AVS. Arkitektúr verktækni skipulag - 01.06.2003, Page 27

tions will use old buildings and
the demands we try to fulfil today
have to take this into account. In
the future, old buildings will prob-
ably be worth more and then
people will consider our merciless
attitude towards them a mistake.
In our decision making today, we
must therefore not limit the possi-
ble future uses of old buildings to
any marked extent.
Symbol of the Times
„The present is a stupid horse
with an empty head." Sometimes
this applies to our work because
of the lack of care and haughti-
ness that governs what we do
today. The rights of ownership
are more important than other
rights and it is difficult for proper-
ty owners to realise why they
cannot do with their properties
what they want. However, there
is another, unwritten right. The
right of history to tell its story. We
do not own history, it belongs to
the future. We (as has already
been stated) dwell here only for a
while as owners and have no
right to cover the footsteps of his-
tory. Instead, we should bring it
to the future.
All actions, the tearing down of
buildings and alterations, should
be above the prevailing fashion.
Fashion is ephemeral. Tomorrow
is a new day with new fashion.
The currents of fashion are inter-
national and the new buildings of
today could be in any western
country. We have to preserve that
which typifies us as a cultured
nation. All types of building
preservation are an important
part of our culture.
The number of old buildings in
lceland is minimal and not to be
divided up. It is not possible to
relocate all old buildings to muse-
ums or create new districts with
them, out of context. Buildings
worthy of preservation should
be permitted to stand in their
original context. In that way, they
can best tell history. Buildings in
museums have lost a great deal
of their value when they are no
longer where they were built and
do not fulfil their original function,
but are instead a museum object
housing other museum objects.
It is perhaps a sign of the times
that everything old is hidden or
destroyed. In this way it is some-
times discussed how we treat old
people of this country. When
people have reached a certain
age, they should leave the
workplace and their houses and
get out of the way of others who
are in the prime of their lives.
Hopefully, this attitude is not
common and does not apply to
cultural remains.
Many people sense the „charm"
of old buildings and are willing to
spend their money and time to
maintain them. Their numbers are
increasing. The Preservation
Committee has tried to assist
these people as its finances have
permitted. The same applies to
local authorities that have special
preservation funds that people
can apply for. The loan system
Hönnun og handverk sem tekið er eftir og
gera bæi okkar eftirsóknarverða bæði fyrir
ferðamenn og landsmenn.
Good design and workmanship is noticed
and makes our towns interesting, both for
tourists and residents.
could however be better pre-
pared for such people. If we are
in doubt, let old buildings enjoy
the benefit of that doubt and do
less rather than more. ■
Friðað hús [ Reykjavtk. Safnahúsið (Þjóðmenningarhúsið) við Hverfisgötu er samofið sjálfstæðis-
baráttu okkar. Lesa má sögu þjóðarinnar úr byggingum hennar.
A conserved building in Reykjavík. The Safnahús (Þjóðmenningarhús), on Hverfisgata is part of
lceland’s fight for independence. National history can be read from its buildings.
25