Italian perspective on the planned preventive conservation of architectural heritage

This paper tells us a complex story on the historic evolution of preventive conser vation of architectural heritage in Italy.Firstly,it introduces Cesare Brandi's Theory of Resto ration,pointing out the peculiar sense of the word Restoration in Brandi's system other than the common sense in the international discourse,the limits of Brandi's theory to architectural conservation and his prophecy on preventive restoration.Then it talks about the differentframework and practices of preventive conservation in the field of built heritage compared to the museum sector,the milestone of Giovanni Urbani's pilot project on programmed conser.vation and the leading role of the Risk Map of Cultural Heritage.Finally,based on the discus-sions of the durable change in the architectural conservation field after the Venice Charter,including the teaching in Milan School,the debate and re-definition of architectural conserva-tion and the advance definitions of conservation,prevention,maintenance and restoration in the 2004 National Code of Cultural Heritage and Landscape,it gives us an agenda for futuretrends of planned conservation with aims to conserve the material authenticity and promote.the co-evolutional strategy.

A 30-year controversy over the Shanghai East China Electric Power Building:the creation and conservation of late 20th century Chinese architectural heritage

The Shanghai East China Electric Power Building,which was completed in 1988,is widely accepted as one of the first postmodern high-rise buildings in Shanghai.Based on articles published in mass media and professional magazines,interviews with relevant stakeholders and social media debates,this paper focuses on two controversies regarding the building’s peculiar architectural form.The first occurred between 1988 and 1992,when the building’s postmodern appearance aroused heated debates among architectural professionals.The second happened between 2015 and 2018,when the building’s postmodern appearance was planned to be replaced with a slated Art Deco surface during its renovation into a boutique hotel.This paper reveals how a thirst for‘form innovation’emerged in the specific social and professional environment shortly after China’s opening-up,and how professional and public awareness of the value of late 20th century architectural heritage was stimulated in the early 21st century in the search for an alternative representation of urban identity other than the widely accepted Art Deco style.This paper emphasises the public meaning of architectural forms in arguing for institutional co-operation in systematic evaluation and conservation legislation for late twentieth century Chinese architectural heritage sites to maintain the historical diversity of the cityscape during urban regeneration.

A 30-year controversy over the Shanghai East China Electric Power Building:the creation and conservation of late 20th century Chinese architectural heritage

The Shanghai East China Electric Power Building,which was completed in 1988,is widely accepted as one of the first postmodern high-rise buildings in Shanghai.Based on articles published in mass media and professional magazines,interviews with relevant stakeholders and social media debates,this paper focuses on two controversies regarding the building’s peculiar architectural form.The first occurred between 1988 and 1992,when the building’s postmodern appearance aroused heated debates among architectural professionals.The second happened between 2015 and 2018,when the building’s postmodern appearance was planned to be replaced with a slated Art Deco surface during its renovation into a boutique hotel.This paper reveals how a thirst for‘form innovation’emerged in the specific social and professional environment shortly after China’s opening-up,and how professional and public awareness of the value of late 20th century architectural heritage was stimulated in the early 21st century in the search for an alternative representation of urban identity other than the widely accepted Art Deco style.This paper emphasises the public meaning of architectural forms in arguing for institutional co-operation in systematic evaluation and conservation legislation for late twentieth century Chinese architectural heritage sites to maintain the historical diversity of the cityscape during urban regeneration.

Architectural survey of historical buildings:The orders of classical architecture in the Baptistery of Florence

The survey of historic buildings is very important for architectural conservation.An integral survey allows perpetuating the building historical memory,deciphering it for future generations,and recovering it in case of accidental loss.The Baptistery of Florence survey was done with four measuring methods:the"direct"one,which employs traditional measuring tools;the"indirect"one,which expedites the dimension-gathering process with more preci-sion;and the"photogrammetric"one,which uses snapshots to facilitate the representation process with computers.An innova tive measuring concept,known here as the"recovery sur-vey",synthetizes graphical reality so that irregularities--due to the project materialization and deterioration over time-disappear;therefore,retrieving the building original design.Col-umns with their bases,shafts and capitals,as well as entablatures with their architraves,friezes and cornices were under study.The three Greek orders(Doric,lonic and Corinthian)together with the two roman orders(Tuscan and Composite)unveiled the classical architecture significance.These constituents,which reoccur inside and outside the baptistery,were measured as part of these holistic survey and recovery process,to achieve the objective of this research study:the recording of this world historical building through an integral survey and rilievo to decode its significance and symbolism.

Restoration of the facade of the Pirelli skyscraper in Milan and the repair of damage to reinforced concrete structures caused by a plane crash： An example of critic conservation

The restoration of the former PireUi Tower in Milan, which dates back to the early 1950s, is an example of various issues in approaching the ＂conservation of the new＂. This project was completed with the broad use of industrial products that evoked different kinds of reflections, if only within the same planning methodology, common to all interventions of architectural restoration. This restoration constitutes an exemplary episode where only a careful and critical evaluation facilitated the understanding of which elements are important in conservation and which can be substituted or updated. This approach uses case-to-case evaluations. The conservation of ＂new＂ architecture is similar to other restoration problems, except for the closeness in time to the original works and, sometimes, with its creator. The main intervention concerns the recovery of the structure with over 10,000 m^2 of continuous aluminum and glass facade in a skyscraper designed by Italian master Gio Ponti and the repair of the damage to the reinforced concrete （RC） structures （designed by another Italian master, Pier Luigi Nervi） caused by a plane crash. The straightening and repair of the RC using entirely innovative methods and the conservation of the structures of the whole fasade also translates into financial savings. Approximately 20% of the savings is derived from the complete substitution of the curtain wall. This idea of authenticity results in a method of restoration in which all single parts may not always be replaced for every functional upgrade. This scenario is important news, especially for modern architecture that usually prefers the value of what appears to be new, showing parts that are always perfect since the time they were built. People also consider the conservation of items that were considered as merely industrial products a few years ago.