Preserving Tangible and Intangible Values and Attributes in Heritage Housing in Amsterdam New-West

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Abstract

The project ‘Preserving Tangible and Intangible Values and Attributes in Heritage Housing’ is about exploring a process in which both tangible and intangible values and attributes within an existing housing structure are preserved and strengthened. This research aims to contribute to the field of adaptive reuse and cultural heritage by exploring a practical strategy which could guide future sustainable and culturally sensitive urban development in future projects. By discovering what and why values and attributes are valued by inhabitants, the current living situation will be strengthened and improved. At the same time, the project is a continuous research and development on how an existing housing structure with its embedded values and attributes can become future-proof in terms of sustainability, diversity and integrity. The fascination that buildings do not have to be newly constructed to accommodate a modern day lifestyle, but the idea that existing structures can adopt and act as a core for communities, diverse social groups and as hubs for social interaction without losing its core values was a core motivator for the redesign project of the ‘Knijtijzerpanden’ in Amsterdam.