RE-ARCHITECTURE: lifespan rehabilitation of built heritage, vol 3/3 (capitellum)

We are the citizens of a brand-new XXI century, who inherited from earlier generations, not only their fortunes, but also their depths towards the world environment. We can either, close our eyes and continue with our lives, just as we have been living them, following the market waves; or we can dare to look out of Plato’s cave, and aim to understand the problems of our world. Trying to overpass the cave entry, this research faced two different realities that can be quite alike. First, the planet is demanding for ecological concerns, regarding the use, transformation and waste of resources, especially the non-renewable; with neither restrictive control, nor consciousness of its impact on the future generations.
Second, the building stock is “breaking down in the seams”, with too many unoccupied buildings, while still new construction rates increase consistently, as well as the rate of existing buildings being intervened or demolished, in order to reuse the profitable land property. Such interventions are often self-centred in short term achievements, supported by cultural values, which aim beyond the preservation of both built and natural heritage. This regards not only the promoters and property owners, but the designers themselves, when focusing on present achievements, neglecting the past and the future in their designs.
Within a building there are many forms, components and materials that could still be reused, reprocessed or even recycled, but designers simply waste such built resources, probably due to other priorities and aims. This unconsciousness does not signify a present, but a future consequence, because most of those resources could still be used. Also, the existing buildings can be culturally significant, but time does not allow us, now, to appreciate what next generations might consider as valuable. Nonetheless, instead of being aware and responsible, the choice to neglect both past and future is the most common solution, especially if the building is not listed at any safeguard institution. Probably this way of apprehending the world’s reality is mainly due to the fact that the cultural values regent in our society are mainly ruled by economic and political values. This brings consequences of over-considering the effective capacity of built heritage; especially because involved actors are often not fully aware of the consequences of their actions and choices.
However, the regent cultural values change continuously in our society, as well as the aims that conduct such interventions. Designers responsible for rehabilitation designs can subvert this reality and show to all other involved actors that, at least, within their limited range of actions and decisions, they are very well able and willing to proclaim such lifespan consciousness.
But, is it possible to develop lifespan conscious rehabilitations of built heritage? Is our generation of designers prepared for such a challenge? This research aimed to answer this question positively. And for that purpose, RE-ARCHITECTURE®, a design process support system was developed, tested and verified with architecture students and architects, involved in rehabilitation interventions. Therefore, all designers committed in developing rehabilitation designs, which effectively evidence the consciousness and attention for the building lifespan: past, present and future; can now easily find technical sustenance.