Khandokar Mahfuz Alam

Assistant Architect
Department of Archaeology
What is Conservation?

Conservation means all the processes of looking after a place so as to

retain its cultural significance.

All efforts designed to understand cultural heritage, know its history and
meaning, ensure its material safeguard and, as required, its presentation,
restoration and enhancement.

(Cultural heritage is understood to include monuments, groups of

buildings and sites of cultural value as defined in article one of the World
Heritage Convention).
All measures and actions aimed at safeguarding tangible cultural heritage while
ensuring its accessibility to present and future generations.

Conservation embraces preventive conservation, remedial conservation and

restoration. All measures and actions should respect the significance and the
physical properties of the cultural heritage item.

It is a process through with the material, historical, deign integrity of built heritage
are prolonged through careful interventions.

• Tangible Cultural Heritage: The term Tangible Cultural Heritage refers in general to all the
material traces such as archaeological sites, historical monuments, artifacts, and objects that are
significant to a community, a nation, or/and humanity.

• Intangible Cultural Heritage: Intangible Cultural Heritage indicates 'the practices,

representations, expressions, knowledge, skills – as well as the instruments, objects, artefacts
and cultural spaces associated therewith – that communities, groups and, in some cases,
individuals recognize as part of their Cultural Heritage' (UNESCO, 2003).
Philosophies in Conservation
• Consolidation

• Preservation

• Restoration

• Conservation

• Reconstruction

• Rehabilitation

• Adaptive Reuse
Consolidation

A treatment used to strengthen

deteriorated materials to ensure their
structural integrity. Traditional skills
and materials are preferred. The
intervention should be reversible.

Repointing is an example of a
reversible consolidation treatment. An
Lal Darwaza /
example of a non-reversible Sher ShAH Shuri
consolidation process would be the Gate, New Delhi,
India
strengthening of a timber by inserting
metal rods in a bed of epoxy.
Preservation

The protection of cultural property through activities

that minimize chemical and physical deterioration
and damage and that prevent loss of informational
content. The primary goal of preservation is to
prolong the existence of cultural property.

Preservation involves management of the

environment and of the conditions of use, and may
include treatment in order to maintain a cultural
property, as nearly as possible, in a stable physical
condition.
Restoration

The process of restoration is a highly specialized operation. Its aim is to preserve and reveal the
aesthetic and historic value of the monument and is based on respect for original material and
authentic documents.

Restoration means returning the existing fabric of a place to a known earlier state by removing
accretions or by reassembling existing components without the introduction of new material.

Restoration may include the removal of additions and alterations made after the particular time period,
and reconstruction of missing earlier features.
Before Restoration Hammam Khana Lalbag Fort, Lalbag,Dhaka. Ongoing Restoration works of Hammam Khana Lalbag Fort, Lalbag,Dhaka.
(2020) (2022)
Conservation

Conservation embraces preventive conservation, remedial conservation and restoration. All measures and
actions should respect the significance and the physical properties of the cultural heritage item.

Means all the processes of looking after a place so as to retain its Natural, Indigenous and Cultural
significance. It includes protection, maintenance and monitoring. According to circumstance it may
involve preservation, restoration, reconstruction, reinstatement or adaptation and will be commonly a
combination of more than one of these.
Reconstruction

Reconstruction means returning a place

to a known earlier state and is
distinguished from restoration by the
introduction of new material into the
fabric.

Involves the re-creation of a non-existent

building on its original site. Based upon
historical, literary, graphic and pictorial Before After
as well as archaeological evidence, a
Reconstruction works of Egaro Shib Mandir, Avaynagar, Jashore. (2017)
replica of the original is built using both
modern and/or traditional methods of
construction.
Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation is usually carried out in order to extend a building's life and/or its economic
viability. It may involve more adaptation than conservation, but will still preserve most of the
building's original features. It may involve upgrading, some modification, remodeling,
rebuilding or retrofitting, and some repairs. It may be done to the exterior as well as the interior
of the building. It may be referred to as major or minor.

The process of modifying an historic building to extend its useful life through alterations and
repairs, while preserving the important architectural, cultural and historical features.
Adaptive Reuse

Implies the recycling of an older

structure often for a new
function. Extensive restoration
or rehabilitation of both the
interior and exterior is usually
involved.
 Documentation …..
Documentation of cultural heritage, broadly defined, includes two main activities:
(1) the capture of information regarding monuments, buildings, and sites,
(2) the process of organizing, interpreting, and managing that information.

Documentation is one of the most important component for the conservational work.
Documentation Types for Built Heritage …..
There are so many types of documentations:
1. Audio Documentation
2. Material/Objects Documentation
3. Architectural Documentation
4. Photography Documentation
5. Videography Documentation
 Architectural Documentation
o Architectural Documentation means an architectural drawings, specifications, and
other outputs of an Architect that only an Architect can sign and seal consisting,
among others, of vicinity maps, site development plans, architectural program,
perspective drawings, architectural floor plans, elevations, sections, ceiling plans,
schedules, detailed drawings, technical specifications and cost estimates, and other
instruments of service in any form.

o Architecture documentation is both prescriptive and descriptive.

o One of the most fundamental rules for architectural documentation in particular, is to

write from the point of view of the reader. Documentation that was easy to write but is
not easy to read will not be useful.
How do we Architectural documentation for a heritage building?
vGeneral Tips for Taking Measurements.
vChecklist to Be Prepared.
vThe following points are to be carried out in building documentation. ...
1) The Site and Its Surroundings. ...
2) Plans. ...
3) Elevations and Sections. ...
4) Technical Drawings. ...
5) Elevation Details. ...
6) Sectional Details.
7) Door
8) Windows
9) Interior Details
10)Cornices
11)Light Fittings
12)Plumbing Fittings
13) Craft Items
14)Flooring Layout
 Why Architectural documentation is essential for a heritage building?

•recording the architectural drawings like: plan, elevation, section etc.

•recording the conditional survey of heritage building ;
•recording the architectural features ;
•identification of the architectural features ;
•protection and preservation;
•access to information;
•updating of information;
•preservation of information.
 Architectural documentation is essential for a heritage
building, Lets find out …..

Ø Venice Charter;
Ø Burra Charter;
Ø Nara Authentic Document;
PUBLICATION
Article 16.
In all works of preservation, restoration or excavation, there should always be precise documentation in the
form of analytical and critical reports, illustrated with drawings and photographs. Every stage of the work
of clearing, consolidation, rearrangement and integration, as well as technical and formal features identified
during the course of the work, should be included. This record should be placed in the archives of a public
institution and made available to research workers. It is recommended that the report should be published.
Follow to the Article 16 (Publication) of Venice Charter 1964.
 Steps of Architectural documentation for heritage building

Ø Post Architectural Documentation(Existing Condition);

Ø Conservation Drawings( Provide guidance to prepare
Conservation Plan);
Ø After Architectural Documentation.
 Process of Architectural documentation of heritage
building…..

Ø Manual Measurements
Ø Photogrammetry
Ø 3D Scanning
•Architectural Documentation
Khelaram Datar Mandir,Nawabganj, Dhaka (2013)
Khelaram Datar Mandir,Nawabganj, Dhaka (1986)
Khelaram Datar Mandir,Nawabganj, Dhaka (1986)
Khelaram Datar Mandir,Nawabganj, Dhaka (2012)
Khelaram Datar Mandir,Nawabganj, Dhaka (2014), After Conservation.
Architectural Documentation
Rabindra Kuthibari, Shialadaha, Kushtia (2017)
Architectural Documentation
Sat Gombuj Mosque, Mohammadpur , Dhaka (2017)
Architectural Documentation
Architectural Documentation
PARI BIBI TOMB, LABAG FORT, LABAG,DHAKA (2022)
PARI BIBI TOMB, LABAG FORT, LABAG,DHAKA (1966)
PARI BIBI TOMB, LABAG FORT, LABAG,DHAKA (2022)
Conservation Process in Bangladesh:

Classified the Conservation works of Department of Archeology in three way:

Traditional Method (before 2015)

Interim Method (After 2015 to 2019)

Standard (International)Method (After 2019 to till present)

Traditional Method

• No Documentation (Record, Drawings, conditional survey etc.);

• No interventions ;

• No Archival History;

• No Structural Analysis;

• Not to follow international charters or method;

• No Conservation plan and Policy &

• No proper and complete After Completion report.

Khelaram Datar Temple, Nawabganj, Dhaka

Before Conservation works

Before Conservation works
Before Conservation works
Before Conservation works
Ongoing Conservation works
Ongoing Conservation works
Ongoing Conservation works
Ongoing Conservation works
Ongoing Conservation works
Ongoing Conservation works
After complete the Conservation works
After complete the Conservation works
Interim Method

• Partial Documentation (Record, Drawings, conditional survey etc.);

• Partial interventions ;

• Partial Archival History;

• No Structural Analysis;

• Partial followed by international charters or method;

• Partial Conservation plan and Policy &

• Partial proper and complete After Completion report.

Egaro Shib Mandir, Avaynagar,Jashore
Architectural Documentation
Before Conservation
Conservation Process

Numbering old bricks for Conservation Works

Production of Terracotta In Site
Production of Terracotta In Site
Production of Terracotta In Site
Burner : Production of Terracotta In Site
Burner : Production of Terracotta In Site
Burner : Production of Terracotta In Site
Burner : Production of Terracotta In Site
Assembling Terracotta on Temple
Using Mortar ( Lime & Brick dust)
Ongoing Conservation Work
Ongoing Conservation Work
Ongoing Conservation Work
After Conservation
After Conservation
Berger Architect`s Award 2017
 Standard (International)Method
• Documentation (Record, Architectural Drawings, conditional survey etc.);

• Interventions ;

• Archival History;

• Fully followed by international charters or method;

• Structural Analysis (Load bearing & Crack analysis);

• Conservation plan and Policy &

• Proper and complete After Completion report (ongoing)

Ongoing Conservation Works
Internal Lighting
Discussion:

How this presentation of Conservation and Restoration

of Architectural heritage buildings in Bangladesh
will help or relevant the participants of this course?
 TYPES OF MODERN MUSEUM
There are various types of museum at modern age.

• Architectural museum;
• Archaeology museum;
• Art museum;
• Ethnology or ethnographic museum;
• Historic house museum;
• History museum;
• Living history museum;
• Memorial museum;
• Military and war museum;
• Natural history museum;
• Science museum;
• Specialized museum &
• Virtual museum.
Historic House Museum in Bangladesh:

Ahsan Manjil, Dhaka.

Tajhat Zamidar Bari,Rangpur.
Baliahati Zamidar Bari, Rangpur.
Thank You