Venice Charter Research Articles

Translation as a restoration: Turkish translations of the Venice Charter

ABSTRACT The Venice Charter, translated into at least 28 different languages, has been a significant reference at both national and international levels in the historic preservation field. It was born as a multilingual text written in English, French, Italian and Russian as the final declaration of an international congress; the original form of the Charter owes its presence to the practice of translation. Cevat Erder, the translator of the Venice Charter into Turkish, proposed that ‘the Venice Charter should be preserved as an historic monument’. Accordingly, this study interrogates both the monumentality of the Charter and its method of conservation through analyses of the Turkish translations of the Venice Charter. Two practices, translation and restoration, are explored together to inquire into the challenges of transmitting authenticity. The role of translator and restorer in the afterlife of monuments is inquired by examining the creative agency of translation practice regarding conservation of the literary text.

The Venice Charter – the foundation of heritage protection or the burden of the past? An answer through the Greek experience

In the 60 years since its adoption, the Venice Charter has become a foremost point of reference in the conservation agenda of numerous countries around the globe, especially in Europe. The celebrated document’s relation with Greece in particular started upon its very conception; one of the contributors to its compilation came from Greece, namely architect Efstathios Stikas. Yet despite this early connection, the charter’s influence in Greek conservation matters was initially minimal, and only after 1974, became substantial. Based on bibliographic and archival research, coupled with personal experience from related duties, the present paper seeks to review and appraise the development of the usefulness of the charter in the Greek context, with emphasis on its post-1974 contribution in four major fields of related action: legislation, judicial affairs, specialized education, and conservation and restoration works. This assessment provides the basis for a conclusive remark as to the acclaimed document’s culminating function, along with proposals for an optimization of its future contribution.

The Venice Charter – between protection and socially useful purpose.

The principles of the Venice Charter are still invoked worldwide as a crucial reference point in discussions and practices related to heritage preservation. However, the Charter’s lack of clarity in defining stakeholders and procedural steps raises significant issues about who has the authority to determine the appropriateness of new functions for monuments. This deficiency can lead to decision-making that might not fully consider the diverse cultural values and historical significance of the sites, potentially resulting in conservation outcomes that are more economically than socially driven. This paper examines how national and international conservation policies have expanded upon the Venice Charter to address social participation and the concept of "socially useful purposes" in World Heritage site management. Focusing on Germany and Poland World Heritage cities, the study explores how national and international guidelines have expanded upon the Venice Charter to incorporate social participation and the concept of "socially useful purposes" in the management of World Heritage sites. It delves into the role of Site Management Plans as dynamic documents that have evolved from strict preservation frameworks to policies encompassing social participation, thereby enhancing community engagement and meeting a broader spectrum of conservation needs and stakeholder interests.

From monuments to living heritage. Revisiting the Venice Charter in the conservation of younger industrial heritage

The Venice Charter of 1964 has been the benchmark for tenets governing architectural conservation and set forth pivotal principles that shaped conservation practices for decades. However, conceived during a time when heritage was primarily associated with physical monuments, the landscape of cultural heritage has transformed significantly since then, encompassing immaterial aspects, democratisation of heritage values, and diverse sustainability considerations.This research aims at exploring the strengths, limitations, and adaptability of the Venice Charter in light of evolving perspectives on heritage. The paper delves into the charter's historical context, asking whether it remains a guiding beacon or a potential hindrance. A key focus of the research is the examination of obstacles associated with the conservation of younger heritage in the face of contemporary challenges posed by sustainability imperatives. The inherent complexities of managing heritage structures marked by ongoing developmental histories and changes are explored with an example of industrial heritage dealing with the concept of ‘living heritage’. In the context of a future where resource responsibility and reuse are paramount matters, firm definitions of original substance as defined in the Venice Charter, as well as a static perception of conservation, may pose challenges, particularly for unintentional monuments situated in complex environments or marked by evolving narratives through time. Marking the 60th anniversary of the Venice Charter, this research sheds light on the charter’s legacy and its validity in the contemporary landscape of heritage protection as well as the future role of the monuments in our ever-changing societal context.

Venice at 60: Article 5 and the acceptable limits of use

The Venice Charter is central to modern conservation, and foundational for ICOMOS specifically; yet its contemporary relevance is debatable. These and other issues were discussed by ICOMOS in Budapest 20 years ago, in a conference marking the Charter’s 40th anniversary. However, questions remain as to its ongoing significance. As Bogusław Szmygin asked in 2004, does the Charter remain the ‘Decalogue' of the conservation discipline, or has it itself become a ‘Historical Monument’?The Venice Charter as a product of high modernity, with its belief in a definitive break with the past and an overcoming of tradition. The paper assesses the Charter’s ongoing relevance in relation to one pressing issue in contemporary conservation, the limits to the acceptable use of – and change to – historic buildings (Art. 5), and using an example of recent change to an English parish church. The paper argues that the acknowledged need for the interpretation of the Charter requires a hermeneutically literate approach which acknowledges the limits of a scientific/technical reading of any historic monument – the Charter included – and the importance of a dynamic understanding of the living tradition that is conservation. It concludes that the Charter remains a central text for the conservation discipline, which itself is a tradition in good health, and for that very reason its status will continue to be fiercely debated.

The Venice Charter in the age of climate change

This article is a reflection on the Venice Charter as a product of the 1960s and places it in the context of the built heritage and the discourse related to it at that time. It provides reflections on the continued validity of the Charter, and, in particular, on its significance in times of changing climatic conditions. The article aims to re-contextualize the Charter in the 21st century and makes suggestions to ensure its continued relevance. While the Venice Charter defined the main principles of heritage conservation in the second half of the 20th century, it remains unclear whether these principles although recognized and acknowledged can be maintained in a world with very different conditions for built heritage.

Scientific-Practical Enhancement Principles for the Long-Term Stability of Cultural Heritage Objects through a Multi-Component Underground Space Analysis

This article presents approaches for enhancing engineering-geological and geotechnical research for the restoration and reconstruction projects of cultural heritage objects in St. Petersburg’s historical center. According to the Venice Charter, an interdisciplinary approach is recommended for developing a preservation program for cultural heritage objects. The authors consider the underground space as a multi-component system, where soils are a host medium for underground water with specific composition, complex physicochemical and biochemical conditions, the presence and vigorous activity of microorganisms, gases of various origins, and underground bearing and enclosing structures. The last of these components is crucial for the long-term stability of historical and cultural objects, as they interact in complex with water-saturated soils and microorganisms. This approach is not to be found in Russian cultural heritage preservation regulations. In engineering-geological and geotechnical research, multi-component underground space should be studied at the regional, local, and object levels. Assessing redox conditions in the underground environment is crucial for understanding the state of its components. Moreover, this can trigger hazardous processes such as changes in the stress–strain state and unconsolidation of the soil layer due to the generation of low-solubility gases and biocorrosion of ancient and modern building materials, causing premature destruction. Recommendations are provided for carrying out engineering-geological and geotechnical research based on cultural heritage objects, considering the multi-component underground space and features of its geoenvironmental state due to the long-term contamination and transformation of its components.

Metamorphoses

The Esterházy Palace in Fertőd is part of Hungary’s largest eighteenth-century residential complex. After severe damage at the end of the Second World War and in the 1950s, the palace was repeatedly renovated for almost seventy years. Between 2021 and 2022, the state apartments in the main building and some adjoining rooms underwent extensive conservation and restoration. Due to the palace’s complicated history and the inconsistent interventions of the post-war period, it was difficult to preserve as many remnants as possible. The aim was to preserve and display all historical periods from the beginning to the present, as they provide information about all the historical and cultural changes over the centuries. From this point of view, the contradictory relationship between some previous interventions and the principles laid down in documents such as the Venice Charter, the Nara Document or the UNESCO Convention of the Intangible Heritage were considered a legacy that can no longer be erased from the history of the palace. Based on conservation and restoration principles crystallised in the second half of the twentieth century and considering the changes in the field of heritage conservation since the 1990s, an attempt was made to preserve the tangible and intangible heritage as far as possible. With this in mind, the rooms were divided into three groups, each of which is subject to a different conservation and restoration method.

Discussion of So-Called “Architectural Heritage DNA” via a Case Study of the Conservation of the Nara Palace Site, Japan

This study introduces a brief history of the discovery of and conservation efforts to preserve the Nara Palace Site in Japan, which brought about the recognition of this heritage site as a World Cultural Heritage location by UNESCO in 1996. Accordingly, the 1994 Nara Document on Authenticity plays an important role in contributing to Japanese cultural heritage conservation achievements, with the expansion of cultural diversity and heritage diversity and the concepts of values and authenticity, which proposed a new orientation in terms of awareness and openness to develop a broader vision when identifying architectural heritage values. Against this background, we first discuss the newly proposed concept of so-called “architectural heritage DNA” and its potential structure, providing a simple formula for appraising the authentic values of architectural heritage conservation works. Working within conservation theory, besides the doctrinal study of the 1994 Nara Document on Authenticity, this study also focuses on other important international conventions, such as the 1964 Venice Charter and the 1999 Burra Charter, to clarify the concepts of conservation, restoration, and reconstruction, adding the concept of inheritance between conservation and development, which addresses the lack of international conventions regarding cultural heritage conservation. The viewpoints expressed in this paper are based on the most common concepts of these international conventions but are interpreted in a novel, understandable, practical, and highly applicable approach suited to both the current socio-political situation and future scenarios.

Principles and technologies of historical structures consolidation, case study of Banloc castle complex

Historical monuments (palaces, churches, protected urban areas, so on) are integral part of the national cultural heritage which need activities and measures to protect them. The Banloc complex, located in the west of Romania, encompasses five buildings: the castle, the hunting pavilion, the kitchen, housekeeper house, and the stall. This study involves historical, architectural, structural and physical-chemical investigations with the aim of finding the correct restoration solutions, in good agreement with the Venice Charter, respectively the Nara Charter. Being affected by time and by the seismic sequence (Mw 5.6), the restoration of the building is absolutely necessary for recovering the functionality, structural solution and highlighting the artistic elements. Some analytical techniques, as: X-ray diffraction (XRD), Wavelength Dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF), optical microscopy (OM), and zoom microscopy, Infrared spectroscopy Fourier Transformed (FTIR), and Raman spectroscopy, have been used in this paper in order to clarify the main aspects about the structure, composition and morphological of the samples collected from Pavilion building. The oxides composition, and the possible organic impurities has been identified by WDXRF amd FTIR/Raman spectra, respectively. The microscopy images revealed the colours, fissures, cracks and even holes due to the time weathering processes, and damages they suffered in time.

Time demands of traditional hand-hewing techniques for sustainable repair of wooden heritage structures: A comparative study

The hand-hewing of timber has been a fundamental skill for carpenters throughout history. Inevitably though, the majority of wood used in construction at the present time is processed with the use of machines. Repairing heritage objects with machined wood however, as opposed to working replacement timber using similar craft methods and tools as those used in the original, is often in conflict with the principles set forth in the Venice Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites. Ultimately, relying on mechanization is a missed opportunity to contribute to the preservation of valued intangible cultural heritage.Whereas the sustainability of traditional woodworking techniques and technologies can be promoted by applying them in the conservation of historical wooden buildings, the labor-intensive and time-consuming nature of manual woodworking makes feasibility questionable. In order to provide valuable insight for planners and monument care workers, the paper presents a study on the time demands associated with processing hand-hewn beams intended for use in the structural repair of wooden heritage objects.A series of experiments was conducted wherein a total of 94 beams 18×22 cm in profile and 2.5 m in length were hewn from spruce logs of various diameters. The relationship between initial log diameter and required processing time is presented as a linear function. The relative proportions of the individual steps to the hewing process as a whole were also documented and showed a clear dependency on the total amount of material removal required. The overall processing time was significantly reduced in the case of timber that was soaked for several months before being hewn into beams, and the low-work hewing technique was shown to be more efficient in comparison to high work on trestles.This paper has been published in memory of Petr Růžička, the great pioneer of forgotten carpentry techniques whose work opened a window to our past for future generations.

Creating Historical Building Models by Deep Fusion of Multi-Source Heterogeneous Data Using Residual 3D Convolutional Neural Network

ABSTRACT There are a large number of historical buildings in the world, but many of them are seriously damaged. A fundamental task to revitalize them is to record their details and redraw them, but it is a highly inefficient task. This paper aimed to create three-dimensional (3D) models automatically for those damaged historical buildings while respecting the 1964 Venice Charter, the ICOMOS recommendations, and local ordinances. After reviewing the advantages and disadvantages of various measurement tools, we implemented a machine learning algorithm, the residual 3D convolutional neural network (CNN) method, to combine heterogeneous data from multiple sources including a 3D laser scanner, an unmanned aerial vehicle, a total station, and a camera, in a historical building information model (HBIM) to increase its accuracy. Those data, preprocessed by four steps including data registration, reducing noises, filtering data, and data integration, were trained and fused in a 3D CNN model, which consisted of one input layer, five 3D convolutional and pooling layers, and two connected layers. A Shanghai historical building conservation project was taken as a pilot case to verify its productivity and accuracy in developing the HBIM, on which the architectural features were thoroughly recorded, and the damaged details were recovered.

On the Use of the Digital Twin Concept for the Structural Integrity Protection of Architectural Heritage

Undoubtedly, heritage buildings serve as essential embodiments of the cultural richness and diversity of the world’s states, and their conservation is of the utmost importance. Specifically, the protection of the structural integrity of these buildings is highly relevant not only because of the buildings themselves but also because they often contain precious artworks, such as sculptures, paintings, and frescoes. When a disaster causes damage to heritage buildings, these artworks will likely be damaged, resulting in the loss of historical and artistic materials and an intangible loss of memory and identity for people. To preserve heritage buildings, state-of-the-art recommendations inspired by the Venice Charter of 1964 suggest real-time monitoring of the progressive damage of existing structures, avoiding massive interventions, and providing immediate action in the case of a disaster. The most up-to-date digital information and analysis technologies, such as digital twins, can be employed to fulfil this approach. The implementation of the digital twin paradigm can be crucial in developing a preventive approach for built cultural heritage conservation, considering its key features of continuous data exchange with the physical system and predictive analysis. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the digital twin concept in the architecture, engineering, construction, and operation (AECO) domain. It also critically discusses some applications within the context of preserving the structural integrity of architectural heritage, with a particular emphasis on masonry structures. Finally, a prototype of the digital twin paradigm for the preservation of heritage buildings’ structural integrity is proposed.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s World Heritage throughout Time. The complex compromise between use and conservation in the American approach to architectural restoration

This essay aims to provide a brief summary of the most controversial restoration realized on four cases out of the eight Frank Lloyd Wright’s works listed as Unesco World Heritage (the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Unity Temple, the Robie House, Taliesin West), in a comparative view between the recurrent methods of the American approach to architectural restoration and the shared values of the Italian theory of conservation. In this way, the principles laid down by Unesco to list this valuable heritage (Integrity, Authenticity, Protection) are looked under a critical perspective, showing how liable they are in within the selected cases. Furthermore, the text will focus on the complex implications deriving from the design intent, the authorship, the architectural history and the use of photography in the restoration process, opposed to the principle of time and authenticity deriving from the Venice Charter and the Nara Document.

How to Enhance Perception of Reassembled but Incomplete Works of Ancient Art? Eye-Tracking Study of Virtual Anastylosis

In 1964 the Venice Charter described anastylosis as the only acceptable method of reassembly of architectural remains. Although the scientific community has agreed with the Charter’s decision, many questions pertaining to the technical and aesthetic aspects of anastylosis remain unanswered. Virtual anastylosis seems one of the most promising digital solutions to finding at least some answers, as it permits testing various solutions before carrying out the actual physical re-erection of a damaged monument. Studying such variants with eye-trackers allows the participation of non-professional viewers at the very beginning of the process, that is at the design stage. By understanding how ordinary people look at different reconstructions, professionals and scholars can determine which elements would assist and which would hinder the instinctive assessment of the object’s value and history. This study compares perceptions of three variants of the same column. A total of 232 people were divided into three groups and asked to examine different types of anastyloses: with an empty cavity, with a cavity filled with a brighter stone, and with a cavity filled with a stone of the same color and texture as the rest of the column. Their perception of the columns was then analyzed using several parameters, including the number of fixations, the time spent looking at individual elements, and the chronological order in which the parts of the stimuli was taken in. This paper explores the benefits and the potential of this new research tool as well as offers a more detailed look at what a viewer-friendly model of anastylosis may be like.

Accessibility of cultural heritage

Accessibility is a fondamental point to enjoy cultural heritage. An operative aspect which with different theoretical methodologies and practical projects can reach critical-conservative solutions.
 A first step may be to conserve the different stratification, all historic periods, and the impact in the surroundings for single preexistences and archeological sites.
 For archeological sites, it is necessary not to forget historical solutions which contributed to inspire the Venice Charter.
 A second step is an urban dimension for the accessibility in the historic centres and the pedestrian itineraries.
 To summarize the values Riegl, as we know, divided them in two main groups: the memorial values as age value, historical value and intended memorial value; and the present day values as use value, art value, newness value and relative art value.
 And when there is a conflict between use value and historical value, the treatment of a monument should, above all, take into account the age value.
 This will be a principal for the guidelines in the problem of accessibility.
 Many of these problems can be resolve with an appropriate design.
 This reintegration of the image even for the urban restoration than for the conservation of environment.
 In this paper, we want to present different ways of making the cultural heritage accessible to everyone, not only the obvious priorities of physical accessibility, but also accessibility in the form of understanding and experienced.

All Is Old and All Is New. The Udriște Năsturel Stone House in Herăști (Part II).

Due to outstanding features, some buildings become milestones for both the history of architecture and the preservation of cultural heritage. At the same time, however, the same special qualities that give such edifices the status and aura of landmarks overshadowed (at least in the past) other meanings, sometimes leading even to the elimination of some of the layers resulting from the historical evolution that the present (after the Venice Charter with its respect for “the valid contributions of various ages”) would consider at least as important. In most cases, those significances and historical strata are lost forever. Sometimes, however, the very interventions of the past that saved, but also impoverished these buildings offer the chance of a complete recovery of the meanings previously sacrificed in favour of the most remarkable ones. The “Stone House” in the village of Herăști is one of these buildings, its rich denotations and connotations being acquired along the three major “moments” owed to the Năsturel lineage, to Prince Miloš Obrenović and to the Stolojan family – meanings and “moments” exposed in a previous article. In the present one, the three restoration projects from the 20th century are addressed, as well as the works executed then, projects and works which, in the current view, are not scientifically founded (anymore) but which, paradoxically or not, currently offer the basis on which it is possible to develop an intervention that allows the effective in situ recovery of the meanings due to the more recent stages of the historical evolution of the complex.

Post-Earthquake Assessment and Strengthening of a Cultural-Heritage Residential Masonry Building after the 2020 Zagreb Earthquake

After a long period of no excessive ground shaking in Croatia and the region of ex-Yugoslavia, an earthquake that woke up the entire region was the one that shook Croatia on 22 March 2020. More than 25,000 buildings were severely damaged. A process of reconstruction and strengthening of existing damaged buildings is underway. This paper presents proposed strengthening measures to be conducted on a cultural-historical building located in the city of Zagreb, which is under protection and located in zone A. After a detailed visual inspection and on-site experimental investigations, modeling of the existing and strengthened structure was performed in 3Muri. It is an old unreinforced masonry building typical not only for this region but for relevant parts of Europe (north, central, and east). The aim was to strengthen the building to Level 3 while respecting the ICOMOS recommendations and Venice Charter. Some non-completely conservative concessions had to be made, to fully retrofit the building as requested. The structural strengthening consisted of a series of organic interventions relying on—in the weakest direction—a new steel frame, new steel-ring frames, and FRCM materials, besides fillings the cracks. Such intervention resulted in increasing the ultimate load in the X and Y directions, respectively, more than 650 and 175% with reference to the unstrengthened structure. Good consistency was obtained between the numerical modeling, visual inspection, and on-site testing.

The Role of Urban Planning and Architecture in Sustainable Peacebuilding: Lessons from Belfast to Syria

The peacebuilding process plays a critical role for urban planning in paving the way for sustainable peace or upcoming conflicts, where it is not innocent and not impartial. The paper aims to draw out lessons learned from Belfast to Syria, focusing on the urban intervention role in sustaining the peace process. The article reviews Belfast’s literature review, using the timeline to scan the recovery process and extract a few lessons learnt. This is followed by reviewing the current interventions for the recovery of Syria based on chosen articles in the Venice charter on reconstruction that define specific indicators of the role of architects and urban planners. Authors debate the way and the aspects of urban intervention in dealing with conflicts. The paper shows the critical role of urban interventions in sustaining peace process implementation and concludes with essential areas to ensure the integration of the urban intervention part of the peace process.

«При чем здесь Достоевский?», или О превратностях реставрации Дарового

The fourth of a series of articles dedicated to the restoration and museification of the memorial space of Darovoe — Monogarovo — Cheremoshnya. Dostoevsky’s Darovoe Museum-Estate opened anew on November 20th, 2021, while the restoration of the Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit is still running. The authors of the article concentrate on the pressing issues of the ongoing processes and suggest reflecting on the basic principles ruling contemporary Russian restorers. The directives of the “Venice Charter” (1964), when absolutized, lead as in this case to the destruction of authenticity. Instead of Dostoevsky’s estate, we end up with Ivanov’s, and instead of the Church Dostoevsky looked at, we canonize the architectural preferences of the archpriest of the Church at the beginning of the 20th century. Of particular concern is the fate of the Linden Grove, now on the edge of disappearance. The causes of the losses we are witnessing are academic as well as social and moral.