ARCHITECTURAL CONSERVATION STRATEGIES:MAINTAINING THE AUTHENTICITY IN MANAGING CHANGES

Abstract

From various discussions about authenticity, the discussion of authenticity at the Dutch East Indies Architecture, which was built in the context of the city of Bandung in the early 1900s, is expected to contribute new thoughts to the academic world and the world of architectural practices. This is qualitative research involves collecting and analyzing data to understand the concept, value and opinion through one-to-one personal interview, case studies research, record keeping and observation. There are two research questions: what is the authenticity of Dutch East Indies Architecture in Bandung City? how does authenticity remain when the newness value for adaptive reuse of Dutch East Indies Architecture in Bandung is added? There are three steps to build the understanding that will lead to the answer on the topic “Maintaining the Authenticity in Managing Changes to New Needs”. First step is understanding the authenticity and problem on defining authenticity since authenticity has different meaning in different cultural context, multilayered of heritage, and tension between demands for preservation approaches of authenticity. Second step is to look at how the authenticity is maintained on a dynamic of changing the function of the building purpose and see who or what is involved in maintaining this factor. Last step is managing changes in adaptive reuse building leads the user to different architectural experience, but at the same time as a heritage building, the user must have pre-existing culture experience. Continuity is happened when the building as locus of world peace, forming bonds of friendship due to soft diplomacy that occurs when the building becomes a show case as evidence of maintaining and preserving the values of the building. The architecture of the Dutch East Indies, has two understandings of authenticity: material and immaterial. Paradox that enhances each other and it is similar with two sides of coin, could not be separated. To remain the authenticity in the newness value when its added is to keep the building and the place alive. People or community understand the place as an event, not as a container, that is marked by strong connection between people and place.

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