“Heritage 101: Understanding Heritage Buildings ” Session Six: Standards and Guidelines

Standards and Guidelines: A Brief Overview Why have Standards and Guidelines? What purposes do they serve? This session will provide an overview of the Canadian Standards and Guidelines and place them in the context of the evolution of the heritage conservation field Factors which influenced the creation of the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada in 2003 Who developed these Standards and Guidelines? a nation-wide collaboration between the federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal government representatives working with NGOs, real property experts, heritage conservation specialists, planners, architects and engineers How do we use them in Vancouver?

The Context for the Creation of Standards and Guidelines in Canada Based on preceding documents: Charter of Athens, 1931 Charter of Venice, 1964 Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, 1972 Australia’s Burra Charter for Places of Cultural Significance, 1979, third revision, 1999 U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation Nara Document on Authenticity, 1994

Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada Purposes: 1.“sound, practical guidance to achieve good conservation practice....not to replace the role of conservation practitioners or provide detailed technical specifications appropriate to every situation.....[to] offer results-oriented guidance for sound decision making when planning for, intervening and using a historic place.”

Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada Purposes: 2. “to develop a pan-Canadian set of Standards and Guidelines....[which] may be adopted.....for assessing proposed conservation interventions...under these circumstances, the Standards and Guidelines would be used to measure compliance with legislation relating to the statutory protection of these historic places....a project would then have to respect and conserve the heritage value and character-defining elements....”

Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada Purposes: 3. “to assist people who intend to apply for government financial incentives for conservation. When adopted by a jurisdiction, the Standards and Guidelines may form the basis for review and assessment of a preservation, rehabilitation or restoration project before the project starts, and again upon completion.”

How to Use the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada

A values-based approach to heritage conservation Consider the values of the heritage resource Examine the character-defining elements of these values Develop a Statement of Significance Discuss the context of the future conservation plan—preservation, restoration, rehabilitation Strive for minimal intervention Examine the environmental, social/cultural and economic aspects of the project

A values-based approach to heritage conservation Based on many philosophies including the late 19 th century Viennese art historian and author, Alois Riegl, ( ) –Historic Value –Artistic Value –Age Value (natural forces) –Use Value –Newness Value Riegl was the author of Der moderne Denkmalkultus. Sein Wesen und seine Entstehung. published in Vienna and Leipzig in 1903

Alois Riegl, c Translation of his book by K. W. Forster and D. Ghirardo, “The Modern Cult of Monuments: Its Character and Origin,” Oppositions 25 (1982),

A values-based approach to heritage conservation First, determine the level of intervention which best expresses the diversity of values. This could be preservation, rehabilitation or restoration. Second, references to value and character-defining elements in the Standards section should be read with this diversity in mind. And third, the guidelines should be interpreted flexibly, to ensure that the maximum range of values can be accommodated within conservation action. If this kind of approach is adopted, a truly values-centred approach to heritage conservation may emerge in Canada. Alastair Kerr, “Considerations for a Values-Based Approach to Heritage Conservation within Canada”, December 2007, (forthcoming article)

How to Use the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada

Statement of Significance

Identify Heritage Value and Character-Defining Elements Location: in situ on Vancouver’s waterfront Semi-prefabricated wood frame construction.. including the hipped roof with multiple dormer windows..cedar shiplap siding with vertical battens to cover the joints Double hung sash windows Full front verandah....wraps around three sides Turned wood columns

Building Chronology

Mission to Seafarers Building c Photo: Vancouver Public Library, No. 3893

Mission to Seafarers Building c Photo: Vancouver Public Library, No. 2757

Mission to Seafarers Building, 1938 Photo: Vancouver Public Library, No

Conservation “all actions or processes that are aimed at safeguarding the character-defining elements of a cultural resource so as to retain its heritage value and extend its physical life. This may involve “Preservation,” “Rehabilitation,” “Restoration,” or a combination of these actions or processes.”

Preservation “the action or process of protecting, maintaining, and/or stabilizing the existing materials, form, and integrity of a historic place or of an individual component, while protecting its heritage value.”

Restoration “the action or process of accurately revealing, recovering or representing the state of a historic place, or of an individual component, as it appeared at a particular period in its history, while protecting its heritage value.”

Rehabilitation “the action or process of making possible a continuing or compatible contemporary use of a historic place or an individual component, through repair, alterations, and/or additions, while protecting its heritage value.”

Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada Applying the Guidelines: “Recommended” and “Not Recommended” Preserving Elements Repairing Elements Replacing Elements Removing Elements from Other Periods Alterations and Additions for New Uses

Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada

U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation The “benchmark” for preservation practice in the United States since the 1970’s Helpful guide to the “do’s and don’ts” over a generation Tied to financial incentives Incorporates standards and guidelines for applicable to individual buildings from many different eras, historic districts, sites and cultural landscapes, archaeological and engineering sites

Four approaches to building treatments: – Preservation – Rehabilitation – Restoration – Reconstruction For detailed reference materials visit: For on-line learning visit: U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation

Key documents, –The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating, Restoring and Reconstructing Historic Buildings, 1995 –The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes, 1996.

democratization is a desirable development, and it has changed the heritage field: the old canons are questioned; the opinions of the specialists are not taken as articles of faith; and heritage decisions are recognized as complex negotiations to which diverse stakeholders bring their own values. Today heritage is seen as the source of important benefits to society, including stability, understanding, tolerance, recognition of and respect for cultural differences, and economic development. Values and Heritage Conservation, Getty Conservation Institute, 2000