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FROM FOUNDATIONS TO DETAIL - Projects, Ideas and Trends
Luxury real estate must not erase the heritage of Boka Kotorska - Reconciling the 18th and 21st centuries is the biggest challenge in the restoration of historical palaces
The Iconic Landscape of Perast - Smekja Palace (Photo: Unsplash/Vladan Raznatovic)
Among the projects he worked on, he singles out the Ivanović Palace in Dobrota, the Smekja Palace in Perast and the Verona Palace from 1801. which were renovated and adapted into hotels, as well as the Venetian Infirmary in Meljini from 1732, which was transformed into a five-star Lazure hotel.
- Projects of restoration and adaptation of historical buildings are much more demanding than projects of new modern buildings. First of all, archival, historical and field research must be carried out, then analyze the existing state and record the object`s values, as well as interventions from previous periods - Professor Radović says.
Only after that, as he explains, is the approach to designing in accordance with the conservation and urban planning-technical conditions, as well as the purpose that the building will be given.
prof. Dr. Goran Radović (Photo: Privatna arhiva)
Before making the first design solution, it is necessary, he adds, to thoroughly research the history of the building, its earlier construction phases and the changes it has undergone.
- The first step is to conduct extensive research that includes archival and written historical materials, literature, planning documentation, previous projects and interventions, as well as conservation research in the field. If necessary, archaeological research is carried out, along with a detailed visual inspection of the building. After that, the state, damages and inappropriate interventions in the materialization and design are noted - Radović explains.
How to reconcile the 18th with the 21st century?
How difficult it is to harmonize historical authenticity with contemporary needs, best illustrates the experience with the renovation of the Venetian Infirmary in Meljina, on the rehabilitation, adaptation and arrangement of which for a five-star hotel, the interlocutor of eKapije worked as a designer and expert supervisor.
- After several of my orders to remove new mechanical and thermotechnical details necessary for hotel facilities, an experienced mechanical engineer asked me, after my third reaction that that version was not good either: "Tell me, how can I reconcile the 18th century with the 21st century?" - recalls Professor Radović.
The Venetian lazaretto in Meljine, dating back to 1732, has been transformed into the five-star Lazure Hotel (Photo: Privatna arhiva)
That question, as he says, surprised and pleased him at the same time.
- I answered him that this is exactly the most difficult question and the most difficult part of our job - he states.
It is precisely the installations and technical solutions, he adds, that best show how important it is to find a way to meet modern requirements without disturbing the historical character of the building.
- All new installations must be hidden and invisible to preserve the authentic appearance of the object. It is always very difficult to find the appropriate lines and solutions. At the Lazaret, we carried out all the installations between the buildings underground, in the canals - Radović points out.
Modern materials and technologies, according to him, can be used in the restoration of historical buildings, but their application must be subordinated to the preservation of cultural values.
- Modern materials can be used in the renovation and adaptation of historical buildings, provided they are invisible. This particularly applies to new constructive and remedial solutions, in order to preserve the cultural values of the building - he explains.
Investor demands often conflict with protection
The adaptation of historic villas to luxury housing and hospitality often raises the question of the boundary between the needs of investors and the principle of protection. The interlocutor states that such requests are not uncommon, but that the architect is expected to clearly point out the consequences of solutions that may threaten heritage.
- Investors` requests that are in conflict with the principles of protection are frequent. I am always honest with investors and openly inform them that such solutions cannot be applied because it would endanger the cultural values of the object. That could lead their investment into even bigger problems - he says.
A compromise, as he explains, can be found through adapting existing spaces or, if the protection conditions allow it, the addition of modern contents that do not damage the appearance of the historical building.
- Compromises are found by searching for alternative solutions, adapting existing spaces or adding modern contents, such as closed glazed terraces, made of visually transparent materials. Such contents should be on the less visible sides of the building, of course, if this is allowed by the urban-technical and conservation conditions - Radović explains.
The Verona Palace, dating back to 1801, has been restored and converted into a hotel (Photo: Privatna arhiva)
Revitalization is an opportunity to preserve heritage
The growing interest in luxury real estate in Boka Kotorska gives historical villas and palaces new economic value, but the interlocutor believes that this need not be a threat to their preservation. On the contrary, properly planned renovation can be a way to prevent decay and ensure long-term maintenance of buildings.
- I think that it is necessary for the historical buildings in Boka to experience revitalization, because this would save them from deterioration and extend their lifespan, provided that the rehabilitation and adaptation are carried out according to the principles of protection - he points out.
He adds that the trend of revitalizing abandoned historical buildings and turning them into new, sustainable contents has been present in the world for a long time.
- The result is the re-inclusion of the building in the social life of the area, highlighting and promoting the cultural values of the object and area itself, population and tourist education, as well as the financial benefits that enable the maintenance of the building or the historical core - the interviewee states.
When it comes to statutory protection and conservation procedures, he believes that the problem is not in the regulations themselves, but in the effectiveness of the institutions that implement them.
- I don`t think legal procedures are an obstacle. Institutions that implement them should be more efficient and employ more qualified, professional staff with experience, so that, together with the designers, they would contribute to a better quality restoration of historical buildings and units - he assesses.
The Verona Palace (Photo: Privatna arhiva)
The permanent loss of cultural values is a crime like killing a man
When asked what represents a greater threat to the preservation of historical villas and palaces in Montenegro - their decay due to carelessness or inadequate restoration that destroys their authenticity, Radović points out that both problems are equally serious and can lead to permanent loss of cultural values.
- Historic buildings that are abandoned deteriorate much faster and reach a state of self-collapse. This sometimes results in the permanent loss of their authenticity and cultural value, which remain recorded only in historical and written documents - warns the interviewee.
On the other hand, the consequences of inadequate restoration depend on the scope and character of the interventions.
- Historical objects that are renovated in an inadequate way have a chance to be repaired by such interventions if they are of a smaller scale and if they have not permanently damaged the object`s cultural values. If the renovation interventions are aggressive and not done according to the principles of protection, it can happen that the cultural values of the object are permanently lost and damaged, which in my opinion is a crime like killing a human being - concluded Prof. Dr. Goran Radović.
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