Heritage Conservation
Erhalt des Kulturerbes
6 CPWinterEN
Contents
The history and theory of architectural conservation from Antiquity to the present as well as the development of the concept of heritage in the 20th and 21st centuries constitute the primary focus of the module. The role played by historic buildings, ensembles and sites as well as other tangible and intangible artefacts of the past in social, political and cultural processes is discussed. Contemporary international discourses on significance are introduced together with methods for its assessment, preservation and communication that draw on a range of approaches from the humanities and the social sciences. Current challenges in conservation practice such as the management of change are examined in relation to developments in the fields of architectural design and urban planning and against the background of growing concerns for environmental protection and human rights.
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of the module, students are able to understand key aspects of the history and theory of architectural conservation and heritage, including its conceptual foundations and core issues, and can apply this knowledge to unfamiliar situations across a range of temporal and cultural contexts. They are able to evaluate the role played by historic buildings and ensembles as well as other tangible and intangible artefacts of the past in social, political and cultural processes both past and present. They can create strategies for assessing the significance of buildings, ensembles and artefacts, for conserving their tangible and intangible values, and for communicating knowledge about them both to specialists from neighbouring fields and to a wider public.
Assessment
• Written Examination (90 min.)
Literature (1)
- The bibliography will be presented in class.
Remarks
In the event that the module cannot be taught or tested according to the present description (e.g. for reasons of infection protection), the alternatives communicated on relevant platforms (e.g. homepage or Moodle) apply.
Source: BTU's module description · retrieved 28 Sep 2026Original