Ebook Historic Buildings and Contemporary Additions
The intention of this project is to take a closer look at the use of contemporary styles for new additions to historic buildings. The use of a new and different style for additions on historic buildings, also known as contrasting styles, is one of the most typical approaches in the field, yet observing the variation in the results obtained when architects use contrasting additions in historic buildings, causes one to question this approach. What is it that makes projects like this succeed or fail? This research, will explore the key elements that allow historic buildings and contemporary additions to work cohesively, respecting and promoting each other’s architectural significance. Using the results, I will consider the feasibility of establishing design guidelines to promote the use of specific design elements for the expansion of historic buildings.
New architectural styles can actually reinforce the significance and architectural value of historic buildings. By labeling architecture as an old or new style, we are recognizing a timeframe for the use of unique and symbolic details that have value and meaning for a specific group. These symbolic details are the language that helps to illustrate or convey the evolution of our society. The styles expressed on historic buildings represent the language of the past and the new styles will represent our present in the future. For this reason, it is important to create an environment where both can coexist and correlate with each other, building additions to historic buildings using contemporary architecture styles with an honest representation of current social situations, while protecting the historic structure which represents the social situations of our past.
Additions to historic buildings have always been a big issue in the preservation field. There have been many discussions about the proper way to approach a historic building when it is in need of expansion to create more usable space for a new or expanding use. These discussions have addressed subjects from the use of materials and building techniques that should be employed, to the architectural style in which the new addition is going to be designed. The issue of style is perhaps the biggest question asked at the moment of intervening with a historic structure. Although, these questions are revisited when intervening in a historic building with a new addition, one aspect has always been emphasized by experts in the field; the importance of making clear what is part of the original fabric and what is not in order to avoid misrepresentation. One of the simplest and most honest ways to comply with this recommendation is by using a contemporary style for new additions on historic buildings.
While using contemporary styles seems to be a good response to the issue of misrepresentation, it is important to take a closer look and analyze the way contemporary additions are designed because this relationship does not always work. There are many examples that can help to demonstrate how historic buildings and contemporary additions can work together, but there are also examples where that’s not necessarily the case. In many cases, contemporary additions have impacted the physical integrity of the historic building causing great consternation among professionals and the public. However, when we take a look at those examples where historic buildings have been successfully integrated with contemporary additions, it is clear that there are specific elements and parameters that make the relationship between historic and contemporary architecture work harmoniously.
One of the problems that could be causing confrontation when combining contemporary styles and historic buildings could be the lack of clear guidelines or recommendations for adding to a historic building using a contrasting style. Not even the best known and most established regulations for the treatment of historic buildings get into much detail on how to approach a historic building using new styles for new additions; the result is that the designer has relative freedom of intervention without guidance on detailed elements that should be given special consideration. This is not a problem when the designer has knowledge of the proper treatment for historic buildings, but what happens to those buildings treated by designers not familiar with the suitable way to intervene with a historic building? None of these regulations give suggestions on what should be the key elements to address, more than general indications of mass, scale and materials, in order to design something not just representative of its time but also cohesive with the historic fabric.
Download PDF Ebook Historic Buildings and Contemporary Additions
New architectural styles can actually reinforce the significance and architectural value of historic buildings. By labeling architecture as an old or new style, we are recognizing a timeframe for the use of unique and symbolic details that have value and meaning for a specific group. These symbolic details are the language that helps to illustrate or convey the evolution of our society. The styles expressed on historic buildings represent the language of the past and the new styles will represent our present in the future. For this reason, it is important to create an environment where both can coexist and correlate with each other, building additions to historic buildings using contemporary architecture styles with an honest representation of current social situations, while protecting the historic structure which represents the social situations of our past.
Additions to historic buildings have always been a big issue in the preservation field. There have been many discussions about the proper way to approach a historic building when it is in need of expansion to create more usable space for a new or expanding use. These discussions have addressed subjects from the use of materials and building techniques that should be employed, to the architectural style in which the new addition is going to be designed. The issue of style is perhaps the biggest question asked at the moment of intervening with a historic structure. Although, these questions are revisited when intervening in a historic building with a new addition, one aspect has always been emphasized by experts in the field; the importance of making clear what is part of the original fabric and what is not in order to avoid misrepresentation. One of the simplest and most honest ways to comply with this recommendation is by using a contemporary style for new additions on historic buildings.
While using contemporary styles seems to be a good response to the issue of misrepresentation, it is important to take a closer look and analyze the way contemporary additions are designed because this relationship does not always work. There are many examples that can help to demonstrate how historic buildings and contemporary additions can work together, but there are also examples where that’s not necessarily the case. In many cases, contemporary additions have impacted the physical integrity of the historic building causing great consternation among professionals and the public. However, when we take a look at those examples where historic buildings have been successfully integrated with contemporary additions, it is clear that there are specific elements and parameters that make the relationship between historic and contemporary architecture work harmoniously.
One of the problems that could be causing confrontation when combining contemporary styles and historic buildings could be the lack of clear guidelines or recommendations for adding to a historic building using a contrasting style. Not even the best known and most established regulations for the treatment of historic buildings get into much detail on how to approach a historic building using new styles for new additions; the result is that the designer has relative freedom of intervention without guidance on detailed elements that should be given special consideration. This is not a problem when the designer has knowledge of the proper treatment for historic buildings, but what happens to those buildings treated by designers not familiar with the suitable way to intervene with a historic building? None of these regulations give suggestions on what should be the key elements to address, more than general indications of mass, scale and materials, in order to design something not just representative of its time but also cohesive with the historic fabric.
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