In the framework of the European Year of Cultural Heritage (EYCH), the Architects' Council of Europe (ACE) organised on Friday 23 November in Leeuwarden (The Netherlands) a public conference on Adaptive Re-Use and Transition of the Built Heritage.

With the evolution of European societies, many places in our built environment (notably industrial, religious and military sites) have lost their original function. Through smart restoration, renovation or transformation these buildings and sites can find new, mixed or extended uses. As a result, their social, environmental and economic value can increase, while their cultural or historical significance is enhanced.

Responsibility for re-imagining our built environment and heritage is shared by many stakeholders: architects, town planners, public authorities, financial institutions, owners and other built and heritage professionals. This conference will be an opportunity to bring architects and stakeholders of the heritage sector together to discuss:

• the skills, knowledge and competences necessary for quality heritage interventions;
• the design challenges inherent to adaptive re-use and the relationships and dialogue between heritage elements and new architectural interventions;
• the importance of heritage in the definition of a territorial identity and its impacts on the attractiveness of places.

This event relates to the Commission's initiative on Heritage in Transition which aims to promote good practice and smart ways to transform Europe's industrial, religious and military heritage for new use(r)s.  The conference brought together the partners of the initiative to take stock of the lessons learned over the EYCH and discuss how to build on the momentum generated by the Year for future actions in this area.

Leeuwarden Declaration

On this occasion, a Declaration supported by the European Federation of Fortified Sites (EFFORTS), the European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH), Europa Nostra, and Future for Religious Heritage (FRH) was presented.

The Declaration recalls that the adaptive re-use of our built heritage brings multiple benefits to individuals and the society, for present and future generations. Through smart renovation and transformation, the social, environmental and economic values of heritage sites can be increased, while their cultural significance is enhanced. Such projects also contribute to the regeneration of the urban fabric and the attractiveness of areas.

Adaptive re-use projects bring about many challenges. The Declaration underlines that processes that favour and ensure flexibility with respect to regulatory framework and standards, participation of citizens, quality-based procurement, multidisciplinary teams working in a collaborative manner, financial viability and good story-telling can contribute to successful projects in the long term.

As recalled in the Davos Declaration, “cultural heritage is a crucial component of high-quality Baukultur”. The adaptation of our built heritage to the needs of our time through new high-quality architectural interventions can help to meet the challenges expressed in the Davos Declaration and achieve high-quality Baukultur in Europe. What our generation creates today is the heritage of tomorrow.

Download the Leeuwarden Declaration here

OPENING

Xander VERMEULEN WINDSANT, Winner of 2017 EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award > Presentation > Video

 

SESSION 1: SKILLS AND COMPETENCES OF HERITAGE PROFESSIONALS

	Koenraad VAN CLEMPOEEL, Professor at the Hasselt University, Director of the Master Course on Adaptive Reuse > Presentation > Video
	Tapani MUSTONEN, Architect, Europa Nostra's Board Member > Presentation  > Video
	Wessel de JONGE, Architect, Professor of Heritage & Design at TU Delft > Presentation  > Video

 

SESSION 2: FINDING A RE-USE THAT FITS - A DIALOGUE BETWEEN HERITAGE AND CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE

	Ronan O’CONNOR, McCullough Mulvin Architects  > Presentation > Video
	Oana BOGDAN, Bogdan & Van Broeck Architects > Presentation > Video
	Penne HANGELBROEK, Architects, WEST8 > Video
	Levente POLYAK, Eutropian Platform  > Presentation > Video
	Jaanus JUSS, Founder and CEO, Telliskivi Creative City

 

SESSION 3: BUILT HERITAGE, IDENTITIES AND TERRITORIES 

	Oeds WESTERHOF, Director for the European Capital of Culture in Leeuwarden > Video
	Zeljka ZGAGA, DG REGIO, Policy Analyst Unit > Presentation > Video
	Babette WINTER, State Secretary for Europe and Culture in the Thuringia State chancellery > Presentation > Video

 

SESSION 4: WRAP UP OF THE EU COMMISSION'S "HERITAGE IN TRANSITION" INITIATIVE

Hughes BECQUART, DG Culture, "Creative Europe"Unit, Policy Officer > Presentation > Video

 

Roundtable discussion

Lilian GROOTSWAGERS-THEUNS Secretary General of Future for Religious Heritage	Koen van BALEN Europa Nostra Council Member, Professor at KU Leuven	Drs. Hildebrand DE BOER  Board Member of the European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH)	Huibert CRIJNS City of ‘s Hertogenbosch, European Federation of Fortified Sites (EFFORTS)	Georg PENDL  President of the Architects' Council of Europe

CONCLUSION

Michel MAGNIER, Director General for Culture and Creativity at DG Culture > Video