About the design principles on cultural heritage sites and historical buildings.

Abstract

This paper focuses on the approaches that should be considered while designing a new building in historical site, proposing an addition to an historical house or dealing with restoration of listed buildings. Yet in historical sites we quite often find new buildings or additions to old ones that obey all those official rules and requirements sometimes almost with scientific precision and still manage to produce and outcome, which is not in keeping with the character of their neighbours. Another point, which regards the articulation of facades and pertains to some fundamental design principles, is the notion of visiostructural reinforcement, which John Smylie has eloquently described. Considering architecture a craft rather than art and departing from the notion of visiostructural reinforcement we can promote harmony and diminuishing conflicts.