Archinect - News

Overdevelopment, conflict, and climate change pose biggest threats to global cultural sites, World Monuments Fund warns

2024-09-13T17:25:00-04:00

Ahead of its January 2025 release of the World Monuments Watch list, the World Monuments Fund has announced the greatest factors threatening heritage sites globally are conflict, climate change, "overtourism," a lack of financial support and community engagement, and an extenuating state of overdevelopment.

The organization says they are doing so now in the interest of “sounding the alarm" and raising awareness while the final site included in its next watch list is still being deliberated. The WMF has not produced such documentation since 2022, when it found 25 sites as being under threat. The tenor of threats varies by region, with a majority (58%) of those surveyed in North America & Europe under threat due to "insufficient funding and resources." A total of 200 sites were nominated worldwide.

Diamond Schmitt presents New Brunswick Museum design

2024-03-31T08:00:00-04:00

Canadian practice Diamond Schmitt Architects, along with Associate Architect EXP, has unveiled the design of the new home of the New Brunswick Museum (NBM) in Saint John, New Brunswick.

Canada’s oldest continuing museum, the NBM’s footprint is set to expand, with its research work and exhibitions united within one sustainable, decarbonized facility.

Rendering by PLAY-TIME Courtesy of Diamond Schmitt.

The design integrates the east wing of the museum’s historic Collections and Research Center and adds five new wings to the north. The new facility will span 134,000 square feet. A new main entrance on street level will lead visitors into a multi-story, public great room. In addition to its use for the museum, this space will host community gatherings, festivals, events, and receptions. It will feature a boutique, café, ticketing services, and a public “Introduction to New Brunswick” gallery. Exhibition galleries on the second floor will overlook the great room.

Rendering by PLAY-TIME...

Notre Dame’s plans for contemporary stained-glass windows spark cries of ‘vandalism’ in Paris

2023-12-26T14:53:00-05:00

Plans for the contemporary replacement of some of the stained glass windows inside Notre Dame Cathedral’s damaged interior have sparked a considerable outcry from the public a year before the Parisian landmark is set to begin reopening in the wake of the destructive 2019 fire.

Calls for a new competition to design windows for six of Notre Dame’s seven south aisle side chapels has led to a petition signed by 120,000 people urging the French government to reconsider on grounds that they would distort the originality of architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc’s 19th-century expansion, according to a report from The Guardian.

The new window designs would replace what emerged from the catastrophe undamaged and are therefore considered important relics of the blaze by heritage experts and other conservation specialists. Nevertheless, the Archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich, requested the French state’s approval of new windows, a solicitation President Emmanuel Macron then threw his office’s suppo...

Francis Kéré designs new virtual museum of stolen artifacts for UNESCO

2023-10-17T16:03:00-04:00

Francis Kéré has been announced as the architect of a new virtual museum of stolen cultural artifacts for UNESCO. The project will exhibit 3D versions of the objects while at the same time elevating the voices and narratives of the global communities from which they were taken.

Renderings released along with its announcement show a large transparent dome with gallery spaces lining a Guggenheim-like spiraling central ramp, inspired by the African baobab tree.

Image courtesy of UNESCO/Kéré Architecture

The 52,000 works displayed were digitally rendered using the Stolen Works of Art database of INTERPOL, the international police organization that tracks the trafficking of looted cultural artifacts globally.

Image courtesy of UNESCO/Kéré Architecture

UNESCO says this will become a "tool to raise awareness on the illicit trafficking and the importance of protecting cultural heritage among the relevant authorities, culture professionals, and the general public, notably young generations...

Norman Foster-designed high-tech icon used in James Bond film to receive $6 million refurbishment

2023-08-01T14:59:00-04:00

The Norman Foster-designed Spectrum Building was used as a backdrop for A View to a Kill (1985), the fourteenth installment in the James Bond series. The single-story warehouse, distinguished by its bright yellow steel masts, is a high-tech architecture icon.

Now, it has been reported that global real estate investment company AEW is investing approximately $6 million to refurbish the site. According to a report from Swindon Advertiser, currently, "£4.7 million will be invested by global real estate investment and asset manager AEW in an attempt to refurbish the site which opened in 1983."

Previously on Archinect: Norman Foster-designed warehouse, featured in James Bond film, joins UK heritage list

The project will include a roof refurbishment, repair, and redecoration of the steel frame and cladding. Work on the 260,000-square-foot structure is expected to be completed in May 2024.

In 2013 the structure was given Grade II* listed status by English Heritage for its innovative indus...

UNESCO experts recommend adding Venice to heritage danger list

2023-08-01T11:15:00-04:00

[Update, September 14th, 2023: Despite this recommendation, UNESCO ultimately voted not to place Venice on its World Heritage in Danger list]

Experts from UNESCO, the cultural agency of the United Nations, have recommended adding Venice to its World Heritage in Danger list. As reported by Reuters, officials from the UNESCO World Heritage Centre made the recommendation with a view that Italy was not doing enough to protect the city from the impacts of climate change and mass tourism.

Both the city and its lagoon would be added to the list under the recommendation. Other sites recommended for the list are the historic centers of Kyiv, Lviv, and Odesa in Ukraine, the town of Timbuktu in Mali, and several sites across Syria, Iraq, and Libya. The final decision will be made at a meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre in Riyadh in September.

"Resolution of long-standing but urgent issues is hindered by a lack of overall joint strategic vision for the long-term preservation of the prop...

Hidden corridor discovered in Great Pyramid of Giza

2023-03-03T16:34:00-05:00

A hidden corridor nine metres (30 feet) long has been discovered close to the main entrance of the 4,500-year-old Great Pyramid of Giza, and this could lead to further findings, Egyptian antiquities officials said on Thursday.

The discovery was made under the Scan Pyramids project, a program launched in 2015 that aims to explore and discover ancient Egyptian Pyramids using non-invasive and non-destructive techniques. The group, which includes Cairo University and the French Heritage Innovation Preservation (HIP) Institute currently uses infrared thermography, 3D simulations, and cosmic-ray imaging. Reuters reports that the discovery could provide more information of the Pyramid’s construction and the purpose of a gabled limestone structure located at the front of the corridor.

It’s theorized that the corridor was made to redistribute the pyramid’s weight around either the main entrance, now used by tourists, or around a potentially undiscovered space. Scientists found the corridor through cosmic-ray muon radiography and then retrieved images of it by feeding a 6mm-thick endoscope from Japan through a small joint in the pyramid’s stones.

Ancient Roman mosaic discovered in former rebel hideout in Syria

2022-10-17T13:47:00-04:00

A massive Roman mosaic was unearthed in Syria, marking what some experts said was the most important archaeological discovery in the country in the last 20 years. The mosaic was found in the town of Rastan, outside Homs, Syria’s third largest city. Rastan was an important stronghold of anti-government forces and saw some of the fiercest clashes between the Syrian military and rebels. The region, which is rich in cultural heritage, was retaken by the Syrian government in 2018.

As reported by ARTnews, the mosaic was discovered within a site that dates back to the 4th century CE. Syria’s General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums had been excavating the location. The mosaic spans around 1,300 square feet, with each panel fashioned with small colorful stones that depict a rare portrayal of the Amazon warriors in Roman mythology. Also included are scenes from the Trojan War and a depiction of the Roman god of the sea, Neptune, along with 40 of his mistresses.

This is the first major excavation effort in Rastan since Syria’s civil war began in 2011. With only a section of the mosaic discovered, it’s presumed that it extends far wider and that other heritage sites and artifacts are present in the area. This is a significant finding, especially due to how the country’s armed conflict inundated Syrian heritage sites, many of which have been pillaged or destroyed. Most notable was the ravaging of UNESCO World Heritage Site Palmyra under ISIS control.

...

SOM to reimagine visitor experience at Egypt's pyramids and sphinx

2022-07-26T19:02:00-04:00

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) and Egyptian practice Raafat Miller Consulting (RMC) have been selected to reimagine the visitor experience for the popular sound and light show attraction at the site of the ancient Pyramids and the Sphinx in Giza, Egypt.

The pair were appointed by OSL for Entertainment Projects, an Orascom Investment Holding Company (OIH). SOM will act as lead designer for the concept, design, and master plan for the project. Existing facilities will be enhanced with contemporary interventions in order to establish a world-class visitor experience while respecting unique environmental and preservation requirements.

“Visiting Giza is a rare, transformative experience that offers a glimpse into centuries of human history. As one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Giza welcomes millions of people every year,” SOM design partner Chris Cooper commented on the commission. “In reimagining the experience, our priority is to honor and preserve its history and create a sus...

Anglo-Saxon burial ground uncovered during work on Britain's HS2 railway

2022-06-17T16:57:00-04:00

“A vast Anglo-Saxon burial site containing 138 graves has been unearthed by archaeologists working on the HS2 cross-country rail route under construction across the UK. The site, near Wendover in Buckinghamshire, contains the remains of more than 140 people, some of which were buried with jewellery, knives and a personal grooming kit. “It is one of the best and most revealing post-Roman sites in the country,” says the historian Dan Snow.”

According to a statement by HS2, the site contained 138 graves, with 141 inhumation burials and five cremation burials, making it one of the largest Anglo-Saxon burial grounds ever uncovered in Britain. According to Rachel Wood, the lead archaeologist for Fusion JV, the company behind the fieldwork, Anglo-Saxon cemeteries are rare. The items uncovered date back to the 5th and 6th century, a period in which there are gaps in historical and archaeological record. Nearly three quarters of the graves contained high quality items, including jewelry, swords, shields, spears, and personal grooming items such as ear wax removers and tweezers, suggesting the site was the resting place for a wealthy community.

Additionally, nearly all of the burials were found with decorated brooches on their collarbone, indicating they were holding up garments such as cloaks or peplos, a long garment worn by women with shoulder brooches. This archaeological find was discovered similarly to that of a well-p...

As Milan's San Siro stadium goes, so goes the city

2022-05-23T14:56:00-04:00

AC Milan’s Serie A championship title over the weekend brought out the missives on placemaking and memory concerning the club’s future in the 96-year-old stadium adored by the Milanese as their seconda casa.

The facilities, last upgraded in 1990 and renovated throughout the 2000s by the local firm Ragazzi and Partners, are set to be replaced by a new “cathedral” designed by American sport heavyweight Populous for the year 2027. Many feel it is the last victim of a changed European Soccer landscape dominated by Russian oligarchs and other monied interests from abroad after the late-1990s to early-2000s.

Previously on Archinect: Populous tapped to lead design of new combined Inter & AC Milan stadium

Alternatives, including its reuse as a massive Covid memorial, have been proposed by the faithful, who also claim a demolition effort of such size would be harmful to the environment. A final approval is still on the horizon for later this year. The architects of the new stadium say their...

Design-versus-reality images show ODA's transformation of historic Rotterdam post office

2022-05-11T11:53:00-04:00

New photographs have been released showing construction progress at POST Rotterdam, documenting the restoration and reinvention of a historic post office in the Dutch city. Designed by ODA with Omnam Group, the project sees the 100-year-old building transformed into a hotel, with accompanying retail, restaurants, two public plazas, and a 155-meter (500-foot) tall residential tower.

Historic entrance and elevator, during construction. Image © Ossip

Historic entrance and elevator, design proposal. Image © ODA

Among the architectural features showcased in the new images are the Great Hall, a 22.5-meter (75-foot) high vaulted room dating from 1916. Working with Braaksma & Roos Architectenbureau, the team has preserved and restored the space, whose ultimate role will be to serve as the project’s “public heart.” To make the hall more accessible, a new entrance is being added via a piazza-style courtyard from a former service entrance.

The Great Hall, during construction. Image © Ossip

The G...

Save Britain's Heritage details threats faced by landmark department stores

2022-04-06T14:41:00-04:00

At least 18 “high street titans” – architecturally significant department stores that have fallen victim to profound changes in shopping patterns – are at risk of being permanently lost, according to a new report. But these “cathedrals of commerce”, as Émile Zola described them in his 1883 novel The Ladies’ Paradise, should be granted new lives – as art galleries, residential housing, community hubs and social spaces, says Save Britain’s Heritage.

The report Departing Stores: Emporia at Risk details the threats to department stores across the UK and what can be done to save these spaces. It covers 46 landmark department stores in town and city centers, some of which have been restored or developed while maintaining their architectural heritage. Others, however, have been left vacant and are at risk of decay or demolition. In addition, according to the British Retail Consortium and Local Data Company, there were 237 vacant department stores in the UK as of mid-2021.

The popularity of department stores has sharply declined with the proliferation of online shopping, which was exacerbated by the onset of the pandemic. The Guardian notes that in the first quarter of 2021, overall retail vacancy sat at a five-year high of 14.1%. In defense of department stores, the report hails their architectural and historical merit. Now, “the race is on to identify and assess these buildings,” according to Marcus Binney, executive president of ...

Italy launches unprecedented anti-seismic plan to protect churches under threat from earthquakes

2022-03-30T14:51:00-04:00

Cathedrals, churches and basilicas across Italy are at risk of being razed by earthquakes that could strike at any moment. But the government is on a mission to protect some of the country’s most significant and vulnerable religious buildings from disastrous seismic shocks. A new national project backed with €250m from Italy’s multibillion-euro pot of EU Covid-19 recovery funding is unprecedented in Europe for its scale and reach, officials believe.

In one of Europe’s most earthquake-prone countries, the anti-seismic plan will allow the Italian culture ministry’s heritage safety department to distribute resources around the country that will mitigate the impact of future disasters. Straps and chains will be wrapped around bell towers and shock-absorbing blocks will be fixed to foundations. Project grants will be assigned to around 250 of the 840 structures owned by Italy’s Religious Buildings Fund. The ministry will assess buildings based on their historical value, importance for local communities, and vulnerability to damage.

This initiative is backed by Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan, a €191.5 billion ($213.7 billion) investment package from the EU focused on addressing judicial, administrative, and energy reform. Funds are being channeled into “macro-projects” aimed at preserving and rejuvenating Italy’s cultural sector....

Historic England objects to proposed monument at site of ancient Roman chariot-racing track in Colchester

2022-02-14T14:41:00-05:00

A proposed monument for a historic Army barracks could "harm" remains of an ancient Roman chariot racing track, Historic England said. The Roman Circus, a scheduled ancient monument in Colchester, Essex, shares a site with the Royal Artillery Barracks. An application has been submitted for a monument and two blue plaques to recognise the barracks as one of the earliest in the Colchester Garrison.

According to the Local Democracy Report Service, the Roman chariot-racing track is the only one of its kind in Britain and one of only six unearthed in northern Europe. Historic England, the public body that looks over England’s historic environment, does not believe the proposed commemorative monument would yield public benefit that outweighs the potential harm on the racing track.

Historic England has recommended a new location away from the ancient site be found for the monument. The applicant behind the monument was surprised by Historic England’s objection, noting that a block of residential units had been built near the site and was deemed acceptable.

The English city of Bradford develops a digital twin to help inform planning decisions and promote cultural heritage

2022-02-07T19:36:00-05:00

An online space called Virtual Bradford is set to be completed this summer that would provide a high-resolution 3D online “brick-for-brick” digital twin of Bradford, England’s city center.

The project is a collaboration between the University of Bradford and the Bradford Council. It is also partially funded by the European Union SCORE project, which aims to improve public service through smart open-data solutions. It is hoped Virtual Bradford can help how the city deals with planning, air pollution, traffic management, flood risk, noise pollution, along with the creation of green space.

“Virtual Bradford represents a revolution in terms of city planning,” said Professor Chris Gaffney, Chair in Archeological Sciences at the University of Bradford. “It will enable people to look at the built environment in a virtual 3D world, and then see what impact new developments have on things like surface water drainage, noise pollution, clean air and visual impact.”

“One of the biggest issues...

Italy blocks McDonald's from building drive-through at Rome's ancient Baths of Caracalla

2022-01-04T13:40:00-05:00

Italy’s highest administrative court has definitively barred McDonald’s from building a 10,000 sq. m outlet in the shadow of the third-century Baths of Caracalla, one of Rome’s most celebrated ancient sites. Published on 28 December, the council of state’s ruling upheld the verdict of a lower court preventing the fast food chain from using a tract of land adjacent to the baths to open a drive-through restaurant and parking area.

The court also stated that government authorities are entitled to halt future development projects in or around other important heritage sites. As reported by The Art Newspaper, the Lazio region and the Italian culture ministry can now suspend works in not only existing heritage sites but in locations that authorities “intend to protect”, which have yet to be declared of cultural or landscape interest.

McDonald’s had already started building the drive-through after being approved by the ministry of culture. However, the project was stopped in 2019 following a media outcry and the ministry of culture’s reversal of its position. McDonald’s plans to open 200 new restaurants in Italy by 2025.

David Adjaye selected to design Barbados Heritage District dedicated to memorializing slavery

2021-12-06T18:27:00-05:00

Last Friday, Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley announced the development of the Barbados Heritage District with Ghanaian-British architect David Adjaye leading its design. The cultural center will be located at Newton Plantation, located just outside the country’s capital Bridgetown.

The announcement arrives in the wake of Barbados’ transition to a Parliamentary Republic, which saw the removal of Queen Elizabeth as its head of state and the induction of Sandra Mason as its president. According to the country’s statement, the district will be “dedicated to accurately recounting the historic and contemporary impact of slavery on Barbados and on the lives of individuals, cultures, and nations of the Western hemisphere.” It will include a major global research institute, a museum that will house the largest collection of British slave records outside of the United Kingdom, and a memorial located at the Newton Burial Ground, the largest and earliest slave burial ground in Barbado...

Carles Enrich Studio wins the AR Emerging Architecture Awards 2020 for their dynamic approach to heritage

2021-11-26T10:00:00-05:00

The Architectural Review has announced Carles Enrich Studio as the winner of the AR Emerging Architecture Awards 2020. The Barcelona-based practice was chosen from a shortlist of 16 young architects and designers around the world recognized as “the architectural stars of tomorrow.”

Founded in 2013, Carles Enrich Studio focuses on interventions in Catalonia’s historical landscapes. Their celebrated works include the Merola Tower in Puig-reig, which saw a 13th-century stone tower reactivated by a contemporary timber structure. The firm’s previous accolades include nominations for the EU Mies Award in 2017 and 2019 and participation in the 2012 and 2016 Venice Biennale.

The 16 shortlisted firms for the 2020 awards were published in October of last year.

The award judges, which included previous Emerging Architecture alumni Manuel Aires Mateus, Sameep Padora, and Maria Smith, commended Carles Enrich Studio for reconnecting history with the future and for viewing heritage as infrastructu...

Preservationists are trying to save a piece of Polish Postmodernist Architecture

2021-08-13T11:05:00-04:00

In a last-ditch effort to save an iconic piece of postmodern architecture from its looming demolition, preservationists in Wrocław, Poland have taken an unconventional, yet jovial approach to protesting. Dancing to hits from the 1990s, clad in that era’s attire, in which there was an accompanying fashion show, protestors are paying homage to the Solpol department store.

Built in 1993 and designed by Wojciech Jarząbek, the structure has become one of the most notable examples of Polish postmodernist architecture, reflecting the country’s seismic transformation following the fall of the Iron Curtain. The building broke away from the grey, uniform aesthetics of its built surroundings with its exuberant façade in violet, pink, and green and unique geometric form. While polarizing due to its unique design, Solpol stood out with its modernity compared to other commercial facilities of its type in Wrocław, attracting both locals and tourists.

Photo: Zofia Banaś

However, at the turn of the...

Proposed theme park near Angkor Wat temple complex rejected, for now

2021-03-29T15:40:00-04:00

Cambodia’s Culture and Fine Arts Ministry has rejected a proposal by the Hong Kong casino operator NagaCorp to build a resort and theme park near the sprawling Angkor Wat temple complex after concerns raised by Unesco. The government’s rejection of NagaCorp’s plan to develop 75 hectares of land located around 500m south of the protected buffer zone of Angkor was announced earlier this week, according to Cambodian media outlets.

While a theme park of the proposed size near the Angkor Archaeological Park appears to be off the table for now, a Cambodian government spokesperson indicated potential openness to a scaled-down version in the future, The Art Newspaper reports.

World Monuments Fund pushes back against new international airport in Peru's Sacred Valley of the Incas

2021-02-11T13:42:00-05:00

The World Monuments Fund (WMF) has called on the Peruvian government to halt the next phase of construction of an airport outside the Andean town of Chinchero and conduct a heritage impact assessment to prevent irreversible damage to treasured Incan sites. The WMF designated the Sacred Valley of the Incas, which stretches from the city of Cusco to Machu Picchu, the crown jewel of Inca heritage, a 2020 World Monuments Watch site.

Previously: Archaeologists protest new international airport near Machu Picchu

Finland proposes 13 Alvar Aalto sites for UNESCO World Heritage List

2021-02-03T15:06:00-05:00

Finland is updating its tentative list in line with the World Heritage Agreement [...] At the request of the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Finnish Heritage Agency has produced a proposal for the tentative list, “The Architectural Works of Alvar Aalto – a Human Dimension to the Modern Movement”, which has been created in close collaboration with experts from the Alvar Aalto Foundation and ICOMOS Finland.

According to an announcement by the Alvar Aalto Foundation, the tentative list of Alvar Aalto-designed modern Finnish buildings and districts to be nominated for the UNESCO World Heritage List includes these 13 sites: Studio Aalto; The Aalto House; Finlandia Hall; Social Insurance Institution Main Office; House of Culture; University of Jyväskylä, Aalto Campus; Muuratsalo Experimental House; Paimio Sanatorium; Seinäjoki Civic Centre; Sunila Pulp Mill Residential Area; Säynätsalo Town Hall; Villa Mairea; and the Church of the Three Crosses, Vuoksenniska.

"The full series is still limited, and in practice cannot include all the sites that are considered important," said the foundation's Managing Director Tommi Lindh. "Nevertheless, it will add to interest in Aalto’s production as a whole, and in the Finnish architectural heritage."

Why the National Register of Historic Places lacks a diverse history

2021-01-08T14:04:00-05:00

Less than 8% of sites on the National Register are associated with women, Latinos, African Americans or other minorities. [...] The reason for this underrepresentation is an overly technical, legalistic approach to determining what merits designation.

Sara Bronin, a University of Connecticut Law School professor specializing in historic preservation law, penned an LA Times op-ed about the technical hurdles that have hindered many non-white historic sites to be designated for the National Register of Historic Places.

"Preservationists have started to see past the formalities that have too long prevented us from recognizing diverse histories," writes Bronin. "But we must go further to tackle the legal structures that devalue the stories we all need to hear."

Read also V. Mitch McEwen's latest op-ed on Archinect: Form Follows Fascism Redux.

To preserve or to erase? Aging Modernist buildings across Asia face an uncertain future

2020-12-28T13:39:00-05:00

In cities across Asia, residents and design buffs are rallying to save or document postwar buildings that officials consider too new, too ugly or too unimportant to protect from demolition. Many of the structures were municipal buildings that served as downtown hubs of civic life. The campaigns, in a sense, are an attempt to preserve the collective memories stored inside.

Narendra Modi launches controversial effort to redesign India's parliament complex

2020-12-14T15:23:00-05:00

Despite widespread opposition, the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi has begun a £2bn overhaul of Delhi's grand complex of government buildings in a bid to sever the nation from its colonial past. At a ceremony held last week, Modi laid the foundation stone for a new building to replace Parliament House, designed by English architects Edward Lutyens and Herbert Baker, which upon its completion in 1927 became the seat of power for British-ruled India.

The ambitious plan by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to overhaul the sprawling complex of historic, colonial-era government buildings in Delhi is off to a rocky start: despite ceremonially laying the foundation stone for a new parliament building on December 10, further spending on the project was blocked by India's Supreme Court within the same week.

Since its official reveal in May, Modi's plan to have the heritage-listed central vista redesigned by architect Bimal Patel has been sharply criticized as an "expensive vanity project," including by Indian-born artist Anish Kapoor. In his Guardian Op-Ed, he writes: "Architecture is an effective propagandist tool. [...] This is not the redesign of buildings, it is instead Modi’s way of placing himself at the centre and cementing his legacy as the maker of a new Hindu India."

The new parliament building is expected to be ready for India's 75th anniversary of independence in 2022.

Rebuilding Mosul

2020-06-16T15:18:00-04:00

After a five-week lockdown, several conservation projects have begun in earnest in Mosul as part of a Unesco programme aimed at restoring the rich heritage of the war-ravaged Iraqi city’s old quarter. Restoration work funded by Germany has begun on the Al-Aghawat mosque, houses are being refurbished with the aid of the European Union, and the rehabilitation of the Dominican Al-Saa’a church is under way with funding from the United Arab Emirates.

Rebuilding efforts are underway in Mosul, Iraq as part of UNESCO's Revive the Spirit of Mosul initiative launched in February 2018.

The program aims to reconstruct not only the heavily war-damaged Old City but also foster social reconciliation and trust in the local population after years under brutal ISIS rule through skill development and education.

New Google Arts & Culture initiative documents the threat of climate change to Unesco World Heritage sites

2020-02-06T16:14:00-05:00

Google Arts & Culture has launched a new online initiative calling attention to five Unesco World Heritage sites under threat from climate change. The Heritage on the Edge series reveals how rising sea levels, coastal erosion and extreme weather patterns are endangering landmarks across the world [...].

The five threatened Unesco World Heritage sites featured in the online Heritage on the Edge exhibit are Easter Island's iconic moai statues of Rapa Nui; the Old and New Towns of Scotland's capital Edinburgh; the flood-prone mosque city of Bagerhat in Bangladesh; Tanzania's port city of Kilwa Kisiwani endangered by coastal erosion; and the pre-Columbian adobe metropolis of Chan Chan, Peruvian at risk of drought and storms.

Image via Heritage on the Edge

"Above all, the project is a call to action," writes Professor Dr. Toshiyuki Kono, President of the International Council on Monuments and Sites, in a recent Google blog post. "Heritage on the Edge collects stories of loss, but also of hope and resilience. They remind us that all our cultural heritage, including these iconic World Heritage Sites, are more than just tourist destinations. They are places of great national, spiritual and cultural significance."

Heritage on the Edge. Video via Google Arts & Culture on YouTube.

"The realit...

The grain elevators of the Canadian prairie are disappearing

2020-01-20T15:09:00-05:00

Grain elevators were once an icon of Canada’s west: often painted a bright boxcar red, they stood in towns across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. [...] In the 1930s there were nearly 6,000 towers; now fewer than a thousand remain. The destruction, in many ways, mirrors the broader decline of rural communities in western Canada.

For The Guardian, journalist Leyland Cecco on the struggle of small agricultural communities in Canada's prairie provinces to preserve their aging, wooden grain elevators as cultural heritage monuments.

Restored Alberta Wheat Pool elevators at the Canadian Grain Elevator Discovery Centre in Nanton, Alberta. Photo: Tony Hisgett

Once the pride of every community and dubbed "prairie castles" for their often imposing heights in the flat landscape, thousands of them were left to rot and eventually faced demolition. Only a handful of lucky structures managed to win protection status, such as at the Canadian Grain Elevator Discovery Centre in Nanton, Alberta or the Prairie Elevator Museum in Acadia, AB.

The Nonument Group: digitally preserving architectural treasures before they're lost

2019-08-01T16:25:00-04:00

Working with an international team of researchers and artists, Tomšič and Bricelj Baraga study, map and archive fading sites and Brutalist-style structures. They’re building a database of about 120 case studies across Europe and in former Soviet states and will be releasing a book this year.

"Using a surveying and data-collection process known as photogrammetry and a series of high-powered computer workstations, a team led by Georgios Artopoulos will create a digital model of the monument for use with virtual reality headsets or smartphones," writes the Guardian's Nate Berg about the efforts of the Nonument Group to map and document the rapidly deteriorating and severely vandalized Monument House of the Bulgarian Communist Party (also known as the Buzludzha Monument) — one of many "hidden, abandoned, unwanted or otherwise forgotten" contemporary heritage sites the group aims to digitally preserve before they're gone forever.

The badly damaged interior of the Buzludzha Monument Auditorium. Photo: Stanislav Traykov/Wikimedia Commons