Historic Preservation and Development Decisions: The Architect's Role in Conflict and Cooperation

Abstract

Built heritage is disappearing at a tremendous rate. The condition of the built environment and care of cultural resources are rarely planned for comprehensively and fallowed through by communities in the United States. Often built heritage is demolished or preserved only after lengthy community battles. Too few projects are successfully integrating the new and the old through appropriate and timely review processes stimulating the needed consideration, resources and management of these assets. The study herein is exploratory in nature seeking to delineate if, why, when, where and how cultural resources are addressed in the project development process. It asks how major construction projects can be in place before existing cultural resources on or near a site are considered and the criteria used to determine these decisions. The present and potential role of the architect in cultural resources review is explored and established as an important issue of the 1990s. Case study areas in seven communities of Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States provide a cross-cultural and intimate perspective of the myriad issues of preservation and development decisions within community -where they occur.