The stratified significance of a historic facade as a basis for a more durable conservation approach

In heritage conservation, a gap is often observed between the theory of conservation as a durable process that aims at the preservation of a historic building and the practice of restoration as a single intervention that aims at a fast and convincing result. This paper describes the proposed approach for the conservation of the main façade of the Shoemakers Chapel (in Dutch: Schoenmakerskapel) in Antwerp (Belgium), a listed monument since 1976. It serves as an example of how to develop a durable and realistic approach for the conservation of a sixteenth century façade. The basis for the conservation approach is the understanding that each intervention should take the stratified significance of the historic façade into account. In this paper, it will be shown how to combine a study of the façade from a technical point of view with an analysis of the façade as a carrier of cultural significance.