Heterotopia and Heritage Preservation

This book approaches the field of built heritage and its practices by employing the concept of heterotopia, established by the French philosopher Michel Foucault. The fundamental understandings of heritage, its evolution and practices all reveal intrinsic heterotopic features (the mirror function, its utopic drive, and its enclave-like nature). The book draws on previous interpretations of heterotopia and argues for a reading of heritage as heterotopia, considering various heritage mechanisms heritage selection, conservation and protection practices, and heritage as mnemonic device in this regard. Reworking the six heterotopic principles, an analysis grid is designed and applied to various built heritage spaces (vernacular, religious architecture, urban 19th century ensembles). Guided through this theoretical itinerary, the reader will rediscover the heterotopic lens as a minor, yet promising, Foucauldian device that allows for a better understanding of heritage and its everyday practices.

Offers a practical perspective on an otherwise traditionally theoretical discussion (heterotopian studies) Presents a new method for analyzing heritage preservation, heritage values and the intervention on the built heritage Interdisciplinary appeal

Inhalt
Introduction.- Using Foucault's Toolbox: Heterotopia as a New Tool for Assessing Built Heritage.- Heterotopia as Materialised Utopia. Utopias and their Architectural Embodiment. The 'Heritage Utopia'.- Heterotopia of Function vs. the Heterotopia of Form. The Heterotopic Principles, their Interpretation and the Built Heritage. The Heritage Perspective.- Heritage as Heterotopia and the Heterotopic Profile as an Analysis Tool.