Architecture Charter (Read the Video Description)

ARCHITECTURE CHARTER:

No designated historic building in a designated heritage neighborhood or elsewhere will be torn down or altered with any exterior modernist additions unless extreme circumstances warrant it (i.e., necessary public transit or infrastructure, disaster relief). The only exception is air conditioning units and other necessary utilities, but these should be integrated with the structure as seamlessly as possible. Interior changes that are invisible from the exterior are allowed, whether cosmetic or for retrofitting of utilities.

If a historic building is dilapidated beyond the possibility of repair, it should be replaced with an exact reconstruction as close as possible to the original.

Reconstructed buildings (or “reconstructions”) should have some sort of cornerstone (made out of a material that meshes with the rest of the building) to identify them as such. This way, they cannot be accused of “forgery”.

When creating reconstructions, all external materials must use traditional materials and methods. However, the internal structure and the interior may include modern materials. The exception is if it is a public building or tourist attraction, in which case the interior must be historically accurate as well. However, the internal structure, which is not visible to the public, may use modern materials/methods (internal structure: piping, frame, etc.). Part of the reason for allowing modern materials in the internal structure is to decrease flammability.

If the authentic materials no longer exist locally, then they should be imported from elsewhere, ideally somewhere with similar geology/materials.

Modernist reconstructions should be torn down and replaced with a replica of the original.

“Half-assed” reconstructions should be either torn down/replaced or modified on a case-by-case basis (i.e., many of the subpar reconstructions of the non-landmark buildings in Germany).

Modernist additions to historic buildings should be removed.

If new train stations/railway lines must be built, they should ideally be built outside the borders of old towns wherever possible.

New neighborhoods are held to a lower standard in terms of materials/methods, but they should still attempt to imitate or build upon traditional styles in terms of appearance and layout rather than modernist styles. They can and are encouraged to innovate, however, while maintaining traditionalist principles and qualities.

Generally speaking, all reconstructions of buildings destroyed by war or modernization should reflect their pre-20th century appearance. Some reconstructions, however, may go even further. For instance, if a 19th century building was destroyed in WW2, but that building itself was a replacement of a 17th century building, the reconstruction could be either one. This will be decided on a case-by-case basis.

Reconstructions should generally occur for any pre-WW2 building destroyed in the 20th or 21st century. Buildings destroyed earlier should generally not be reconstructed. For instance, the Ancient Roman ruins should not be reconstructed as full buildings. The one exception is the aforementioned case of pre-WW2 buildings destroyed in the 20th and 21st centuries that replaced even earlier ones themselves—in some of these cases, the earlier one may be reconstructed (possible example: Some of the reconstructions in Poland post-WW2).

If there was a postwar reconstruction that was vastly different from the original but still meets authenticity standards, it may remain up. However, the original could be reconstructed elsewhere (i.e., St. John's Archcathedral in Warsaw).

Original street widths in historic neighborhoods should be preserved, and “car-friendly” or “pedestrian-friendly” or “bicycle-friendly” widenings should be avoided.

Solar panels in old neighborhoods/on old buildings are forbidden, except where they are not visible from the street level.

New buildings in old sections of cities (designated historic neighborhoods) should be built in accordance with the existing styles in these neighborhoods and with original exterior materials. These occurrences should be rare, however, since there is generally very little truly unused space in old cities where new buildings could be built.

New buildings in newer sections of the city can be built however the developers please. However, traditional styles are encouraged.

Generally speaking, with a few exceptions, historic buildings are defined as those built pre-1945 and non-historic buildings are defined as those built since 1945.

A few modernist buildings of exceptional merit (i.e., Sydney Opera House) that were not built before 1945 or in traditionalist styles could be deemed historic, but these are few and far between.

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