Frontiers of Architectural Research >

2021 , Vol. 10 >Issue 1: 92 - 107

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foar.2020.07.007

Research article

The Monumentenwacht model for preventive conservation of built heritage: A case study of Monumentenwacht Vlaanderen in Belgium

  • Meiping Wu , 1,2 ,
  • Birgit van Laar 1
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  • 1. Department of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering, Polytechnic University of Milan, Milan, 20133, Italy
  • 2. Key Laboratory of Urban and Architectural Heritage Conservation, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China

Received date: 26 Mar 2020

Revised date: 15 Jul 2020

Accepted date: 28 Jul 2020

Published date: 15 Mar 2021

Copyright

2021 2021 Higher Education Press Limited Company. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of KeAi Communications Co. Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
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Abstract

Monumentenwacht (Monument Watch) is an organization that specializes in the periodic inspection of built heritage to raise awareness among owners and caretakers of the importance of proper maintenance and preventive conservation. It originated in the Netherlands in 1973. It was later established in Belgium, Germany, the UK, Denmark, Hungary, Italy, Slovak, Spain, France, and Portugal in the form of similar organizations and projects with similar aims. The organization promotes the idea of “prevention is better than cure” by offering periodic inspection, monitoring, and minor urgent repair and writing independent professional inspection reports as a reference for owners and users for further maintenance and conservation activities. This study explores the working mode of Monumentenwacht in Flanders, Belgium, including its historical development, organizational structure, inspection team configuration, professional inspection report, database, reporting system, and technical manuals. A brief analysis of other similar organizations and projects in various European countries is included to reveal efficient ways to promote this model while respecting different cultural, economic, social, legal, and political contexts.

Key words： Monumentenwacht; Preventive conservation; Maintenance; Periodic inspection; Built heritage

Cite this article

Meiping Wu , Birgit van Laar . The Monumentenwacht model for preventive conservation of built heritage: A case study of Monumentenwacht Vlaanderen in Belgium[J]. Frontiers of Architectural Research, 2021 , 10(1) : 92 -107 . DOI: 10.1016/j.foar.2020.07.007

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