Ruinophilia

Abstract

Ruins and residues of the past have held a moral, emotional, and aesthetic fascination throughout history. In the region of IBA parkstad Limburg there is a lack of cultural identity. The former meaning and significance is disappeared. The aim of this paper is to research the qualities and identity of significant layers in time, which are the Roman period, medieval period, mining industry period and modern period, to translate this in a new layer. In the research the via Belgica, a former fundamental development axis, is used as an unifying concept. The principal question for this research is: ‘How to reinterpret the cultural history of the via Belgica, with a focus on the development of the area along the road, with the aim to make the area recognisable and valuable back again using the via as a primary connecting axis.’ The study starts with some theories around ruins. After the theories a palimpsest approach is used to analyse the region, ending up with the superimposition of the different layers of this palimpsest. Finally, a new identity will be formed. This research combines the agricultural character of the Roman period with the industrial character of the mining period to propose an intervention in the research area.