PARTIE 2 - Icomos

Theme 2
Session 1
REPORT
Senior rapporteur
ASSESSING THE ART OF BUILDING
Kyle Normandin
Secretary general of the ICOMOS International Scientific Comittee on Twentieth Heritage
(ICOMOS US)
Junior rapporteurs
Kleber Rocha Queiroz
Master’s student Conservation of Monuments and Sites, RLICC, UC Leuven (Belgium)
Jia Wang
Bauhaus University, Weimar (Germany)/Tongji University, Shanghai (Chine)
The art of building and traditional techniques are an essential element of the heritage realm. These intangible
relics of the past still hold meaning nowadays as part of an integrated approach of sustainable development,
as they bring relevant answers to the social, economic, environmental and identity issues of the world’s regions
and their inhabitants.
Ancient knowledge and know-how find their origins in a centuries-old lineage, and the fact that these skills
still exist today account for an intangible heritage of its own. Their role as driver of social integration through
training and capacity building has been pointed out, as well as the economic and tourism potential they help
release.
Furthermore, traditional techniques are also a local answer to specific landscape, natural or bioclimatic conditions,
and they often account for the most suitable solution against environmental issues.
However, in every part of the world building traditions are facing a series of challenges that question their
sustainability.
Because they are confronted with seemingly user-friendly industrial materials on the one hand, and because
they have to deal with a discrediting image on the other hand, many heritage sites are being trivialized and
are losing their character, which is somehow an integral part of their identity and of the spirit of the place.
On the Ilha de Moçambique island for instance, the traditional Macuti house pattern is under threat as the
habitat, however sustainable and adapted to the local conditions, is not appealing anymore to the inhabitants.
The transforming landscape is also detrimental to the habitat, as the necessary resources are getting scarcer.
Political engagement and community participation are therefore essential in order to face these challenges.
A favourable political context is for example what allowed the Thai city of Amphawa to revitalize its floating
market, leading to an economic, social and cultural regeneration of the place through rediscovering its traditional
qualities. However, if not monitored, the tourist appeal created by the revitalization process could
negate the effects of the initiative.
It is somehow possible to compensate the negative prejudice about ancient techniques through official proofs
of acknowledgement, as exemplified by the certification of the dry stone wall in Southern France. This kind of
recognition helps reasserting the value of traditional skills among the population. It is also necessary to be able
to count on recognised diplomas and training programs in order to change people’s minds.
Traditional know-how, when properly managed, can be a precious asset for contemporary architecture, as it
can allow for the rejuvenation of vernacular sites, as proven with wooden architecture in Russia. One should
somehow avoid using local material or techniques in a way that is abusive or not appropriate to the setting, as
it can lead to the trivialization of an architecture that holds significance.
This is why it is fundamental to raise awareness among involved stakeholders of the importance of preserving
the materials and techniques from the past, as they are the key to a sustainable future for the populations and
regions of the world.
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LE PATRIMOINE, MOTEUR DE DÉVELOPPEMENT
HERITAGE, DRIVER OF DEVELOPMENT