Claudiu Silvestru is a Romanian-born architect and sustainability expert, born in 1984 in Cluj-Napoca, currently based in Vienna, Austria. With a strong academic background, he studied architecture at technical universities in Cluj-Napoca, Graz, and Sevilla. Claudiu earned his PhD in architecture from the Vienna University of Technology. His professional journey has been characterised by a commitment to the thoughtful refurbishment of historically significant buildings.
Since 2024, Claudiu has been working as a Project Manager at iC consulenten Ziviltechniker GesmbH. In this role, he leads projects that focus on the sustainable development of both existing and heritage-listed buildings. He is a certified ÖGNI Consultant, an EU Taxonomy Advisor (ÖGNI), and an accredited dismantling expert recognised by the Austrian Construction Materials Recycling Association (BRV).
Claudiu Silvestru, cultural heritage expert and sustainable construction consultant at iC consulenten
Claudiu is deeply committed to preserving cultural heritage and has been a long-time member of ICOMOS Austria. He currently co-leads the organisation's working group focused on sustainability and cultural heritage, emphasising the concept of circularity. In addition, he contributes to two international Scientific Committees within ICOMOS that focus on Energy and Sustainability, as well as the Interpretation and Presentation of Cultural Heritage Sites.
Claudiu's work connects the past and the future. He advocates for adaptive reuse, energy efficiency, and circular economy principles in building refurbishment. His focus is on reusing materials and maintaining architectural authenticity while minimizing resource consumption and environmental impact. For him, historical buildings serve as living narratives. Through public engagement, education, and design practice, he promotes a culture of sustainable urban transformation that honours identity, memory, and social value.
iC consulenten Ziviltechniker GesmbH is a leading Austrian engineering and consulting company with offices across Europe and beyond. With more than 40 years of experience, iC provides integrated solutions in infrastructure, environment, and sustainability. Its interdisciplinary teams work on complex public and private sector projects in construction, mobility, energy, and heritage conservation.
The company is known for its dedication to innovation, quality, and sustainable development by providing specialised services in energy efficiency, circular construction, green certification (including compliance with the EU Taxonomy), and the careful adaptation of historically protected buildings.
Here are some notable projects by iC consulenten in this field:
- The refurbishment and extension of the <strong>Vienna City Museum</strong> (completed 2023) Vienna City Museum (completed in 2023);
- The renovation of the <strong>Theater an der Wien</strong> (completed 2024) Theater an der Wien (completed in 2024);
- The refurbishment of the <strong>Karl Marx Hof</strong> housing complex (completed 2021) "Karl-Marx-Hoff" (completed in 2021);
- Modernisation of the <strong>Austrian Parliament</strong> (completed 2024) Parliament of Austria (completed in 2024);
- Refurbishment of the <strong>Rudolfinerhaus</strong> private hospital (completed 2021 Rudolfinerhaus (completed in 2021).
The Vienna Museum, designed by Oswald Herdtl, opened in 1959 and is recognised as an architectural monument. iC, in collaboration with SPIRK + Partner, was tasked with overseeing the construction of the NEU Vienna Museum project. This included adding 5,1 m² of floor space and installing electrical equipment, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (MSR) systems. Photo: Lisa Rastl, Wien Museeum
PRAGMATIKA.MEDIA: iC consulenten is an engineering company with experience in restoring heritage sites and historical monuments. Could you share your insights on projects in the heritage sector, particularly the challenges and specifics of working with such objects in terms of engineering and project management?
Claudiu Silvestru: Our company has successfully implemented several projects within the heritage sector, focusing on listed and not listed historical buildings. We offer a comprehensive range of services, including project management, building physics, structural engineering, specialised surveying and planning, and sustainable building consultancy and audits.
As an architect specialised in sustainable adaptive reuse, particularly within historic sites, I have found that a holistic approach is essential for the successful implementation of these projects. It requires coordinating various stakeholders—from historical researchers to engineers and engaging with public services and civil society. One of iC consulenten's key strengths is our ability to integrate multiple engineering disciplines in-house, which allows us to manage much of this interdisciplinary dialogue internally and streamline the entire process.
As a result of the reconstruction, the Vienna Museum now offers over 3 m² for its permanent exhibition, an increase from approximately 2 m² prior to the renovations. Photo: Kollektiv Fischka
When managing heritage projects, maintaining strong communication with civil society, NGOs and authorities responsible for listed buildings is crucial. In Austria, for instance, the latter responsibility lies with the Federal Monuments Office. A fundamental requirement for a project to run smoothly is to foster a constructive dialogue with all stakeholders—understanding the perspectives of the local community, authorities, and clients—while establishing a shared vision for everyone involved.
PM: Claudiu, in your opinion, are Austrian engineers the world's leaders in historic building restoration?
C. S.: To pinpoint a single country as the absolute leader in the sector would be an excessive exaggeration. Austria is for sure home to highly skilled conservation architects and specialized engineering companies. However especially when working on a less familiar cultural heritage it is always recommended to involve local experts.
PM: iC portfolio includes the restoration of the Parliament building in Vienna, a large-scale project with a budget of approximately €1 billion. How was is possible to ensure the smooth operation of the parliament and parliamentarians during this process?
C. S.: We were and are involved in several high-impact projects, including the renovations to the Austrian Parliament building. The building, designed by Theophil von Hansen, is internationally recognised for its architectural significance.
The Austrian Parliament building is designated as a monument of special architectural and historical significance. Photo: Bernhard Zofall, Parliament Directorate
Although I was not directly involved in this project, I remember one of the main challenges was – adhering to the budget while meeting a strict timeline. During the construction period, the parliament was relocated to a temporary office building on the premises of the Hofburg with two notable impacts: The “heart of Austrian democracy” remained publicly visible in the centre of Vienna. At the same time it had a significant impact on the perception of the Hofburg outskirts, a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The advantages of working on a high-profile heritage building such as the Austrian Parliament is that it is well documented in terms of original plans, further changes, building behaviour and building history. Further most stakeholders – clients, authorities, planners, construction companies etc. – are all aware at least to a certain extent of the heritage value and resulting requirements and expectations. This helps to get very quickly to a constructive dialogue.
The restoration project posed significant challenges. iC consulenten's role was to provide project monitoring. The focus of the project was on preserving the historic character of the building while meeting modern standards and expectations. Photo: Christian Hikade, Parliament Directorate
PM: Please, tell us about the peculiarities of historic building renovation using the example of projects you were directly involved in.
C. S.: One of the most enriching tasks was to serve as co-lead architect at hochform. Architekten for the adaptive reuse of a 40,000 m² mid-19th century historic building in the heart of Vienna. The project presented significant challenges where architecture and building physics – done by iC consulenten - needed to work together to create solutions that respected the historic character of the building, all while meeting modern expectations and requirements. These challenges are typical in most heritage restoration projects of the buildings of that period.
PM: Was the use of the building altered through the renovation project?
C. S.: The area at Postgasse 8-12 has a reach history leading from medieval buildings to the 1850s main post office of the Habsburg monarchy. The mixed-use project now houses offices, housing, a hotel, a fitness studio and a church with a library used by the Greek Catholic Ukrainian community.
The area at 8-12 Postgasse has a rich history, featuring everything from medieval buildings to the main post office of the Habsburg monarchy in the 1850s. Photo: OPTIN Immobilien GmbH
PM: Was the church integrated into the building during the reconstruction?
C. S.: The Church of St. Barbara has been originally part of a late medieval monastery and was integrated in the post office building of the 1850s. In this construction phase three levels of offices were erected above the nave behind a continuous five storey church facade. One of our project goals was to enhance the social role of the parish by incorporating spaces for a church library and a community centre. Each of these functions has specific requirements, making their integration within the historical framework quite challenging.
According to our national legislation any change in a building’s use must comply with modern building regulations, generally designed for new constructions. A typical hurdle because of this concerns was historic staircases where we had to modify the railing to meet current safety standards. As a design and engineering principle we tried to avoid “planning against the existing fabric”. For example, we integrated new vertical connections for main HVAC-shafts and required elevators in existing courtyards.
Claudio Silvestre: "The historical value of heritage reflects both its glorious and difficult past, which society must acknowledge"
Another fascinating aspect of this project was the director's chambers of the former imperial post office. These spaces have a high level of protection due to the partially gilded stucco on the walls and ceilings, complete with wood panelling, and original parquet floors and original lighting. The conservation and intervention programme followed two main premises: to maintain the age value and the authentic character of the rooms and to incorporate necessary building technology which meets contemporary office standards. We improved the energy performance by including insulating glazing in the inner layer of the box-type windows and integrating a new heating system behind the existing parapet panelling. For the line routing we either only opened and restored the historical border of the floors or reused the existing parquet. For the electrical supply the floor boxes were integrated in the border. Further we successfully preserved the historical chandeliers while incorporating modern LED lighting with safety functions.
PM: What prompted the renovation of this building?
C. S.: The new owner initiated the renovation of the building after the former postal administration sold it. This project has a long history with several owners and concepts. As most developers typically consider introverted and exclusive residential or office buildings, one owner had envisioned the building as housing and a hotel, with the project being stopped just before the start of construction.
However, the next owner proposed a different vision, trying to bring urban dynamics to a quiet residential part of the first district of Vienna through a well-balanced mixed-use. Furthermore, they reflected a progressive outlook in terms of real estate development: instead of maximizing square footage and forcing generous spaces the aim was to open up courtyards to the general public and to minimise interventions on spatial structures. The owner shared the vision of the architect to adapt the use to the building and not vice-versa. This approach allowed the planners to focus on developing detailed technical, restoration, and aesthetic solutions starting from the building fabric rather than on rentability driven big gestures.
The conservation and intervention program had two primary objectives: to preserve the value and authentic character of the premises while incorporating necessary building technologies that meet modern office standards. Photo: OPTIN Immobilien GmbH
PM: You mentioned opening private courtyards to the general public?
C. S.: In the context of this project a requirement of the city of Vienna was to create a pathway through the plot increasing pedestrian accessibility of the 1st district. However, the building features a sizeable courtyard of a thousand square meters, which is more akin to a piazzetta. Demonstrating his progressive vision, the owner used this in his mixed-use concept: the hotel restaurant opens to the courtyard. As a consequence, our architecture opened the courtyard to the adjacent streets creating a public spatial continuum. To emphasize these connections and to stage the transitions, we opened a generous public entree through three axes of the existing façade.
PM: Are heritage restoration projects solely financed by private owners, or is there state or municipal support?
C. S.: Funding of the restoration of privately owned assets primarily falls on private owners. However, there is an initiative of the city of Vienna called the Altstadterhaltungsfonds (Old Town Maintenance Fund), which provides financial support for restoration of building elements that significantly impact the city's overall appearance, such as facades. The amount of assistance available varies based on several factors, including the number of applications submitted each year. Co-financing or subvention systems are provided also on federal state and national level.
PM: Preservation of cultural heritage is crucial for Ukrainian identity, especially in the face of limited resources, financial and human, and the threat of further destruction due to russian attacks. Which steps shall be prioritised to address these challenges?
C. S.: From my perspective, an essential aspect of our work is raising awareness about heritage. We must acknowledge that our interventions within a momentum of history have a long-term and often non reversible impact. The elements we preserve from the past—across various historical periods—and which we strive to use for the future are crucial for maintaining continuity in our culture. This continuity of conscious inheritance is key to UNESCO World Heritage and the concept of outstanding universal value.
When it comes to the destruction caused by wars and armed conflicts, there are protection mechanisms such as the Hague Convention or international non-governmental organisation such as Blue Shield, which are actively involved in the protection of cultural heritage. However, their effectiveness is based on international pressure and the response to this by the aggressor.
The Theater an der Wien, a historic opera house operated by Vereinigte Bühnen Wien (VBW) and part of Wien Holding, underwent a full-scale renovation between 2022 and 2024 and officially reopened in October 2024. The goal was to modernise the building’s infrastructure and technical facilities while preserving its protected architectural heritage. Key upgrades included the modernisation of building services, expansion of the foyer with a terrace and access to the Naschmarkt, enhanced fire protection and accessibility features, and the renovation of both front- and backstage areas. The updated public spaces and advanced stage technology now provide a contemporary opera experience of the highest standard. This extensive project was jointly implemented by the City of Vienna, Wien Holding, and VBW – a strong commitment to Vienna’s cultural legacy and future. Photo: Peter M. Mayr
Another critical aspect of the reconstruction and management of restored sites is capacity building, as there will be a significant demand for skilled specialists. From my discussions with colleagues at iC Ukraine, it seems that the country lacks precise data on the number of available craftsmen and restoration experts. Establishing a structured system that allows restoration work to commence as quickly as possible is something the international community can assist with—this should be prioritised immediately, or even proactively, before extensive restoration efforts begin.
A third important aspect is the rapid digitisation of heritage buildings and archival materials. Digitising buildings requires substantial effort, but it is equally important to digitise historical plans and documentation to preserve technical data on the building's history as a base for conservation and interventions. I am not familiar with the progress made in Ukraine regarding the digitisation of archival materials. In Austria, we face considerable challenges concerning buildings of lesser historical significance. Often, architectural plans exist only as singular paper records in archives, without any digital backups. For instance, in Vienna, we are working on restoring a Secession façade and accessing the necessary paper plans has proven the be difficult due to issues with archive accessibility, missing documents and poor digitisation (scanning) infrastructure.
PM: Is it difficult to access archives even in Vienna?
C. S.: The need for additional digitisation largely depends on the building's profile. For high-profile sites, such as the parliament building, which are well-known and attract public interest, historical plans are usually digitised. In contrast, private buildings, even if they are of high architectural quality, may not receive the same attention - especially if they are not listed as monuments. Although digitisation requires significant effort, we currently have the tools necessary to streamline the process. We can quickly digitise plans and create accurate 2D and 3D representations from photographs and paper documents. The main challenge is not technical; rather, we need to initiate the process and secure the resources to implement it effectively.
The private clinic Rudolfinerhaus suffered heavy damage in March 1945 but was restored during the post-war years. Photo: Stugeba Mobile Raumsysteme GmbH
"Renovation and renovation of existing buildings is 1% inspiration and 99% design"
PM: In your opinion, which target audience shall be addressed to enhance the preservation of historic buildings?
C. S.: It is crucial to focus primarily on social perception, especially when it comes to changing attitudes towards history. For instance, I come from Transylvania, where our urban cultural heritage is defined by several influences from the past: the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, Romanian, Hungarian and German ethnic groups in different hierarchical compositions across history, the communist approach on social urbanisation to name just a few. We, as a local society, must critically address and accept all these aspects as part of our heritage.
In Romania, this acknowledgement has not always been easy due to past ethnic tensions. From my understanding Ukraine is grappling with similar issues. This relationship of society to historical architecture is very important because it is key to the inheriting process and appreciation of cultural heritage. Poor social awareness is a good ground for a political discourse to instrumentalise heritage.
As I understand Ukraine’s law on cultural heritage protection, monuments from the communist or russian imperialist periods require a special committee review and a specific decision to determine whether they should be preserved in or excluded from the heritage list. This approach might seem reasonable considering the instrumentalization of architecture and cultural heritage. However, we should not overlook buildings that represent an integral part of history – the historical value of heritage reflects both glorious and unpleasant history society has to be aware of.
Take, for example, the massive anti-aircraft-towers built by the Nazi regime in Vienna. The original plan was to adorn these structures with marble facades and stage them as monuments to a glorious war. After World War II their monumental presence in the city sparked discussions about whether to dismantle or preserve them and reconsider their significance.
As part of the Rudolfinerhaus 2020 project, the clinic building was both modernised and expanded. Photo: Stugeba Mobile Raumsysteme GmbH
While there were attempts to destroy them, their sheer size and robust concrete construction made that difficult. For some of them strategies for adaptive reuse have been developed and implemented. For instance, one of these towers now houses an aquarium with an additional exhibition space dedicated to its building history and air raids in World War II. Through this critical reinterpretation, the towers have been preserved as historical landmarks and reminders of a dark hour of our history.
PM: Digitalisation is a key tool for heritage protection. In Ukraine, the digitisation of architectural monuments is actively progressing. What practices shall be implemented to enhance restoration efforts?
C. S.: When discussing laser scanning, it's important to note that while the process became quite fast and straightforward, the point cloud it produces lacks meta-information. The next step is to speed up transition to Heritage Building Information Modelling (HBIM). HBIM enables the modelling of building stages and the integration of archival records, past conservation reports, and other essential documents into the model. This way, when it's time to make an intervention, planners have access to all relevant historical information upfront, ensuring that restoration efforts are grounded in a well-documented historical context.
The Rudolfinerhaus combines the functionalities of a medical centre and a luxury hotel, complete with a 5 m² garden for patient recreation and rehabilitation. Additionally, there is a three-level underground car park that accommodates 200 vehicles, including seven charging stations for electric vehicles. Photo: IC group
Another key aspect is how we use these digitised models beyond restoration, particularly in long-term management and damage monitoring. This is crucial during the building's life cycle after restoration and conservation projects have been completed.
This long-term view is the starting point for a comprehensive Conservation Management Plan (CMP). This strategical document not only guides physical interventions but clarifies the values of the building and the purpose behind preservation efforts. A well-structured CMP effectively positions a building within its historical continuum, emphasising its significance at local, national, and even international levels. Based on this significance assessment, the further process includes detailed assessments and the definition of conservation measures as well as necessary interventions. Through this methodology the CMP ensures the preservation of values while addressing challenges related, for instance, to user friendliness, contemporary requirements or climate change. Further the CMP establishes the previously mentioned monitoring and management systems to track the building's condition and performance over time.
Currently, the academic research and industry development both address challenges in advancing HBIM models for heritage preservation. The future of conservation is intricately linked to digitalisation, and the transition from digitisation to practical implementation in restoration along with long-term management and monitoring remains one of the most complex aspects in this field.
PM: Could you explain the difference between HBIM and BIM?
C. S.: The difference lies in the precision of modelling and the amount of data. BIM (Building Information Modelling) is quite straightforward— being designed for new buildings it involves the use of various new, well documented materials, a multitude of standards, and standardised elements. Furthermore, it is implemented during the planning phase with an allocated budget. Besides being in a low budget surveying phase, the challenge with HBIM (Historic Building Information Modelling) arises when dealing with constructions built before mass standardisation (XNUMXnd half of the XNUMXth century), where for instance no wall is perfectly plain and vertical, and no two windows are identical. Additionally, this building elements come from different building phases, which must be included in the model.
At some point, one must recognise that the model cannot serve as a perfect digital twin – even if only due to budget and time constraints. Instead, it should be viewed as a resembling 3D container of metadata as the critical component. For instance, when modelling windows, I would ensure that minimum XNUMXD information required for building simulations and analysis is considered and further geometrical differences are included in consistent metadata. This could include different types of frame profiles, historical glazing or varying details about fittings as well as changes of past interventions.
This approach makes HBIM fundamentally different from conventional BIM modelling. Each HBIM project is more complex to create, yet it needs to be more user-friendly. The primary aim of BIM is to standardise processes and elements. In contrast, the essence of HBIM must be its ability to manage a wide range of diverse elements while still enabling individuals with limited BIM and high handcraft expertise to work effectively with the models.
The Rog Centre, an international creative and social centre in Ljubljana, was established on the site of the former Rog bicycle factory. Renovations carried out between 2010 and 2023 included the reconstruction of the existing building, the addition of a new 9 m² extension, the construction of a 3 m² underground garage, and the development of a new 8 m² park. The Municipality of Ljubljana invested EUR 30 million in these works. The services were provided by Elea iC and included in particular concept design, project documentation, detail design, structual design, as built documentation. Photo: Ana Skobe
PM: Claudiu, how can modern technology assist in the conservation phase of a building? Do approaches differ depending on the era the monument belongs to?
C. S.: In the context of modern tools, our focus extends beyond just digitalisation to include construction technologies and techniques. The current trend to sustainable buildings and adaptive reuse is a favourable position when it comes to working with buildings from earlier historical periods, particularly those built before the XNUMXth century. Because of the historically simple building technology with few different materials and no adhesive connections they fit perfectly in concepts of gentle dismantling, building part reuse and recycling. Further their building mass helps in passive heating and cooling strategies. At the same time, they post different challenges – for instance to low temperature heating systems since they were not designed according to the principles of air tightness. We need to find effective solutions combining the strengths of the existing building with well-considered interventions on the envelope, upgrades of heating equipment or changes of energy suppliers. Although many solutions for these challenges are now well-established, every project has its slight exceptions to the theoretical standard.
However, a more complex challenge arises with buildings constructed after World War II, especially those built between the 1950s and 1990s. These structures often use low-quality construction materials and contain chemical components that can be harmful to human health. Many of these buildings were constructed hastily due to post-war conditions and economic crises. A pressing question we face is how to address these buildings in the context of sustainability and climate change with their thin walls, poor insulation and restrictive space geometries.
“A key aspect is how we use digitized models after restoration, particularly for long-term damage management and monitoring.”
For heritage-listed buildings from this period, exposed concrete presents an additional challenge. Unlike other materials, concrete surfaces cannot be restored seamlessly; any cracks will always remain visible after restoration, serving as reminders of the passage of time.
PM: Claudiu, what is Austria’s general perspective on post-war architecture, in particular modernism and brutalism? Are there any examples of such buildings that have been listed and restored?
C. S.: In my opinion, at the moment there are fewer post-war heritage buildings listed as historical sites than there should be. This is partly due to the social perception of heritage and conservation which often doesn’t consider these structures as historically significant. Although this is changing, it is a slow process. However, there are international initiatives like DOCOMOMO that focus on this era and these types of buildings. DOCOMOMO is an international association dedicated to documenting modernist architecture. While they have many buildings in their database for Austria, most of them are not listed by the Federal Office for the Protection of Monuments – despite their high architectural value due to typology and historical events they represent.
Nevertheless, several buildings have been restored, including Villa Razek where the Federal Monuments Office was involved in developing a best practice conservation management plan.
Another notable example to the restauration of which iC contributed some years ago is the Karl Marx Hof in Vienna, a large housing complex built after World War I. This architecture was groundbreaking for that time, providing essential community services and spaces for people to come together and spend their leisure time. Contemporary housing development can learn from such examples how residential architecture can foster social cohesion.
The large Karl-Marx-Hof residential complex in Vienna was constructed after the First World War. This architecture was innovative for its time, providing essential public services and communal spaces for leisure activities. Photo: C.Stadler/Bwag, commons.wikimedia.org
PM: So, when renovating buildings of that time, is it important to rethink their functionality?
C. S.: It is important to note that most efforts to accept, inherit and “live” historical buildings are not focused on those officially registered as heritage sites. Instead, these initiatives are often driven by community awareness and engagement. As an anecdote take for instance Alterlaa: this satellite city from the 1970s had a complete own infrastructure including sports facilities such as swimming pools and football pitches. In the 1990s some residents established a TV channel to provide relevant information to the community. After a tremendous effect on communication and social cohesion especially during the COVID 19 lockdowns the channel is still operating today. This highlights a growing awareness among residents, who are increasingly identifying with their local community spaces and recognise the merging of heritage and their everyday culture.
"Integrating the principles of circular construction and reuse into university curricula is essential to properly prepare students for their future careers"
PM: Another important issue you mentioned is the development of professional capacity. The reform of restoration education and the training of restorers at architectural universities is actively being discussed in Ukraine. What key elements shall be included in the curricula for future restorers? How this is approached in Austria?
C. S.: Much has changed since I studied. Currently, almost all institutes at architectural faculties in Vienna deal with adaptive reuse. During a recent site visit with students from the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, we asked which of them would like to work in refurbishments after graduation and which in new buildings. Not a single student opted for new buildings.
This shows a clear trend in the field. However, we face two significant challenges. First, there is insufficient dialogue with the construction industry and the restoration sector, particularly with master craftsman during the early stages of student training. Second, restoration is fundamentally an artisanal craft that requires meticulous attention to detail and a focus on reusing building components, which is central to our current efforts towards circular building. I strongly believe that integrating circular building and reuse principles and into university curricula is essential for adequately preparing students for their future careers.
Modern housing construction can learn from the example of Karl-Marx-Hof about how residential architecture can foster social cohesion. Photo: IC group
I also believe we need to establish a parallel path of specialisation for individuals already working in planning and construction. Typically, university graduates have substantial theoretical knowledge but lack practical experience. On the other hand, professionals with construction experience may find the principles of reuse and circularity appealing, yet they don’t know how they fit to established workflows. We encounter challenges similar to those faced a few years ago with the adoption of Building Information Modelling (BIM). University graduates understood BIM in theory, but they were young and inexperienced, while seasoned professionals in the industry struggled with its practical application. It took time to bridge that gap.
Capacity-building programs not tied to credit systems or long-term degree tracks could provide an effective solution. These programs could encourage professionals already in the construction field to enhance their expertise, facilitating a smoother transition toward more sustainable and restoration-focused practices. iC consulenten is collaborating on a project to develop a course that focuses on capacity building for the circular reuse of historic building components. Simultaneously, we are exploring ways to bring this approach to the market efficiently and swiftly.
PM: As for the new university programmes, what are the key elements to be included?
C. S.: Firstly, there should be a much greater focus on the study of materials. Drawing from my experience as a student in Austria, as well as Spain and Romania, it has become evident that there has been a long-standing emphasis on conceptual development in architectural education. However, students often lack a micro-level approach. They need to explore materials in depth and study construction chemistry and construction physics. Keeping not only heritage but ecological, economic and social sustainability in mind, architectural interventions should be understood primarily in terms of conservation, restoration and adaptive reuse of the existing. To paraphrase the well-known quote: this construction in existing buildings is 1% inspiration and 99% engineering. The latter is the tool they need to acquire to unlock the first.
Just to give some examples: when graduating, students should be able to engage in discussions with professionals from the materials industry to determine whether the solutions they are proposing are suitable for existing buildings. Additionally, they should be trained in recognising harmful pollutants found in materials we currently know to be detrimental to health, and which we need to eliminate from buildings. Furthermore, projects should be analysed from a life cycle perspective, focusing on circular economy.
"ICOMOS International has several international scientific committees dealing with the engineering aspects of historic buildings"
PM: Is there a global community of restorers?
C. S.: There are several international interest groups and associations in the heritage sector. Also, there is significant pressure on the heritage interest groups and professionals to drive change, focusing also on engineering and more comprehensive policy development. For example, at ICOMOS International, we have several International Scientific Committees that deal with engineering aspects of historical buildings such as “Structures of Architectural Heritage” or “Energy and Sustainability” (ISCES). Especially with very dynamic topics such as climate change, with a lot of impact on regional, national and international levels ISCES provides a good platform to discuss internationally, highlighting the different legislative approaches across various national states. For instance, we currently have an intensive exchange on the implementation of the European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) within the context of national legislation dealing with buildings of architectural merit.
Another key area of focus for these communities is circular economy and reuse. Last December, ICOMOS Austria, in collaboration with the Federal Monuments Office, hosted a conference on this subject. We brought together experts from conservation and sustainable building, covering aspects such as historical reuse, legal frameworks, life cycle assessments, pre-demolition audits and circular business models in the refurbishment sector. While all fields share a common interest in the topic, there is still much work to be done putting theory into everyday building practice.
