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 - USÓN, Cristina: Adaptation of Ancient Buildings as Archives Repositories in Spain

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Archive Buildings

special needs of Spanish archives: for example, the minimum requirements for the strongrooms are set at 10 linear kilometers of shelving space, which is justified if one takes into account that 2/a of these archives hold less than 1,500 metres of records and that in the future the new political organization of regional autonomies will reduce the volume of state documentation generated in the provinces.

In any case, every old building presents unique problems which depend on its site and structural design.

2.1

First, we must take into consideration the normal problems related to the site, which buildings and vacant sites have in common, for example, the strength of the ground, the existence of water above or underground, which can determine whether or not basement areas can be constructed, although problems of dampness can be solved by the use of insulation or drainage.

We must also consider the accessibility of the building. In general, old remodelled buildings are usually in the older area of the city near other administrative, cultural and educational institutions. Sometimes the construction of the archives is part of a larger municipal plan to restore the old areas. That is the case in Cuenca, where quick access from the modem city center will be ensured with a new bus route.

Future expansion of the archives and even remodeling plans can be affected by the surroundings of the building. This was the case in Toledo, where the removal of debris from the interior was paralyzed until authorization was given to knock down a 17th-century brick wall, which will later have to be restored. Documents will be brought to the archives in the future by means of an unloading area inside the building.

2.2

Although the condition of the building itself is important, there are technical means to resolve structural problems. These solutions are restricted by requirements which state that certain structural and artistic elements must be preserved, as well as municipal ordinances regarding building volume, maximum height and construction of basements.

There are three major structural solutions:

1. Complete removal of internal structures, leaving only the facade, exterior walls or even the roof intact. This permits a better design for the archives, as it offers the possibility of organizing the entire space. A new building can actually be constructed within the walls of the old one.

2. Adaptation of the building, keeping existing floors or internal walls. Interior patios or stairways can make this solution less practical.

3. A combined solution, with different treatment for the strongrooms area, generally of new construction, while older structural elements are preserved