Methodologies of Architectural Reuse by Albert Burgers Ruiz

METHODOLOGIES OF ARCHITECTURAL REUSE AR1AR010

This essay was written for the Methodologies of Architectural Re-use (AR1AR080) course at the faculty of Architecture at the TU Delft. This essay is a response to a set of lectures that where given on the subject of Architectural Conservation. The purpose of this essay is to give a written reaction to the lectures but more importantly to clarify my own position concerning the conservation methodology. To illustrate my position, I will use several examples of projects and will reflect on my own design for the re-use of the Santos warehouse in Rotterdam. Before I elaborate on my own design, I will first explain a few notions concerning the theoretical conservation debate and also elaborate on how they influence the practice and why they are still valid but also under attack. Finally I will argue why in my opinion these principles should be more open to interpretation.

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OVERVIEW ABSTRACT page 1 (149 words)

A CONTEMPORARY APPROACH TO CONSERVATION page 3 (1449 words)

LITARARY REFERENCES page 6 IMAGE REFERENCES page 7 CONSERVATION THEORY page 8 & CONTEMPORARY CONSERVATION page 9 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES page 10

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A CONTEMPORARY APPROACH TO CONSERVATION

Illustration 1: Different types of heritage.

To define my vision on the conservation methodology, I would like to define a few conditions which rule the conservation approach. Firstly, I would like to start by defining what heritage is. Nicolas Clarke gave a lecture concerning the societal role of heritage and how heritage could be made sustainable. In his lecture he explained that heritage can be anything which we value. 1 He argued that heritage is what we as a society value and that this value can be created or even changed through time. He further went on explaining that heritage is also a vessel in which we can transport knowledge, from the past but also to the future. Another important aspect of heritage is the valuation. Because proclaiming that everything is heritage is like saying that everything is unique. And if everything is unique than nothing is unique. So there needs to be a clear definition of which knowledge/values are important and which are not. In the lecture of Marieke Kuypers she explained how we as humans have come to the valuation of heritage. 2 CONSERVATION THEORY

Illustration 2: The principal conservation debate, with Ruskin to the left and Viollet-le-Duc to the right.

Viollet-le-Duc

Ruskin

Idea

Work

restoration

anti-restoration

reconstruction

conserving

stilistic unity

historic layers

form

materials

technique

memory

ratio

emotion

modernity

romantic

progress

past

newness value

age value

image value

source value

The first monuments where built in ancient times and where built for the Gods and for civilisations to show power and strength. Good examples are the Egyptian temples, the Roman arches or the Gothic churches. After the French Revolution there was a paradigmatic shift where for the first time a civil society of educated men started to take care of monuments of past generations. After the Industrial Revolution the conservation movement gained momentum and rose up to protect the heritage that was being threatened by the new infrastructures. The battle against the machines gave rise to the fundamental conservation debate in which the French Architect Viollet-le-Duc and the English Art-critic Ruskin where the two most prominent protagonist. For Viollet-le-Duc restoration was not so much to technically restore a building but rather to aesthetically recreate. Restoration for him was to reconstruct a building to a state of perfection, which in the past may never have existed. Ruskin on the other hand believed that a building should remain in the current state, so that the materials could be witnesses to the multi faced past. In essence, he advocated non-intervention. In this way he could maintain the integrity of the source so that it could be used to investigate the age or the historical layering of the building.3 At the same time, Alois Riegl made his dialectic value system, which separates two types of values. The first value deals with commemorative values like the historical aspect of the monument, the second value deals with the current condition of the building. 4

Illustration 3: This fundamental debate between two different ideologies is simplified in this scheme that M. Kuypers made.

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Commemorative values

Current values

Age value

Use Value

Historical valuse

Aesthetical/ artistic value

Intentional commemorative value

a. Newness value

Non intentional commemorative value

b. Relative aesthetic value

Illustration 4: Alois Riegl’s values published in the Modern Cult of Monuments in Vienna (1903).

Illustration 5: Picture taken of the original Barcelona pavilion.

Illustration 6: Picture taken of restored stairs in the Neues Museum.

In 1905, Georg Dehio made sure that the conservation movement pivoted to a more ‘Ruskian' approach by using a new motto: ‘Conserve, not restore’. Which eventually lead to a new approach because in practice the clear boundary (between new and old) was difficult to determine, so it was decided that new contributions should be visibly contemporary. In 1917 the Dutch Archaeological Association proclaimed that conservation should happen prior to renewal, unless sufficient sources where available for a historically reliable construction. 5 The result was an attempt to counter historical falsifications. Fourteen years later the first charter was drawn up in Athens with the goal of establishing an international organisation to give restoration advice in an attempt to safeguard historic monuments, urban or rural settings from new developments and to establish a standard framework. 6 In 1943, Modernist proclaimed that: ‘monumentality’ had devaluated and that: ‘so-called monuments’ of that time had with ‘rare exception become empty shells’7 . The results of this mentality can be seen in Rotterdam where the historic centre was destroyed during the war and rebuilt according to modernist principles. Another important aspect which helped Modernist reimagine the concept of heritage is the uprising of new digital means which made a new type of conservation possible. The uprising of different digital means meant that heritage could be valued in a completely new sense. Namely in a non-physical way, one of the most famous examples of a building that was valued through this new means was the Barcelona Pavilion which was built by Mies van der Rohe in 1929 for the International Exposition in Barcelona.8 The original building was built for a temporary exposition and was therefore never meant to have a permanent function. But because the images of this building where so widespread, this building was eventually rebuild in the 1980s. Another striking example of a contemporary approach to dealing with heritage is the approach David Chipperfield took to restore the Neues Museum in Berlin. The Neues Museum was heavily damaged after the WWII and therefore needed to be restored. The process can be described as a multidisciplinary interaction between repairing, conserving, restoring and recreating all of its components.9 Norman Foster’s Hearst Tower is an example of an extreme intervention. What I find most interesting about this example is that not only does it respond to the historical context of the building but also that it deals with the wishes of the client which is a high density building. The result is a reuse of a historic facade and the addition of a contemporary skyscraper.

Illustration 7: The use of extreme contrast by Norman Foster.

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DESIGNING WITH HERITAGE

Illustration 8: The visitors entrance to the Ruhr Museum.

In Paul Meurs paper which was written for the Delft Lectures Series he names three methods which could be used to deal with heritage 10. The first is the traditional approach, where the historic building is restored to its former glory. The Barcelona Pavilion is a great example of this method, as the building was even built on the exact same location as it was originally planned to be on. The second method that Meurs describes is that of the preservation through design, of which the Neues Museum is a great example. The additions are done in such a way that the building becomes a coherent whole. The old is restored to its original state to highlight the differences in when they where built. The third method is that of an approach whereby there where very few ‘standard’ design additions. This non-conventional approach to historic buildings is made explicit in OMA’s Ruhr Museum in Essen, here the designers chose to use minimal interventions to tell a story about the building. By transforming the former coal mine Zeche Zollverein into the visitors centre and not removing any existing machines, visitors get an unfiltered experience and are now able to experience the same experience as the coals . THE CURRENT CONDITION

Illustration 9: Current cumbersome conditions in Rotterdam. Monumental buildings hidden between high density contemporary buildings.

Illustration 10: MVRDV’s solution to this cumbersome situation.

Albert Burgers // 4117433

While these three methods make it possible to place all current interventions in frameworks in which they can be compared. They do not deal with all current practices. OMA proclaimed with its Chronocaos 11 exhibition that we are collecting historical junk, they argue that in the last hundred years we have been collecting an extreme amount of heritage and that the preservation [movement] is overtaking us. 12 Combine this with the fact that we are building denser cities like never before, it becomes clear that are monuments are being placed in cumbersome positions. Take for example the Schielandshuis or the Hotel New York in Rotterdam. Both are historical monuments which where built over a hundred years ago. While both buildings are in pristine historical condition from the interior they are being flanked by huge skyscrapers and a therefore not the monumental impressive buildings as they where in the past. MVRDV made a design proposal in which they deal with these conditions and proposed that the Schielandshuis should be elevated so that it can become impressive again. This can be seen as an extreme example of a contemporary addition where the buildings impressive monumental appeal could be conserved. And at the same time it challenges the notion of what is authentic. For the addition begs the question: What is more important; the image of the building as a static object which hasn't changed through time or, the original intention of the architect of making an impressive imposing building? This notion of the current condition which begs for high density and this idea of a partial authorship which could be seen as a continuation of the Alois Riegl’s relative aesthetic value. The relative aesthetic value deals with the fact that monuments are not static objects but are dynamic objects which, like their valuations, change. Making these changes apparent then becomes the key element and should have the function of telling this transformative narrative.

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LITARARY REFERENCES 1

Lecture given by Nicolas Clarke (20/03/2017). Heritage and Sustainability slide: 15

Lecture given by prof. Marieke Kuipers (27/02/2017). Detecting Heritage Values slide: 15

Halbertsma, M. & Kuipers, M. (2014). Het erfgoeduniversum: Een inleiding in de theorie en praktijk van cultureel erfgoed. Bussum: Coutinho. pages: 82-88, 417-418 & 433

Halbertsma, M. & Kuipers, M. (2014). Het erfgoeduniversum: Een inleiding in de theorie en praktijk van cultureel erfgoed. Bussum: Coutinho. pages: 10-11, 62-66 & 71

Lecture given by prof. Marieke Kuipers (27/02/2017). Detecting Heritage Values slide: 15

ICOMOS (1931). The Venice Charters source: http://www.icomos.org/en/charters-and-texts/179-articles-enfrancais/ressources/charters-and-standards/167-the-athens-charter-for-therestoration-of-historic-monuments

Lecture given by prof. Marieke Kuipers (27/02/2017). Detecting Heritage Values slide: 17

Wikipedia (2017). Barcelona Pavilion source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcelona_Pavilion

David Chipperfield (2017). Neues Museum source: https://davidchipperfield.com/project/neues_museum

Meurs, P. (2015). Delft Lecture Architectural Design 2015-2016. TU Delft Open. pages: 252-273

OMA (2010). Chronocaos Venice Biennale pdf source: http://oma.eu/projects/venice-biennale-2010-cronocaos

Koolhaas, R. & Otero-Pailos, J. (2014). Preservation is overtaking us. Columbia Books on Architecture and the city, 2014. source: https://www.arch.columbia.edu/books/catalog/6-preservation-isovertaking-us

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IMAGE REFERENCES Illustration 1: Different types of heritage. (Pictures taken from the lecture slides of Marieke Kuipers.) Illustration 2: The principal conservation debate, with Ruskin to the left and Viollet-le-Duc to the right. (Pictures taken from the lecture slides of G. Streng and T. van de Ende which was given on the 6th of March 2017.) Illustration 3: This fundamental debate between two different ideologies is simplified in this scheme that M. Kuypers made. (Marieke Kuipers lecture) Illustration 4: Alois Riegl’s value’s published in the Modern Cult of Monuments in Vienna (1903). (Marieke Kuipers lecture) Illustration 5: Picture taken of the original pavilion. (http://www.terencegower.com/colour-plane-studies/colour-plane-studies-2/) Illustration 6: Picture taken of restored stairs in the Neues Museum. (https://davidchipperfield.com/project/neues_museum) Illustration 7: The use of extreme contrast by Norman Foster. (http://www.worldtravelimages.net/New_York_Columbus_Lincoln.html) Illustration 8: The visitors entrance to the Museum. (http://oma.eu/projects/zollverein-kohlenwaesche) Illustration 9: Current awkward conditions in Rotterdam. Monumental buildings hidden between high density contemporary buildings. (Own image) Illustration 10: MVRDV’s solution to this cumbersome situation. (https://www.mvrdv.nl/projects/000-schielandhuis)

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CONSERVATION THEORY 18th - 20th Century

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& CONTEMPORARY CONSERVATION 18th - 21th Century

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ADDITIONAL SOURCES

Book Launch & Discussion - “Tabula Plena: Forms of Urban Preservation” / “In Therapy,” (2016). Nordic Pavilion. source: https://vimeo.com/170938920

Christian Cirici Fernando Ramos Ignasi de Solà-Morales i Rubió (2016). The reconstruction of the Barcelona Pavilion. source: http://www.archidiap.com/beta/assets/uploads/ 2016/03/21704-57602-1-PB.pdf

Cronocaos: Heritage and heresy (2011). source: https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/cronocaos-heritage-and-heresy/ 8613616.article

OMA*AMO: preservation samples (2011). source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy23IuVItLQ

Paul Meurs(2014). Lecture 5: Balance heritage/development. source: Collegerama AR1AR010_07

the fundació mies van der rohe barcelona (2017). source: http://miesbcn.com/the-pavilion/

Wessel de Jong (2012). Continuity and Change: Approaches to Conserving Modern Architecture Internationally source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-fihvWYnPc

Lecture of Nicolas Cage

lecture Marieke

[p.83]

lecture Marieke

https://www.icomos.org/charters/venice_e.pdf

> lecture

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcelona_Pavilion

https://davidchipperfield.com/project/neues_museum

DELFT lecture series Chronoscaos preservation is overtaking us.

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