The Architect – Heritage Practitioner

THE NAMELESS LOCAL
The Heritage Practitioner as a Mediator between built
heritage and the local community – searching for working
tools.
Community Involvement
Thematic Week 22-24.01.2014
RLICC, Arenberg Castle, Leuven
Gisèle Gantois
Yves Schoonjans
PRACTICE
TEACHING
RESEARCH
International Master Design Studio
Faculty of Architecture
KU Leuven
Campus LUCA Brussels/Ghent
Doctoral Research Project:
The Architect – Heritage Practitioner as
a Storyteller – Tracing the Social
Significance of local built heritage in the
framework of adaptive reuse.
Promoters:
Prof. Dr. Yves Schoonjans
and
Prof. Dr. Krista De Jonghe.
Department of Architecture
KU Leuven
Restoration
Faculty of Architecture
Ulg Liège
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Introduction
The Heritage Practitioner as a Mediator between the built heritage and the local
community
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Strategy: The Heritage Practitioner as a Storyteller
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Concepts
–
Tools
Conclusion
Introduction
Context
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There is an increasing attention for existing buildings and thus monuments in a renewed vision on sustainability
towards a social and cultural sustainability.
The significance of a building is more and more determined by the individual and shared memory.
There is a shift in architectural paradigms from conventional to community-based architecture (from top down to
bottom-up decision making) and the redefined roles of those who are concerned responding to this shift.
Some questions arise:
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Beyond the evidence that the historical building has as materiality an Architectural, Historical and Archaeological
value (AHA-values), what are the possible design strategies to develop historical buildings in their context differently
by reading, mapping, unveiling and understanding their social & cultural value for the individual or for the
community today as an important extra layer in the projects of restoration.
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What are our obligations – as architects - heritage practitioners, but also as citizens – to consider this special value
and respond in form?
Context
Tradition is to keep as much
as possible of the original material.
Tradition is in the renewal: Ise
Grand Shrine, Japan, rebuilt
every 20 years
http://www.international.icomos.org/charters/venice_e.pdf
SAINT-PETERS CHURCH
GALMAARDEN
HARAS DE VOLLEZELE
VOLLEZELE _ GALMAARDEN
PARSONAGE
MEUZEGEM
SAINT-ROCHUS CHAPEL
MAZENZELE OPWIJK
ICECELLARS
ZEMST
MEDIEVAL DONJON
PEIZEGEM
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Introduction
The Heritage Practitioner as a Mediator between the built heritage and the local
community
–
Strategy: The Heritage Practitioner as a Storyteller
–
Concepts
–
Tools
Conclusion
DONJON OF PEIZEGEM
STRATEGIE:
THE
HERITAGE
PRACTITIONER
AS
A
STORYTELLER.
As in a story the cultural landscape consists of thin strata, (in)visible traces; tangible and intangible relicts placed one on top
of
the
other.
The
slow
piling
is
revealed
through
a
variety
of
‘retellings’.
The
built
heritage
in
its
environment
is
an
actor
with
its
own
story
to
discover.
Just like Der Erzähler of Walter Benjamin, the heritage practioner and the research team as one of the actors can be the
mediator between the built heritage, the local inhabitant (Tiller of the Soil) and the newcomer (Trading Seeman).
The heritage practitioner has to take time to ‘listen’ to both the stories of the ‘Ackermann’ & the ‘Seemann’ as important
actors.
By
‘Retelling’
the
stories,
new
experiences
are
added.
The story always remains uncomplete. The heritage practitioner can create an INVITATION for having new experiences.
Walter Benjamin: Der Erzähler. Betrachtungen zum Werk Nikolai Lesskows, in: ders.:
Gesammelte Schriften, Bd. II, 2, Frankfurt/M. 1977, S. 438-465.
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CONCEPTS
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Palimpsest
Context as spiral cloud
Intelligent Ruin
Networks
Endless Conversation
Appropriation
Living Landscape
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TOOLS & METHODS
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Time & Slowness
Close Reading
Drawing
Cartes Parlantes
Blur
Collage
Medieval donjon of Peizegem
‘The resident tiller of the soil is the archaic representative of the one who stays at home.
The trading seaman is the archaic representative of the one who travels.’ Walter Benjamin
Sacré M, Geschiedenis der gemeente Merchtem, Rousselare, 1904
PALIMPSEST
Medieval donjon of Peizegem
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Concepts
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Palimpsest
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Context as spiral cloud
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Intelligent Ruin
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Networks
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Endless Conversation
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Appropriation
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Living Landscape
PALIMPSEST
0.3
0.1
South-West elevation
Plan groundfloor
Room 0.3
Mural paintings hidden behind the wallpaper
Children occupying the room ‘in the meantime’.
(1990)
Parsonage of Meuzegem
Room 0.3
Mural paintings of the
17th century
(2007)
Room 0.1
Walls covered with beercans
to ‘solve’ the humidity problem.
(2006)
CONTEXT AS SPIRAL CLOUD
Duivelschuur
Amelgem
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Concepts
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Palimpsest
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Context as spiral cloud
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Intelligent Ruin
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Networks
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Endless Conversation
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Appropriation
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Living Landscape
Walls and boundaries determine the
landscape.
Amelgem – analysis of the historical maps
1ste Caertbladt der Abdije Goederen ghetrocken uijt de
Figurative Caerte van Brussegem als mede volgende. 1705
Kaartenboek abdij van Grimbergen
INTELLIGENT RUIN
Intrinsic qualities embrace
flexibility and invite other
functions.
ICECELLAR OF LINTERPOORTEN - ZEMST
archetypical form
simple plan
changing life
ICELLAR OF SCHIPLAKEN – ZEMST
Reuse as hibernation place for bats
an endangered species
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Concepts
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Palimpsest
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Context as spiral cloud
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Intelligent Ruin
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Networks
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Endless Conversation
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Appropriation
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Living Landscape
SAINT-PETERSCHURCH OF GALMAARDEN
Concept for the adaptive reuse (competition 2012)
bOb Van Reeth, architect and first Flemish Building Advisor (1998)
coined the term Intelligent Ruin, in his lecture on the Intelligent Ruin – Rotterdam 28th of August 2002
NETWORKS
AHA – values
- Architectural
- Historical
- Archaeological
Social Significance
NETWORKS
Front elevation (South East) before restoration.
Back elevation (North West) before restoration.
INFORMATION
Parsonage of Meuzegem - PUBLIC PROJECT OF ADAPTIVE REUSE with subsidies of the local,
provincial and regional Flemish Government
NETWORKS
NETWORKS
Ferraris 1769
Parsonages connected to the abbey of
Dielegem:
Baverkom, Denderleeuw, Eigem,
Eizingen, Ganshoren, Kobbegem
Bollebeek, Kruishoutem, Meuzegem,
Heembeek, Rossem, Sint-Pieters-Jette,
Vremde, Wolvertem, Wondelgem,
Zellik, Impde
Like an octopus outstreching its tentacles
the abbeys constructed their UFO-like parsonages
In every little village
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Google Earth
Concepts
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Palimpsest
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Context as spiral cloud
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Intelligent Ruin
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Networks
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Endless Conversation
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Appropriation
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Living Landscape
ENDLESS CONVERSATION
Shutter in the Medieval donjon of
Peizegem with the initials of the
former owner carved in the wood
when he was a child. (1948)
DETAIL
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North East Elevation
Donjon of Peizegem
Concepts
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Palimpsest
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Context as spiral cloud
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Intelligent Ruin
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Networks
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Endless Conversation
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Appropriation
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Living Landscape
Giving meaning to places through the events in our lives, which have taken place in
landscapes or buildings but very often left no visual trace.
ENDLESS CONVERSATION
Triggering of memories
and feelings by the
simple sight of a place.
We attribute significance to
the environment,
buildings and things.
From: Anonymous village in India. From Marc Dujardin, research field ad course of Architectural Anthropology,
KULeuven-LUCA.
APPROPRIATION
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Concepts
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Palimpsest
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Context as spiral cloud
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Intelligent Ruin
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Networks
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Endless Conversation
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Appropriation
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Living Landscape
Parsonage of Meuzegem: Youngsters using the building ‘in the meantime’, from local inhabitant, 2003
‘It’s the conscience of the disappearance that evokes the
patrimonial interest.’(Carballo and Emelianoff, 2002)
APPROPRIATION
Petition to ask the support of
every inhabitant of the village to
convince the decision makers not
to sell the parsonage and create a
house for the community
From: local journals, 2004-2005 – parsonage of Meuzegem
LIVING LANDSCAPE
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MEDIEVAL DONJON OF PEIZEGEM - PRIVATE PROJECT OF ADAPTIVE REUSE
with subsidies of the local, provincial and regional Flemish Government
With the support of Natuurpunt
Concepts
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Palimpsest
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Context as spiral cloud
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Intelligent Ruin
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Networks
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Endless Conversation
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Appropriation
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Living Landscape
TIME & SLOWNESS
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Tools & Methods
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Time & Slowness
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Close Reading
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Drawing
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Cartes Parlantes
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Blur
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Collage
COLLECT MEANING
The parsonage used ‘in the meantime’ by a youth club, in the time between the original occupation and the new
occupation. From local inhabitant.
CLOSE READING
COLLECT INFORMATION
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Tools & Methods
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Time & Slowness
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Close Reading
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Drawing
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Cartes Parlantes
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Blur
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Collage
Parsonage of Meuzegem – drawings G.Gantois
Illustration right: Rechter zijpaneel van het drieluik genaamd – De legende van Maria-Magdalena
van de meester van Dielegem. De geknielde prelaat is Abt de Tuegele, voorheen pastoor van
Meuzegem (1526-1531). (foto A.C.L. Brussel)
DRAWING
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Parsonage of Meuzegem – drawings & picture G.Gantois
Tools & Methods
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Time & Slowness
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Close Reading
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Drawing
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Cartes Parlantes
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Blur
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Collage
CARTES PARLANTES
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Tools & Methods
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Time & Slowness
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Close Reading
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Drawing
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Cartes Parlantes
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Blur
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Collage
Dumasy Juliette, Entre carte, image et pièce juridique : la vue figurée de la baronnie de Sévérac-le-Château (1504)
Cartes Parlantes: term coined by the modern Historian François de Dainville.
BLUR
PARSONAGE OF MEUZEGEM:
OBJECT-FOCUSSED
PARSONAGE OF MEUZEGEM
LOOKING AT THE PERIPHERY
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Tools & Methods
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Time & Slowness
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Close Reading
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Drawing
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Cartes Parlantes
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Blur
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Collage
ASKING THE LEGITIMATE QUESTION
HOW TO BE CONTINUED?
COLLAGE
Parsonage of Meuzegem
The Flemish doctor Dodoens
and collector of herbs wrote a
standard book, the
Cruydeboeck, with the
description of a 16th century
Renaissance garden with herbs
and flowers.
Garden of the parsonage of Wakkerzeel
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When the rhythm of work has seized him, he listens to the tales in such a way that the gift of
retelling them comes to him all by itself… Boredom is the apogee of mental relaxation…
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The more self-forgetful the listener is , the more deeply is what he listens to impressed upon his
memory.
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To become a great ‘storyteller’ with the freedom to move up and down the rungs of the own
experience as on a ladder…means to be rooted in the people, primarily in a milieu of craftsmen.
Der Erzähler, Betrachtungen zum Werk Nikolai Lesskows. Walter Benjamin