37º IAHS World Congress on Housing: - Universidad de Cantabria

XXXVII <strong>IAHS</strong><strong>World</strong> <strong>Congress</strong> on HousingOctober 26 – 29, 2010, Santander, SpainCODE: 1029ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE, AUTHENTICITY ANDACCESSIBILITY: THE BRAZILIAN CASEOscar Luís Ferreira, Andrey Rosenthal SchleeDepartment of Technology of Architecture and Urbanism – TEC/FAUUniversity of the Brasília – UnB, Brazile-mail: oscar@unb.brKey words: Authenticity, Accessibility, Built Heritage, Architectural HeritageAbstractThe Brazilian Constitution commands that access to education and cultural rights beguaranteed to all. But official data say that 80% of the Brazilian population departs from thedefining characteristics of standard human abilities (the elderly, obese, people with reducedphysical ability, the very tall, short or with any special need), thus being excluded from thefull exercise of citizenship. But how are we to allow access to all to the built heritage,guarantee its full understanding and, at the same time, ensure its authenticity? This is thechallenge posed to architects. The aim of this paper is to initiate a discussion based onexperiences taken place during the “Monumenta” program for the conservation of the builtheritage. The program involves architectural and urban interventions in twenty-six differentcities. To understand the paradox of accessibility one needs to understand the concepts ofAuthenticity and Accessibility, and to investigate how they have been interpreted byarchitects. This research will leverage analysis of the ‘Project Profiles’ submitted by thecandidate cities to obtain program funds. Although authenticity is one of the chief concepts ofthe intervention in the built heritage, sometimes it is perceived to be linked solely to the lossof historical value. To what extent the modifications and additions necessary to ensureaccessibility might interfere in ‘the ability of a property to convey its significance’? We usethe concept of Authenticity as presented by Herb Stovel. Although accessibility has beenmandatory since 2004, none of the ‘project profiles’ submitted after that date containmentions to it. There is also no mention in the rules on how to evaluate and/or qualify theinterventions to ensure accessibility. This paper intends to contribute to the broaderappreciation of the concept of accessibility to the built heritage and its link to authenticity.37º <strong>IAHS</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Congress</strong> On Housing Science 355