Current Preventive Conservation Approach: The UNESCO Chair's Perspective
Prof. Koenraad Van Balen
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, R. Lemaire Int’l Center for Conservation
Leuven, Belgium
Ms. Anouk Stulens
Monumentenwacht Flanders
Antwerp, Belgium
September 20, 2010
About the Webcast:
View webcast (1:29:00 minutes - requires Real Player to view)
About the Lecture:
Professor Koenraad Van Balen and director Anouk Stulens presented the activities and the findings to date of the UNESCO Chair on Preventive Conservation, Maintenance and Monitoring of Monuments and Sites (PRECOMOS). This chair was set-up by the University of Leuven, and Monumentenwacht Flanders, both in Belgium, in collaboration with the University of Cuenca in Ecuador. The presentation provided a discussion on current preventive conservation, monitoring and maintenance-based preservation approaches at the international level, based on collected experience from the PRECOMOS UNESCO Chair. Approaching conservation from a preventive point of view, building upon maintenance and monitoring, leads to a paradigm shift in the heritage field. The discussion of these concepts, ongoing research and the long-standing experience by Monumentenwacht (Monument Watch) in Flanders illustrated that preserving authenticity, empowerment of stakeholders and public involvement all benefit from this perspective and approach.
About the Speaker:
Prof. dr. Van
Balen
Prof. dr. Van Balen has a background as engineer, architect, and conservator. He has carried out research and published on technical aspects of conservation of built heritage, interweaving the analysis and the treatments with reflections on the interdisciplinary conservation philosophy. He is the director of the Raymond Lemaire International Centre for Conservation at K.U. Leuven and is the PRECOMOS UNESCO Chair holder. He is also professor at the civil engineering department, and has carried out research on heritage preservation, historic masonry, lime mortar, etc. in collaboration with many different institutes in Europe, USA and Asia.
koenraad.vanbalen@bwk.kuleuven.be
Ms. Anouk
Stulens
Ms. Anouk Stulens has a MA in History of Art and Archaeology and a Master in Conservation of Historic Towns and Buildings (Raymond Lemaire International Centre for Conservation, K.U. Leuven). Since 1998, she has been the director of Monumentenwacht Vlaanderen. Her specific expertise deals with preventive conservation and the management of heritage non-profit organizations.
anouk.stulens@monumentenwacht.be
