Cultural Heritage needs Continuous Care

Project description

The project aims to develop a methodological approach to implementing the adoption of maintenance procedures for immovable cultural heritage in Switzerland. The research will analyse legal, financial and administrative frameworks, identifying benefits and constraints. The insights gained will be used to discuss maintenance plans for different heritage types (public art, religious and private buildings) and propose guidelines to be developed into a comprehensive national policy document by the Swiss Federal Commission for Monument Preservation (EKD).

Maintenance is universally recognised as being essential for heritage preservation, yet it is not consistently practised for built heritage. Public art, churches, houses and their decorations are particularly vulnerable to time, weathering and neglect. Their preservation is crucial, as they represent our collective identity and memory and also contribute towards the quality of our living spaces. This project – developed in collaboration with key heritage stakeholders – will help to change the approach to immovable heritage preservation and encourage the introduction of regular care practices. Reducing deterioration and losses, as well as preserving original fabric and its significance, will lead to more sustainable preservation. The project's importance is underscored by enthusiastic support from several public officers, property owners and conservation professionals who recognise the urgent need for a systematic maintenance strategy.

Project implementation

The project team will assess the current situation surrounding maintenance (considering definitions, legislation, economic and administrative frameworks and procedures). This will include organising interviews and focus groups with different stakeholders, public officers, owners and professionals to identify what should be improved in order to support maintenance activities and how to address key problems in order to ensure that good principles can be put into practice. Three maintenance plans, along with education and dissemination activities open to a wider public, will be developed on three types of immovable cultural heritage located in three different language regions of Switzerland, with a focus on public art, religious buildings and private houses. The design and long-term implementation of maintenance will be planned collaboratively with the involvement of private and public stakeholders, conservator-restorers, architects, craftsmen, academics and NGOs, using the Living Lab approach and focusing on real-life cases.