RESTORED LAYERS: RECONSTRUCTION OF HISTORICAL SITES AND RESTORATION OF ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE: THE EXPERIENCE OF THE UNITED STATES AND RUSSIA (CASE STUDY OF ST. PETERSBURG)

Abstract

Introduction: The need for maintenance and repair of historical buildings is an important and integral part of the preservation of cultural and architectural heritage. Purpose of the study: The study is aimed to find common-ground potential project concepts in the intersection of the new and old in the sacred and the mundane. Methods: The authors perform a theoretical analysis of techniques for restoration of recognized monuments, such as the Hermitage, and ordinary historical objects, and determine a relationship between the concept and the problems of restoration. To demonstrate methods used in restoration, the authors offer specific examples from modern practice in the United States and Russia. Results: The article discusses cases where professionals do not attempt to return buildings to some idealized version from the past, but rather use the restoration process to emphasize the qualities of age, show how they exist in the present, and recognize the built environment as alive, evolving, and constantly changing. The article reflects the work of the authors, including projects from their architectural practice and teaching. Discussion: With regard to the implementation of specific restoration and reconstruction projects, the importance of international interaction is shown in the development of strategies for education and practice in the field of restoration and protection of cultural heritage. The increasing volume of conservation and restoration work puts pressure on developing scientific approaches and methodologies to solve practical problems. At the same time, the restorer must recognize that continuity with the past can exist in the renovation of more mundane and utilitarian structures, which can benefit from less restrictive approaches with regard to the intersection of the old and the new. After all, a trained professional should understand that the approach to each project is unique.

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