Managing transformation within conservation design. A possible response from a sustainability perspective

Sustainability and architectural heritage conservation are closely intertwined. While both have the common goals of preserving and pro tecting the built environment for future generations,2 the difference between the angles from which these goals are approached has given rise to misunderstandings and contradictions that need to be carefully addressed. An interdisciplinary and international discussion must therefore take place, as they involve different areas, both operational and theoretical, and a broad paradigm of values that, although varying according to geographical specificities, involve different cultures. One of the main critical issues lies in the fact that sustainability within con servation is generally pursued through a reductionist approach that seems to be mostly focussed on the achievement of specific levels of performance requirements, fixed through an a priori approach that disregards the nature of the buildings involved.