The Minimal Tendency In Conservation And Reuse Of Historical Buildings

The conservation and reuse of historic building has become an autonomous science through century's development. Its goal and content have surpassed the economic requirement, rather, reflecting the self-conscious understanding and attitude of history.It is since the renaissance in 16th century until now, especially after 1960s, the intellectual idea of conservation and reuses of historic building become matured, which parallels the diversity of nowadays architectural methodology. This thesis analysis various cases of this field, which strongly influenced by the art-minimalism after 1960s through typological consequence. It concerned on how the art-minimalism promotes new ideas and practices of conservation and reuse of historic building.The strict law on historic building and the complexity of historic sites demand less and limited effect of conservation and reuse, which contains theoretical and technical richness and study. Corresponds the cultural criticism behind the art-minimalism, it is possible to analysis those cases in the art-minimalism context. Further more, the critical concept of"authenticity"in the conservation and reuse field reflects the concept of"truth"and"essence"in art-minimalism. Those are the cornerstones of this thesis.The case study part of the thesis is arranged as site, form-space, construction and material base on the different scales of architectural design process. Each type contains different cases from negative reuse to active use. It concludes with two characterizes of the case study: 1) the dialectics between simple and complex, 2) the pursuit of authenticity and essence in architecture.The last chapter contributes several cases of conservation and reuse of historic building in contemporary China, which located in Shanghai, Shenzhen and Wuhan, in order to suggest method of this field which suite for the social, cultural and economic reality of Chinese city.