Unplanned Conservation. From Prague to Europe

This essay focusses on a particular approach of architectural conservation that derives from a spontaneous attitude to protect existing buildings otherwise condemned to destruction through new ways of living with them. This praxis is normally considered ‘outside’ of theoretical-academic interests regarding conservation. However, this intuitive appreciation of existing buildings influences social activities and implicates important consequences on architecture. In other words, this appreciation actually is able to ‘produce’ architectural preservation, meanwhile representing one of the more evident ways of social participation in the culture of conservation – two good reasons for analysing the phenomenon more deeply. The absence of established conservation programs – clearly defined by the elaboration of architectural projects and management plans – or, from the opposite perspective, the contraposition to precise demolition schedules - allows us to define this phenomenon as ‘unplanned conservation’ . As a matter of fact, it essentially represents the result of the people's special appreciation for the existing architecture – either arising from its being ‘ancient' and from its particular aesthetic qualities – that can inspire low cost maintenance while oriented to functional purposes.