Reconceptualizing Interventions of Built Heritage

Abstract

This research aims to reveal and explore the commonalities and differences in the definition of interventions on built heritage between theory and practice, using new aspects—cultural values and attributes of cultural significance—to support the definition process. A comparative approach is employed to discuss how different interventions are defined in international doctrines and applied in a local project, including stakeholders’ perspectives.

International organizations have adopted doctrinal documents that promote best practices in heritage management. However, these doctrines are difficult to compare and apply due to the lack of alignment in definitions between them and the limited research on how cultural values and attributes of cultural significance influence the definition of interventions.

In filling these gaps, the main research question was asked: What are the trends of interventions and their definitions under the influence of cultural significance, as scoped by international doctrines between theory and practice? The research utilized theoretical frameworks on cultural values and attributes and analyzed documents and interview transcripts from the National Gallery Singapore.

The main findings indicate the diversity in defining interventions at the international level. Values play a dynamic role in shaping intervention definitions, whereas attributes influence them in a hierarchical pattern. At the local level, stakeholders' perspectives on definitions are shaped by the local context and a mindset of "practicality." This research concludes that Singapore follows international trends while locally customizing and evolving its definitions. This research proposes a possible novel approach to defining interventions in built heritage that bridges theory and practice.