The challenge of systems and series: New paths in preserving and developing ‘late modernist’ buildings (?)

Abstract

Today, even some mass-produced and prefabricated buildings from the 1970s are labelled as 20th century buildings worthy of protection. Nevertheless, heritage conservation practice still has its difficulties when it comes to the attribution of architectural, artistic and social values and the resulting management of the built fabric of this period. When selecting outstanding buildings, the inventory encounters difficulties in the argumentation, because numerous buildings were erected during the economic boom of the 1970s. Some experts say that the theories and methods of heritage conservation that have been established for many decades are just as applicable here as they are to other buildings. Others believe that there must be more freedom of action, because the parameters of authenticity and integrity - cornerstones of heritage conservation for around 120 years - must be weighted differently. Building in existing structures is an increasingly relevant field of activity for the construction industry, which appears particularly attractive in the case of system buildings. Up to now, many refurbishments have been characterised by dismantling the load-bearing system, which sometime led to a loss of the architectural qualities and historic value of the building fabric. Both for listed and non-listed buildings, there appears to be greater scope for conversion than for buildings from other time periods. There are therefore several reasons why these buildings need to be addressed from a heritage conservation perspective: buildings from this recent past are increasingly being reshaped and losing their distinctive character. Their refurbishment poses a current theoretical and technical challenge. This article uses case studies and observations from academic research to ask: Does the practice of heritage conservation on these buildings need to be rethought? Do new strategies and methods need to be developed? In any case, a sensitive and at the same time critical examination of this architectural heritage is a central task of our time.