Historical layers : values, dilemmas, and the decision-making process

Abstract

The most interesting and appealing aspect of a historical building is certainly the complexity of layers of history which the structure exhibits and is continuously revealed adding new richness to our heritage. These changes in the structure reflect the multiplicity and variety of activities that formed that building into what it is today, therefore, it is our obligation to safeguard these layers as much as possible and not to lose trace of what made the historical structure so significant to the history of the place. The dilemma which ensues is how to achieve a balance when intervening on a building without compromising in any way the historical layers of the structure while the building is adapted and given new life. The literature review analyses the four main topics of this research - historical layers including the study of stratigraphy, conservation values, the dilemmas a project team encounters during a conservation project and finally discusses different decision-making processes together with an overview of the current international and local guidelines and policies. This research seeks to create a framework which can be used to valorize the various layers of history of a particular historical structure using a values-based approach following a thorough stratigraphic analysis of the building. Stratigraphy is a powerful tool that could be used at the beginning of the process to reveal the historical interventions the building might have gone through. Some of these changes might not be revealed through documentation or archival research, therefore the building is the best document which can be used to identify the changes imposed on the building through the years. A case-study based approach was used to implement the framework and study its viability in a real case scenario. From the case study reviewed it is clear that values can be attributed to the different phases extracted during the stratigraphical analysis. The numerical values-based approach chosen for this study resulted in a ‘significance index’ for each phase identified aiding in the decision-making process. This study also attempts to promote both the documentation process of the findings through the use of photographic surveys, surveyed plans together with record sheets for each layer and also documenting the decision-making process used for various stakeholders to understand the process, as well as for future generations to be able analyse previous decisions and interventions. The framework suggested in this study is one which has taken multiple stages of analysis and was found to be ‘reasonable, transparent and consistent’. The framework is also flexible and can be used for various scaled projects as long as a thorough study of the values which give significance to the building is done to ensure that all values are included.