Future of the past : augmented history, preservation as a catalyst for transformation

Abstract

Preservation today focuses on the historicizing of events, and the objectifying of these historic artifacts, taking away its ability for further change. It becomes a single artifact, distancing itself from contemporary discourses. This thesis is about preservation, and the role of architecture in preserving historic sites. It is a thesis where its main objective is not of the final project, or artifact, but one which provokes a discourse, where we are confronted with the core meaning of preservation. This field of preservation has existed for thousands of years, but we have not truly re-examined the role of preservation. Preserving must mean more than just to sanction off the site, killing any further transformation, but to allow it to partake in the contemporary discourse, and to give it a future. There are many questions at hand; why do we preserve? What do we preserve? How do we preserve? But in the end, how can preservation become a catalyst for further growth, is the question this thesis seeks to answer through its design.We need to ask the questions; why do we preserve? What do we preserve? How do we preserve? In the struggle to find answers to these questions through architecture, it was in the discourses which rose from each stand point that gave this thesis meaning.