin/mattancherry.
• Historic integrity enables a property to illustrate significant aspects of its past. Not only must a
property resemble its historic appearance, but it must also retain original materials, design
features and aspects of construction dating from the period when it attained significance.
• When conserving a cultural property, the conservation professional shall respect the integrity of
the cultural property by endeavoring to preserve its material composition and culturally
significant qualities through minimal intervention.

d) Causes of decay in historic buildings.

• Architectural conservation describes the process through which the material, historical, and
design integrity of any built heritage are prolonged through carefully planned interventions.
 • Botanical cause – They are external causes of decay. The destruction caused to monument due
to the growth of trees, plants fungi, moulds, lichen, algae, moss, liverwort, fern and other plants, etc.

• Plants – Abrade the surface – Hold moisture against the surface, creating a damp microclimate
(prevents the surface from drying out completely). Ivy and other “creeping” plants can damage masonry
if unchecked – Ivy drives a bullet-headed root into crumbling masonry causing disintegration of the
material. The presence of plants growing in a wall is usually an indication of decayed mortar and excess
moisture. Large plants or shrubs growing at the base of walls can trap moisture and their roots can
damage underground drains.

• Trees – fall on structure; roots undermine foundation. Trees near buildings can undermine their
foundations and cause ground heave. In clay soils trees can withdraw ground moisture causing the
surrounding soil to shrink, thus causing movement of the foundations and subsequent cracking of walls.

• Vines – enlarge crevices; force wood apart; discolor surfaces; tear up paint.

• Algae, fungi, mosses – stain surfaces; trap moisture.

• Bacteria – usually in anaerobic conditions.

• Birds – bore into wood; droppings cause diseases, corrosion of metals, permanently stain wood,
droppings.

• Rodents, small mammals – gnaw through boards to gain access into the building and look for
food or build nests; chew electrical wiring

• Insects-Ants, beetles

• Climatic Causes – Moisture, Wind

• Neglect of preventive conservation and pollution.

e) Problems in conserving natural built heritage.

• The traffic and parking problems and which change the micro climate of the historic center and
produce atmospheric pollution and destructive vibrations, are some of the causes of decay
which occur in combination.
• The economic functions of the historic center have also been threatened by changes in
industrial methods.
• Lack of maintenance of old buildings and a failure to understand their cultural and functional
values have increased the dangers.

f) Integrated Conservation.
• It will be useful to divide conservation work into various scales starting with a town as a whole
to piece of sculpture. This categorization is not a new phenomenon, though importance shifts
from one category to another.
 • For planning a conservation work, it is necessary to have long term and short-term plans in
order of a well-worked out list of priorities.
• Integrating conservation means bringing together the skills of the archaeologist, ethnographer,
sociologist, historian, as well as architect, landscape architect and engineer, in a conscious
striving for the interdisciplinary collaboration under the leadership of the town planner.

g) Degrees of interventions.

The minimum degree of intervention necessary and the techniques used depend upon the conditions of
climate to which cultural properly is likely to be subjected. Atmospheric pollution and traffic vibration
must be considered, and earthquake and flood hazards should be assessed.

• Conservation involves making interventions at various scales and levels of intensity which are
determined by the physical condition, causes of deterioration and anticipated future environment of the
cultural property under treatment. Each case must be considered as a whole, and individually, taking all
factors into account.

• Seven Degrees of intervention –

- Prevention of deterioration

- Preservation

- Consolidation

- Restoration

- Rehabilitation

- Reproduction

- Reconstruction

Indirect Conservation / Prevention of deterioration

• Control of internal humidity, temperature.

• Measure to prevent fire, arson, theft and vandalism

• Provide for cleaning and good overall housekeeping

• Measure to reduce both atmospheric pollution and traffic vibrations

• Control of ground subsidence caused by, say abstraction of water Regular inspection, maintenance,
cleaning schedules, good housekeeping and proper management Maintenance

• The continuous protective care of a place and its setting.

• Maintenance is to distinguished from repair which involves restoration or reconstruction

Preservation
• Preservation means maintaining a lace in its existing state and retarding deterioration

• Preservation deals directly with cultural property

• Repairs must be carried out when necessary to prevent further decay

• Damage and decay caused by Water i forms Chemical agents, all types of microorganisms must be
stopped in order to preserve the structure

Consolidation

• Physical addition or application of adhesive or supportive materials into the actual fabric of cultural
property, in order to ensure a continued durability or structural integrity.

• Plaster consolidation with grout injection

- Sensitive consolidation of compromised historic plaster preserves the historic fabric of the structure
and provide options for future research and treatment

• When we need consolidation

- The strength of structural elements has been so reduced that is no longer sufficient to meet future
hazards

- Most historic structures have composite walls built with two faces of masonry while the core is filled
with rubble and mortar

- Over time, voids develop in the core and pathways form which can direct water to the inside face

- The basic grouting method helps in filling the voids

• The utilization of traditional skills and materials is of essential importance. However, where traditional
methods are inadequate the conservation of cultural property may be achieved by the use of modern
techniques which should be reversible, proven by experience, and applicable to the scale of the project
and its climatic environment. This sensible approach to conservation uses appropriate technology.

Restoration

• Respect contribution of all periods of history

• Any later addition that can be treated as an historic document must be preserved.

• Replacement of missing or decayed parts must integrate harmoniously with whole but clearly
distinguishable on close inspection Revealing of underlying state can only be justified in exceptional
circumstances

Rehabilitation/ adaptive reuse

• The best way of preserving buildings as opposed to objects is to keep them in use is modernization
with or without adaptive alteration. The original use is generally the best for conservation of the fabric,
as it means fewer changes.
 • Adaptive reuse means, it has to be adapted to the new use, often is the only way the historic and
aesthetic values can be saved economically

• It is often described as a process by which structurally sound older buildings are developed for
economically viable new uses

• Adaptation means changing a place to suit the existing use or a proposed use

Reproduction

• Reproduction entails copying an extent artefact, often in order to replace some of the missing or the
decayed parts, generally decorative to maintain the aesthetic harmony

• If valuable cultural property is being damaged irretrievably or is threatened by is environment, it may

have to be moved to a more suitable environment and a reproduction substitute in order to maintain
the unity of a site or building

Reconstruction

• Reconstruction of historic buildings and historic centers using new materials may be necessitated by
disasters such as fire, earthquake or war.

• Reconstruction must be based upon accurate documentation and evidence, never upon conjecture -
Bernard Fielden.

• In some cases, reconstruction may also be appropriate as part of a use or practice that retains the
cultural significance of the place - Burra Charter

• Reconstruction is appropriate only where a place is incomplete through damage or alteration, and only
where there is sufficient evidence to reproduce an earlier state of the fabric Reconstruction should be
identifiable on close inspection or through additional interpretation - Burra Charter

• Moving of entire building to new sites is another form of reconstruction justified only by overriding
national interest e.g.: Reconstruction and relocation of Abu simbel Temple, Egypt

h) Quality of life in historic cities.

• It is intimate and human in scale, often rich in diverse activities, and compared with some vast
modern planned cities, often extremely convenient for shopping and entertainment.
• Spaces combine to give visual drama by the sensations of compression, expansion, surprise and
a fine architectural set piece.
• The views of the principal buildings from various places give the citizen reassuring reference
points.
• Some of the key buildings will be symbolic, for without them the place could never be the same
again.
• Most of the buildings in the historic center will be quite simple, almost anonymous vernacular
architecture.
• Visual value of an historic town is of special significance. The harmony given by the use of
traditional materials and methods of construction should be respected.
 • Traditional colours often based on natural pigments or lime-based paints should be continued in
use. The texture and scale of the city must be respected and new intrusions avoided.
• It is the genius loci, or character of a place, that makes it unique and gives it specific quality.

II. Answer any two of the following questions. Each question carries 10 marks:

a) Give an overview of key events which influenced the emergence of Architectural conservation
highlighting the dominant philosophies and pioneers in the field.
i. Traditional Approach to the treatment of historic monuments
• A desire to continue the efforts of previous generations in harmonious ways.
• Historic structures are preserved so long as they continue to have used value, or because there
is no specific reason for their destruction.
• The essence of restoration was oriented towards keeping intact the function of the monument;
through renovation and renewal, even by improvement, which rarely showed concern for the
material substance.
• Basic intervention theories of historic preservation included; dualism of

■ The Retention of the status quo versus

■ A restoration that creates something that never actually existed in the place.

ii. Romantic Restoration (Renaissance period)

■ Conservation and re-evaluation of the authentic object.

■ Preserving its historic stratification and original material

■ Avoiding falsification

• Heritage in Romanticism; Restorations of medieval buildings

■ Viollet -le-Duc, A French architect and theorist, a major gothic revival architect, famous for
interpretive “restorations” of medieval buildings.

■ To restore a building is:

● Not to preserve it, to repair it, or to rebuild it;

● It is to reinstate it in a condition of completeness that may never have existed at any given time.

● Interpretive restoration of medieval buildings

● Attempt to reconstruct the complete picture of the place

iii. Modern conservation Theory

Anti-Restoration: John Ruskin (1819-1900) is considered the father of modern art criticism, and
was also a true polymath - a talented watercolorist, teacher, and geologist.

• Searching for a meaningful architecture strongly rooted in the past

 • Firmly refused any kind of material restoration on the damaged buildings.
• Restoration processes are based mainly on the work of illustration and writings, on a process of
recording the ruins not on rebuilding them materially.

The society for the protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB),1877 Founded by William Morris, Philip
Webb, and others

• The Manifesto of the SPAB was written by William Morris, Philip Webb, and other founder
members in 1877. Although produced in response to the conservation problems of the 19th
century, the Manifesto extends protection to "all times and styles" and remains the basis for the
Society's work.
• A practical and sympathetic approach to the repair and maintenance of the old building.
• Campaigning to protect historic buildings at risk.
• To oppose:

● Destructive restoration of ancient buildings then occurring in Victorian England.

● Returning functioning buildings to an idealized state from the distant past, which often involved the
removal of elements added in their later development.

Venice Charter,1964, International Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and
Sites

• The Venice Charter continues to be the most influential international conservation document.
• The Venice Charter states that monuments are to be conserved not only as works of art but also
as historical evidence.
• It also sets down the principles of preservation, which relate to the restoration of buildings with
work from different periods.

Burra Charter,1979, is a set of principles that have been adopted to create a nationally accepted
standard for heritage conservation practice in Australia.

• These principles and procedures can be applied to a monument, building, garden, shell midden,
rock art site, road, mining or archaeological site, or a whole region.

b) What is the process involved in recording the condition of historic buildings?

THE REASONS FOR RECORDING

• The recording of the cultural heritage is essential to acquire knowledge in order to advance the
understanding of cultural heritage, its values and its evolution and to promote the interest and
involvement of the people in the preservation of the heritage through the dissemination of
recorded information.
• Recording should be undertaken to an appropriate level of detail in order to provide information
for the process of identification, understanding, interpretation and presentation of the heritage,
and to promote the involvement of the public; Provide a permanent record of all monuments,
 groups of buildings and sites that are to be destroyed or altered in any way, or were at risk from
natural events or human activities.
• Recording of the cultural heritage should be seen as a priority, and should be undertaken
especially when compiling a national, regional, or local inventory.

PLANNING FOR RECORDING

1. Before new records are prepared, existing sources of information should be found and examined
for their adequacy.

• The type of records containing such information should be searched for in surveys, drawings,
photographs, published and unpublished accounts and descriptions, and related documents
pertaining to the origins and history of the building, group of buildings or site. It is important to
search out recent as well as old records.
• Existing records should be searched for in locations such as national and local public archives, in
professional, institutional or private archives, inventories and collections, in libraries or
museums;
• Records should be searched for through consultation with individuals and organizations who
have owned, occupied, recorded, constructed, conserved, or carried out research into or who
have knowledge of the building, group of buildings or site.

2. Arising out of the analysis above, selection of the appropriate scope, level and methods of
recording requires that:

• The methods of recording and type of documentation produced should be appropriate to the
nature of the heritage, the purposes of the record, the cultural context, and the funding or other
resources available. Limitations of such resources may require a phased approach to recording.
• Recording methodologies should, wherever possible, use non-intrusive techniques, and should
not cause damage to the object being recorded;
• The rationale for the intended scope and the recording method should be clearly stated.
• The materials used for compiling the finished record must be archivally stable.

CONTENT OF RECORDS

• Any record should be identified by:

o The name of the building, group of buildings or
o A unique reference numbers.
o The date of compilation of the record.
o The name of the recording organization.
o Cross-references to related building records and reports, photographic, graphic, textual or
bibliographic documentation, archaeological and environmental records.

• The location and extent of the monument, group of buildings or site must be given accurately -
this may be achieved by description, maps, plans or aerial photographs. In rural areas a map
reference or triangulation to known points may be the only methods available. In urban areas an
address or street reference may be sufficient.
 • New records should note the sources of all information not obtained directly from the
monument, group of buildings or site itself.
• Records should include some or all of the following information: a) The type, form and
dimensions of the building, monument or site; The interior and exterior characteristics, as
appropriate, of the monument, group of buildings or site; The nature, quality, cultural, artistic
and scientific significance of the heritage and its components and the cultural, artistic and
scientific significance of: the materials, constituent parts and construction, decoration,
ornament or inscriptions services, fittings and machinery
• In considering the different reasons for recording (see Section 1.2 above) different levels of
detail will be required. All the above information, even if briefly stated, provides important data
for local planning and building control and management. Information in greater detail is
generally required for the site or building owner's, manager's or user's purposes for
conservation, maintenance and use.

c) Describe Heritage Zones. Explain why the need for heritage zones arises.
• “Heritage zones” means and includes any building of one or more premises or any part thereof
and/or structure and/or artifact which requires conservation and / or preservation for historical
and / or architectural and / or artisanry and /or aesthetic and/or cultural and/or environmental
and/or ecological purpose and includes such portion of land adjoining such building or part
thereof as may be required for fencing or covering or in any manner preserving the historical
and/or architectural and/or aesthetic and/or cultural value of such building.
• Includes any space that requires conservation and /or preservation for historical and / or
architectural and/or aesthetic and/or cultural and/or environmental and/or ecological purpose.
Walls or other boundaries of a particular area or place or building or may enclose such space by
an imaginary line drawn around it.
• No development or redevelopment or engineering operation or additions / alterations, repairs,
renovations including painting of the building, replacement of special features or plastering or
demolition of any part thereof of the said listed buildings or listed precincts or listed natural
feature areas shall be allowed except with the prior permission of Commissioner, Municipal
Corporation /Vice Chairman, Development Authority. Before granting such permission, the
agency concerned shall consult the Heritage Conservation Committee to be appointed by the
State Government and shall act in according with the advice of the Heritage Conservation
Committee.

III. Answer any two of the following questions. Each question carries 20 marks:

a) Explain the role of different agencies involved in the conservation in India with examples.

Agencies involved in conservation

• ASI
• State departments of Archaeology
• Town Planning departments
 • State Art and Heritage Commission
• INTACH

Archaeological Survey of India

• Founded: 1861
• Parent organization: Ministry of Culture, Government of India
• The Archaeological Survey of India is an Indian government agency attached to the Ministry of
Culture that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of
cultural monuments in the country.
• It was founded in 1861 by Alexander Cunningham who also became its first Director-General.
• The Archaeological Survey of India is an attached office of the Ministry of Culture. Under the
provisions of the AMASR Act of 1958, the ASI administers more than 3650 ancient monuments,
archaeological sites and remains of national importance.
• These can include everything from temples, mosques, churches, tombs, and cemeteries to
palaces, forts, stepwells, and rock-cut caves.
• The Survey also maintains ancient mounds and other similar sites which represent the remains
of ancient habitation. The ASI is headed by a Director General who is assisted by an Additional
Director General, two Joint Directors General, and 17 Directors.

FUNCTIONS OF ASI

Archaeological Survey of India is an attached office of department of Culture with headquarters in New
Delhi. It has 24 regional Circles and 5 Regional Directorates.

Its main functions are:

• preservation, conservation and environmental development of centrally protected monuments

and sites, including World Heritage Monuments and antiquities.
• Maintenance of gardens & development of new gardens surrounding centrally protected
monuments and sites.
• Exploration and excavation of ancient sites.
• Specialized study of inscription and various phases of Indian architecture.
• Maintenance of Archaeological site Museums.
• Operation of the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act.
• Research and Training in different areas of Archaeology.

STATE ART AND HERITAGE COMMISSION

The Art and Heritage commission constituted under Rule 154 of Kerala Municipality Building Rules 1999
shall have jurisdiction over all panchayats.

Functions of the commission are:

• To identify areas of heritage and monuments to be preserved.

• To identify areas of architectural importance and buildings to be preserved.
 • To identify places or streets where a particular form of or group of architectural forms of
buildings alone may be permitted and to prepare model plans, elevations etc.: for that place or
street.
• To examine architectural features in respect of any building or parts thereof or their aesthetic
vis-à-vis the existing structures in a particular area or street.
• To advice government or panchayat on any subject mentioned above.
• To submit periodical reports.

b) Explain in detail the preparatory procedures for evaluation and assessment of historic buildings
for conservation.

Identification of the ‘values’ in the object, monument or site: ‘emotional’, ‘cultural’ and ‘use’ values

• Preparation of Inventories
• Initial inspections
• Documentation Research
• Analysis and recording (Reports).

Inventories

• At the national level, conservation procedures consist initially of making an inventory of all
cultural property in the country. This is a major administrative task for the government, and
involves establishing appropriate categories of cultural property and recording them as
thoroughly, both graphically and descriptively, as possible. Computers and microfilm records are
valuable aids. Legislation protects from demolition those historic buildings listed in inventories.
The inventories also serve as a basis for allocating grants or providing special tax relief for those
who must maintain historic buildings.

Initial inspections

• A preliminary visual inspection and study of each building is necessary in order to k now and
define it as a ‘whole’. The present condition of the building must be recorded methodically (and
then whatever further studies are required can be reported. Documentation of these studies
must be full and conscientious, which means a diligent search of records and archives. In some
countries, reliance may have to be placed on oral traditions, which should be recorded verbatim
and included in the dossier created for each building.
• When a country has a statistically significant number of reports, together with estimates given
in recognized categories of urgency, it can assess the probable cost of its conservation policies
and decide priorities in accordance with its budgetary provision. It can then plan its work force
in accordance with its needs and allocate adequate resources.
• All historic buildings should be inspected at regular intervals, in order to establish maintenance
plans. The spacing of the intervals will be frequent in a hot, humid climate but in a temperate
zone five-year intervals are sufficient. Such preventive maintenance should in most cases
forestall the need for major interventions, and it has been proved that it reduces the cost of
conservation of a nation’s stock of historic buildings.
Continuing documentation

• Complete recording is essential before, during and after any intervention. In all works of
preservation. Preparatory procedures for conservation repair or excavation of cultural property
there must always be precise documentation in the form of analytical and critical reports,
illustrated with photographs and drawings. Every stage of the work of cleaning, consolidation,
reassembly and integration, including all materials and techniques used, must be recorded.
• Reports on technical and formal features identified during the course of the work should be
placed in the archives of a public institution and made available to research workers. Finally, if
the intervention can in any way serve to broaden general knowledge, a report must be
published. Often in large projects it may take several years to write a scholarly report, so a
preliminary report or an annual series is desirable to keep the public informed and thus
maintain popular support.
• To ensure the maximum survival of cultural property, future conservators must know and
understand what has occurred in the past. Consequently, documentation is essential because it
must be remembered that the building or work of art will outlive the individuals who perform
the interventions. Adequate budgetary provision must be made f or documentation and this
must be kept separate from that of the conservation works. Full documentation, including
photographs before and after the intervention, is also useful if the conservation architect has to
refute unjustified criticism.

c) Discuss the role of community participation in the field of heritage conservation.

• The sustainability of cultural heritage management of the resources is strongly related to
support from local community via participation. It is evident that active community involvement
can improve local residents’ quality of life based on better environment, social and economic
conditions.
• However, there is little research into the question of whether the involvement of local
community in heritage management derives from a genuine interest and desires to protect and
conserve their local heritage assets. In other words, local community involvement is extremely
rare because they have been neglected especially in the decision-making process. This has
created a negative relationship between local community and government authorities in
resource conservation.
• Therefore, it is pivotal to investigate the influence of the local community attachment towards
heritage, in order to understand the local community involvement in heritage management. The
attitudes and perceptions of three groups of respondents were examined by using the concept
of heritage trail development, as an illustrative example to triangulate the relationship between
local community involvement, government administrative structures and tourists’ experiences.
• It is important to understand the value and significance of any structure.
• Conservation as a process should take account of all the values that contributes to its
significance People may value for many reasons beyond utility or personal association.
o For its distinctive architecture or landscape.
o Story it can talk about its past.
o Its connection with notable people or events.
o Its landform flora and fauna.
o Because they find it beautiful or inspiring.
o For its role as a focus of the community.
o Architectural or Historical interest or scientific interest.
o Special interest.