IN-PERSON ISTANBUL HERITAGE(S)

Abstract

As more and more buildings fall under the definition of built heritage, architectural conservation is faced with an unparalleled and urgent need to reconsider both its framework and tools. Heritage discourse has already reached a stage where traditionally established perspectives are being challenged; authorized heritage discourse (AHD), the conventional form of heritage management, has been urged to integrate the principles of alternative heritage discourse (ALHD) into its framework. The integration of ALHD into heritage management also pushes architectural conservation to seriously consider the inclusion of such perspectives within its own domain. Since the introduction of prefabrication in construction, architecture has been primarily mass-produced. As architectural conservation faces an accumulation crisis, it becomes evident that the ways in which modern heritage is evaluated and managed must be reconsidered. The hegemony of material authenticity must be challenged – it will simply be impossible for future generations to maintain the level of material authenticity that contemporary architectural conservation demands. At the same time, reuse of existing buildings is a core strategy for achieving sustainable architectural practices.This article examines contemporary theories of architectural conservation and challenges both its framework and its tools. By analyzing interdisciplinary studies from philosophy and heritage discourse, it aims to reframe architectural conservation and provoke discussion on a speculative level. Finally, this article examines the potential of incorporating ALHD perspectives into the realm of architectural conservation by examining Kontula, a largely unprotected site of modern built heritage in Helsinki, Finland.