AD ALTA
JOURNAL OF INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
TRANSLOCATION OF HISTORIC MONUMENTS AS AN ECONOMIC PROJECT
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TOMASZ KOŁAKOWSKI
Wrocław University of Economics,
Faculty of Economics, Management and Tourism,
Nowowiejska 3, 58-500 Jelenia Góra, Poland
email:
a
tomasz.kolakowski@ue.wroc.pl
Abstract: Translocation project, in conservation perspective, is the transfer of a
historic objects in another location. It is performed only in exceptional cases, ie. if this
is the only way to save the cultural heritage object from destruction. In the author’s
opinion, translocation constitutes a specific type of economic project which requires
proper management of its subsequent phases. Indication of the main features of such
project and specify the stages of implementation, are decisive and perform a vital role
in the efficiency and effectiveness of the undertaken translocation operations.
Therefore, in this article, author will attempt to identify and indicate the framework of
subsequent stages (phases) and strategic operations in implementing translocation
projects of historic objects.
Keywords: project, management, translocation, effectiveness, efficiency, historic
monuments, cultural heritage.
1 Introduction
During the recent several decades a significant change has been
observed in terms of approaching cultural heritage management.
The initial care for conserving relics of the past and memorabilia
left behind by previous generations was replaced by the activities
referring to cultural resources focused on the dedicated
conservation manifested in the form of maintain both, their
structures and functions. As a result of growing competitiveness
and the changing environment, and also in view of the emerging
opportunities and threats resulting from e.g. global economy, as
well as the increasingly rigorous market conditions, cultural
heritage resources have become one of the elements meeting the
needs of a modern society.
The period of global economic and social transformations
provided the background for the changes experienced in many
areas. One of such activities, resulting from the above-mentioned
transformations, referred to the need for fighting the degradation
of objects of cultural heritage. Currently a significant spatial
pressure, has become quite noticeable, which is reflected in:
the cities, especially their central parts, can usually offer
very limited space for construction, therefore it is
frequently attempted to substitute their “old’ features with
the “new’ ones,
the progressing congestion imposes modernization and
transport infrastructure development, which can also result
in the planned features interfering with the already existing
ones,
the increasing pressure for residential housing development
as well as social and economic infrastructure is also visible
in rural areas.
Thus, the desire to improve the broadly understood socio-
economic infrastructure requires appropriate space which, quite
frequently, has been used in a different way (built-up space). It
often happens that historic buildings (monuments) represent the
features constituting obstacles in the development of new built-
up areas or infrastructure and which, in accordance with legal
regulations, should be protected and conserved for future
generations. Due to their essential importance for maintaining
national culture continuity and owing to their potential economic
value generating diverse effects, cultural heritage resources
should be utilized in an adequate manner and covered by the
activities having impact on socio-economic development of
particular areas. However, on the other hand, their location can
constitute a substantial developmental barrier, e.g. a new
function assigned to a particular space. It is not always possible
to “include” the existing historic monument in a new concept of
a given area management, or attempt to assign new functions to
such sites, since it is not conducive with their conservation and
protection but, on the contrary, aggravates the above-mentioned
problems of conservation and architectural nature.
Hence, such situations have to be approached based on the
analysis, assessment and management strategy in terms of
decisions about an appropriate management of a particular
historic building. Therefore, such approach should cover all
elements from the perspective of effectiveness and efficiency of
conservation and management policy (protection and guardship
of a site, its translocation management process), as well as their
socio-economic efficiency (obtaining advantages from
presenting the object and using it for other purposes than the
originally assigned function).
For this reason the translocation, in the author’s opinion,
constitutes a specific type of economic project which requires
proper management of its subsequent phases. Indication of the
main features of such project and specify the stages of
implementation, are decisive and perform a vital role in the
efficiency and effectiveness of the undertaken translocation
operations. Later in the study an attempt will be made to identify
and indicate the framework of subsequent stages (phases) in
implementing translocation projects of historic landmarks. First,
however, the problems related to translocation in its
conservation and economic project oriented dimension will be
discussed.
2 Translocation project as a conservation and an economic
project
The activities involved in the translocation of historic buildings
can be analyzed in two ways. Firstly, from the perspective of
conservation activities, and secondly in terms of an economic
venture.
In the first case translocation, as it has already been indicated,
represents a transfer consisting in moving or relocating a
building (immobile object), brick-and-mortar or wooden, into a
different site [ICOMOS, 2010, p.4]. In conservation terminology
the activities consisting in a historic building translocation are
frequently related to the notion of recomposition, i.e. “reas-
sembling a historic monument (or its parts) using authentic
components”, which “can take place if a building collapses or is
relocated” [Tajchman, 1995, p.156]. Therefore, translocation
remains a complicated technological process which requires
considering individual characteristics of a given object, such as:
the type of construction material, area, volume, weight, the
method of building foundation, etc. [Hamberg – Federowicz,
2012, p.21]. In terms of a historic building disassembly the
following translocation projects are distinguished:
demountable constructions – mainly wooden buildings,
architectural details, in specific cases brick-and-mortar
objects (brick, stone),
non-demountable constructions – mainly covering brick-
and-mortar constructions, wall paintings and stucco
[Curtis, 1979, p.2].
Such operations are performed in exceptional cases only, when it
is the only method to save the object from damage (see figure 1)
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