Mitteilungen des Österreichischen Staatsarchivs 39. (1986)
Archive Buildings and the Conservation of Archival Material. An Expert Meeting, held in Vienna, Austria October 30 - November 1, 1985 - STEWART, William J.: Summary of Discussions
Summary of Discussions 263 But I am aware of two recent instances where national archives were installed in structures built for other purposes. In Mexico they are using a former prison, with individual cells being converted into stacks. The drawback is that you traipse miles from one end of the repository to the other. In Brazil the archives took over the former mint. One of the advantages of that solution was the reinforced flooring in the building, heavy duty flooring being required to support the weight of massive coinmaking machinery. Buchmann: A final observation. In the recent past, structures were often tom down heedlessly. Little thought was given to the preservation of the surrounding environment or the architectural and historical values of the building itself. Now we are of a mind to preserve the past, rigidly, sometimes indiscriminately. For example, I have seen cases where only the fagade is retained, the insides being gutted or completely reworked. In point of fact then, we are preserving the shell or skin, nothing else. From the perspective of the future what we are doing today may be judged as totally useless later on. As archivists and historians we have a responsibility to voice our concern about such practices. When we renovate buildings for archival use we should resist those plans that call for extensive remodeling inside, while retaining the outside, giving the appearance that we are preserving the whole. If the renovation scheme is unacceptable to you then may I recommend that you ask for a new building or, if the funds are not available, ask to examine other empty structures. A second look may turn up a more suitable facility. Duchein: When a building is in its original state, interior included, we must proceed with caution. But in many cases, hospitals for example, they already have been extensively modified. Then we have more leeway in remodeling. Yao Yu Cheng: The reports and slide presentation about readapting Italian and Spanish structures to archives have been most helpful to me. China has structures, former bank buildings for example, that might gain a second life as archival repositories. Thanks to the Spanish and Italian experts, I have some ideas to pursue after returning home. Thomas: I think a primary consideration is the practicality of adapting an old building. Ask the question, once it has been remodeled is it a practical building to work in? I know of three examples of old buildings which have been adapted but not to advantage. One is an old prison in the United Kingdom with the cells underneath and the reading room above. It is an interesting idea but most unsatisfactory functionally. A second example is a former church — and again, it is a very nice use of an old building. It is, in fact, a most impractical solution because there is an enormous volume of air inside the structure which has to be heated, cooled, and dried. The tenants are spending huge sums heating empty space, space which is not full of records, which is not full of anything.
