From ‘Objects’ to ‘Sustainable Development’: The Evolution of Architectural Heritage Conservation in Theory and Practice

Over the last century, architectural heritage conservation has evolved and transformed immensely. This study focuses on the origin of contemporary conservation theory from the 19th century and the Authorized Heritage Discourse: the doctrinal texts issued by ICOMOS, UNESCO, and ICCROM. Conservation philosophies from 5 theorists and 23 charters and documents are analyzed from a qualitative perspective. It is structured on three interwoven and complementary theses: first, a study of the 19th and 20th centuries is presented as the backbone of conservation theories; second, a detailed analysis of the Venice Charter is given; and third, an investigation into the authorized conservation policies after the establishment of the Venice Charter. The aim is to understand the evolution of architectural heritage conservation in the dynamics of the time and space of the last century, in theory and practice. The results demonstrate that architectural conservation began with a strong privilege of objectivity in practice to create a real, tangible, and static object that was concerned only with individual monuments or sites vulnerable to the trace of time, stylistic restoration, and armed conflicts. However, recent socio-economic and environmental demands and challenges have transformed this understanding to make conservation a subjective, dynamic, value-linked, and contextual-based approach. Such shifts result from realizing the additional potential of heritage buildings that can enhance viability and livability in communities; as existing resources with high material residual values, embodied material, and energy, their continuous renovation and rehabilitation contribute to urban environment resilience and decarbonization; and as a source of past experience rooted in all aspects of societies that can be used to educate and raise awareness about the crisis of climate change. Accordingly, four chapters in architectural heritage conservation have been identified: 1. It originated to preserve the authenticity and integrity of the material past by experts; 2. then, it moved to the protection of associated values, still with a strong tendency toward conservation of the authentic state of heritage buildings by experts and with local consultation; 3. the significant socio-economic role of heritage for the community made its conservation a democratic exercise by local people with the help of experts and governments; 4. realizing the environmental benefit of reusing existing resources, nowadays, conservation intermeshes with the sustainable development of communities through multi-stakeholder engagement in all decision-making processes.