IN-PERSON London Heritages. Section A

Abstract

The Kasbah represents the old town of Algiers where millennia of continuous human activity and settlement have contributed to the creation of an urban site unique in its style and history. Since the Phoenician and throughout the Roman, mediaeval, and Ottoman periods, the city grew and adapted to changing historical and geographical situations to become a jewel of the Southern Mediterranean. However, with the French invasion, a series of architectural and urban interventions, in line with the colonial project, have altered this continuity and integrated elements that have changed the precolonial character of the city. Two centuries later, the Kasbah of Algiers, a World Heritage Site, now faces a new challenge: the fragility of early colonial buildings constructed within the city walls and against precolonial buildings, which design and initial intent does not allow for a survival expected from Ottoman-era structures. As a result, colonial structures periodically crumble into dust, as was the case in January 2025, when a vacated tenement building collapsed. If allowed to happen, these collapsed will create further holes in the urban fabric, harming the character of the site. As these colonial structure have a value of their own, given the use of local materials and the blending of Algerian and French architectural styles, their loss causes harm to the overall significance of the Kasbah. However, while conservation efforts are lacking, the design of these structures could not allow them to exist permanently, posing the question of the fatality of their loss. This paper offers a discussion of potential solutions to address this phenomenon: if early colonial buildings will eventually fall, what approach should be taken to manage them? Between reconstruction, modern replacement, or restoring precolonial buildings that these buildings replaced at the time, the question of authenticity must be cautiously considered, in particular with UNESCO definitions and paradigms.