What is meant by “Historic Restoration”? It’s a term used by architects, bureaucrats, building owners, historians and contractors. Does it simply mean the rejuvenation of an old building for its own sake, or does it enter the realm of preserving our society’s culture? Occasionally, the pending destruction of an older building arouses public debate, whether or not the building is actually historic in some sense, or if it is practical to save.
The purposes for restoring buildings are as varied as there are types of buildings, and the people who use them. Each case is unique, and must be evaluated on an individual basis. There is no one right reason to invest time and money in an older structure, but sometimes a single strong reason is enough. A prominent person may have lived or worked in the building. The site may be marked as historic because of a notable military battle. Perhaps an important political event occurred in the building.
There are sometimes purely architectural reasons for restoring a building. It could be the last remaining building of its kind from a particular era, a survivor of a great fire or earthquake, or an example of a famous architect’s work. A building may be an architectural masterpiece in its own right, display long forgotten construction techniques, or be an important landmark.
The reflection of a society’s evolution is sometimes an important public reason for restoration. A building may have been the center of commercial enterprise in the development of a city. A building may be rooted in the very origins of a city, whether economic or political, explaining why a city grew there in the first place.
Restoring a building is rarely cheap, and there is usually considerable discussion about whether a building is worth saving. The decision to save a building has to be based on some value system, but whose? If economists were allowed to rule, every building over a certain age would automatically be demolished when the upkeep becomes too expensive. If developers reigned, every low-rise building in commercial zones would be bulldozed to make way for hundred story towers. If historians held sway, everything would be saved, thus impeding the normal growth of a city, with unsafe structures abounding.
The reasons for restraining the wrecker’s ball are complex and cannot simply be reduced to dollars and cents, or mere nostalgia. The criteria for assessing an older building should be based primarily on excellence of architectural design. Buildings which exhibit the element of creative design are works of art, having a cultural value to society similar to music, painting or sculpture. The value of historic buildings is rooted in the sense of cultural identity and place they give to a society.
Historic buildings are those which make us wonder and want to know more about the people that produced them. Historic buildings explain how our forefathers lived, giving us some clue as to how our society evolved, in other words, our heritage. From a strictly economic perspective, heritage buildings translate into a capital asset, as tourists rarely come to see modern buildings.
Whether the building is a house or a skyscraper, it is in any case part of our heritage. Granted, some buildings are greater contributors to our heritage than others, but where do we draw the line when it comes to demolition permits – the building’s age, style, location, condition? The demolition of old buildings does not always result in progress.
What does a society value? Is its history really that important, and how it is reflected in their buildings? Is it worthwhile to know who we are, where we came from, or is our heritage something to be discarded at the earliest opportunity?
Most of our activity occurs in and around buildings. Because of this, buildings hold a large part of our collective memory as a society. When a decision must be made to restore or destroy a building, should this decision be based solely on raw economics, or are there other, more valuable things at stake?
RESTORATION TECHNIQUES
Before restoring a house, first have an assessment carried out by a specialist trained in the art of building conservation. This is usually an architect, who besides having knowledge of modern buildings, has additional training in early construction techniques and the pathology of buildings.
Upon an initial inspection, a conservation architect will determine a plan of action to prevent further decay and restore the building to its original concept. The causes of decay range from the natural forces of gravity, climate and biological organisms to the man-made such as air pollution, vandalism, fire and poor maintenance.
The main principle of restoration is “the less changed the better”. Techniques which respect the original materials and character of the house are generally easier and cheaper than introducing modern materials. If new materials must be used, they should be unobtrusive and blend with the older materials in terms of color, texture and style.
It is also important to employ tradespersons familiar with traditional construction and sensitive to the historic nature of the building.
