Literature
The link between the old and the new is one of the preoccupations of a number of authors looking for an explanation for the role and meaning of heritage in contemporary society. However, most of these sources are studies on the connection between the new buildings and historical areas. The sources become fewer, when the contemporary interventions in architectural conservation are concerned. Still, it is possible to find some publications and articles which concentrate both on the similar and the different aspects of the subject.
The first written document, in which the interventions are considered to be a problem in the conservation field in Turkey, is the article of Kuban, D., 1969, “Modern Restorasyon İlkeleri Üzerine Yorumlar”, published in Vakõflar Dergisi. Kuban undertakes an analysis on the values to be protected in an historic building and discusses the determination of the past interventions and criteria for the future interventions. He concludes by putting forward certain criteria on the subject discussed.
Erder (1971) undertakes a theoretical analysis of the evolution of ancient ideas, with examples chosen from Hellenistic and Roman periods, about the concern of heritage and how they alter the historic buildings and settings. This leads Erder to investigate through an analysis of conceptual change. He concludes by expressing the importance of interventions in the conservation field.
Among foreign publications, the one closest to this study is the book of Strike Architecture in Conservation (1994) which deals with the relation of the historic building and the interventions introduced to preserve the building. He examines and classifies the examples intervened and puts forward the criteria to be taken into consideration while introducing a new architectural element. While the criteria for new architecture is differentiated according to the space qualities required for the new function, financial and economic aspects are also included in this study.
Similarly, in their book New Construction for Older Buildings, Smith and Smeallie (1990), are interested in the architectural approaches introduced to historic buildings and the historic fabric. The contemporary approaches are classified in their study as additions to existing buildings, alterations to original state and the new constructions in historic settings. The contemporary approach is compared with the
historic building in accordance with its respect for and contrast or similarity to the historic building.
The historic buildings included in Cantacuzino’s book, Re Architecture (1989), are studied regarding their new functions and interventions done due to functional changes evaluated by emphasing their interior decorations. A new construction behind retained façades is the subject of Highfields work The Construction of New Buildings Behind Historic Façades (1991) The acceptability of this kind of approach, determination of the process of project and application, the constructional problems and solutions for the connection of existing façade and the new construction is discussed.
Another publication related with functional change is the work of Austin Adaptive Reuse (1988), which is a collection of articles on the subject. The articles analyse the harmony of the old and new function and its adaptation to the building itself.
The article published by Nesmith under the title of ‘What’s the point of the past’
(1997) provides several striking examples of contemporary interventions to historic buildings, which are studied by means of their architectural relationships and interior decoration.
Among academic dissertations, the one closest to this study is the master thesis of Demel, S. Preservation, Historic Significance and a Theory of Architectural Additions: The Canon and Its Consequences (1996) which deals with the theoretical basis of architectural additions to historic buildings. The dissertation is for Master of Science in Historic Preservation in the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation of Columbia University.
Sources
The sources used in this study are classified in two groups regarding their origin as original documents and the sources containing various subjects. The data gathered for the evaluation of examples are directly obtained from the building itself and its written and drawn documents existing in the archives of responsible Directorate of Commission for the Conservation of Cultural and Natural Property under the administration of Ministry of Culture. Whenever possible, the architect in charge of restoration process of the studied building is interviewed, in order to put forward his conservation approach and examine the consistency between the intention and implementation.
The national legislative codes and regulations are obtained either from the national gazette or the publications of Ministry of Culture on the regulations for the
conservation of cultural and natural property. These regulations contain the decrees which have been produced to integrate the developing understanding on conservation policy to the basic laws on the subject. Since they provide a basis for the definition of cultural property and guide the interventions, it is important to consider them as the basis for this study.
International documents regarding the preservation of cultural and natural heritage are other sources which help in the establishment of basic criteria and putting forward of proposals concerning theory and practice in this field. These documents are obtained from the published editions and from the web-sites of the pertinent bodies and institutions.
NOTES
1 Resolutions of the symposium on the introduction of contemporary architecture into ancient groups of buildings, Budapest, June 30th 1972, ICOMOS.
2 Although the restoration theories flourished in 19th century, the general principles for the preservation of architectural heritage was documented and signed at an international level at the beginning of 20th century. The information about these documents will be given in the second chapter of this study.
3The Second International Congress of Architects and Technicians of Historic Monuments, which met in Venice from 25-31 May 1964, approved the Venice Charter. In its first article the concept of historic monument defined focusing on the cultural significance.
4 In the introduction of Venice Charter (1964), Conclusions of the Athens Conference (21-30 October, 1931) is mentioned to be the first document defining the basic principles which guides the preservation and restoration of ancient buildings on an international basis.
5 The Article 11 of the “Venice Charter” (1964) states: The valid contributions of all periods to the building of a monument must be respected since the unity of style is not the aim of restoration.
6 In the conclusions of the Athens Conference (1931) the technique of conservation described as:
…..Whenever this (reinstatement of original fragments) is possible; the new materials used for this purpose should in all cases be recognizable.
7 The Article 9 of the “Venice Charter” (1964) states: The process of restoration….. And in this case moreover any extra work, which is indispensable, must be distinct from the architectural composition and must bear a contemporary stamp; and the Article 12 states: Replacements of missing parts must integrate harmoniously with the whole, but at the same time must be distinguishable from the original…
8 Erder, C. 1986. “Our Architectural Heritage from Consciousness to Conservation” Paris: United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization.
9 The Preservation Brief has been prepared pursuant to the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, which directs the Secretary of the Interior to develop and make available information concerning historic properties. In its 14th section the new exterior additions are discussed.
10 Kuban, D., “Modern Restorasyon İlkeleri Üzerine Yorumlar”, Vakõflar Dergisi, 1969, No: 8, p.342.
11 Ahunbay, Z., Tarihi Çevre Koruma ve Restorasyon, Istanbul,1996, p.32
12 With the law no: 2863, for the preservation of natural and cultural property, in 1983, the term ‘cultural property’ was first used legally in Turkey. Today, according to the decision taken by the High Commission of Preservation of Natural and Cultural Property in 28.02.1995, the cultural property has been classified under two groups.
13 The scope of restoration work, which inevitably includes intervention, has been classified in Natinal Park Service’s guidelines. The Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings were initially developed in 1977 to help property owners, developers, and Federal managers apply the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation during the project planning stage by providing general design and technical recommendations. The classification of scope of interventions in this study is based on this guideline, the other international and national satndarts and the examples of intervened buildings.