Waardestelling in de Nederlandse monumentenzorg 1981-2009

Abstract

The special value that is attributed to historic buildings and structures is the foundation of built heritage conservation and preservation. National guidelines and international charters state that the cultural-historical values attributed to a monument must be leading in drawing up and assessing preservation plans for a monument. To indicate the values, an art-, architectural-, cultural-historical or building archaeological research is carried out and a value assessment is drawn up. Recent social-cultural, political, economic and scientific developments, in and outside the field of conservation, call for a new organization and multidisciplinary approach of conservation and preservation and for an adjustment of the notion of value and the process of valuation. This research presents a description and analysis of the emergence and development of value assessment and of the part a value assessment plays in drawing up and assessing preservation plans. This gives insight in the requirements for a value assessment, in terms of content and process, that result from the recent changes in conservation and preservation theory and practice. The conceptual approach of ‘values-centered preservation’ in combination with the approach developed within the field of art conservation, offers interesting points of departure for a new set-up for value assessment. A combination of literature studies and a multiple case study led to the development of a model for a customized manner for value assessment. This model encourages to broaden the scope of value assessment and to transcend disciplinary boundaries, thus supporting a multidisciplinary approach for built heritage conservation and preservation.