Out of context : clustering of relocated historic buildings as an acceptable conservation approach

Abstract

Struggles between urban conservation and urban development have long been a zero-sum game. Historic buildings, especially vernacular architecture, are exceptionally vulnerable and are always prioritized for demolition to free up land for development. In-situ preservation is usually impractical, if not impossible, under such circumstances. Relocation comes up to be the sole practical means for heritage survival. However, it is not a widely acceptable choice due to two major reasons - loss of structural authenticity and loss of contextual cultural significance. Open-air museums are often seen to create condensed versions of geographical locations of historic environments by relocating and clustering historic structures. This century-old approach has safeguarded the physical fabric of iconic vernacular architecture and has potential to be applied as a framework to justify relocation in heritage conservation. This thesis analyses the case of Kulturen in Lund (Kulturen I Lund), Sweden, the world’s second open-air museum, to assess the factors that contribute to its success and the effect of clustering of relocated historic buildings. Through desktop research, surveys and interviews, the setting of the designed setting, the infill structures for sense stimulation, and the focus of heritage interpretation are found to be important contributing factors to the recreation of heritage significance.