Update 5 July 2010 -- Attention on preservation issues in China have come to American attention with the opening of the Shanghai Expo 2010. On 2 May 2010, the New York Times published a detailed description of various buildings and neighborhoods - threatened and protected - in Shanghai. The article highlights the efforts of the Ruan Yisan Foundation. Many of these sites were featured in the exposition at the Musée Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine (Oct-Dec 2009). I have added some images from the exposition to my Week 5 blog entry "Water Towns".
20 October 2009 -- This week begins a three-week stay with the Ministry of Culture in Paris. The week actually began at 8 AM on Sunday when I joined a Chinese delegation of preservationists on a two-day bus tour of the Loire Valley: Château de Chambord, Château de Chenonceau, the Cathédral Saint-Gatien in Tours, the Château de Chinon followed by the historic center of Chinon, and several welcoming receptions by officials as well as in a lovely modernized 15th or 16th century private home in l'Ile d'Or, next to Ambroise. The visit coincided with the grand opening of an exhibition on Cities and Heritage in China at the Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine in Paris and the publication of a book on the historic Water Towns of the lower Yangzee River.
Finishing touches being put on the exhibition at the Cité.
In China, the rapid pace of economic development is threatening significant historic sites across the country. In 2006, Professor Ruan Yisan created a foundation to raise awareness and to facilitate preservation of historic buildings and towns. It is the first non-governmental organization (NGO) created regarding historic preservation in China: Ruan Yisan Heritage Foundation
Professor Ruan Yisan speaking at a formal meeting between the Chinese delagation and Isabelle Maréchal, Adjunct Director of Direction de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine(DAPA), Ministère de la Culture et Communication (MCC)
For images from the exhibition "Cities and Heritage in China", click on "Read More".
20 October 2009 -- This week begins a three-week stay with the Ministry of Culture in Paris. The week actually began at 8 AM on Sunday when I joined a Chinese delegation of preservationists on a two-day bus tour of the Loire Valley: Château de Chambord, Château de Chenonceau, the Cathédral Saint-Gatien in Tours, the Château de Chinon followed by the historic center of Chinon, and several welcoming receptions by officials as well as in a lovely modernized 15th or 16th century private home in l'Ile d'Or, next to Ambroise. The visit coincided with the grand opening of an exhibition on Cities and Heritage in China at the Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine in Paris and the publication of a book on the historic Water Towns of the lower Yangzee River.
Finishing touches being put on the exhibition at the Cité.
In China, the rapid pace of economic development is threatening significant historic sites across the country. In 2006, Professor Ruan Yisan created a foundation to raise awareness and to facilitate preservation of historic buildings and towns. It is the first non-governmental organization (NGO) created regarding historic preservation in China: Ruan Yisan Heritage Foundation
Professor Ruan Yisan speaking at a formal meeting between the Chinese delagation and Isabelle Maréchal, Adjunct Director of Direction de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine(DAPA), Ministère de la Culture et Communication (MCC)
For images from the exhibition "Cities and Heritage in China", click on "Read More".
Restoration of many French historic monuments appears to be a never-ending effort, due to sheer size of the monuments, the methodical process of intensive research to inform design decisions prior to construction, high construction cost, and the labor-intensive process of careful restoration of stone, leaded glass, painted walls or frescos, woodwork, or other trades. In the Loire Valley city of Tours, Arnaud de Saint-Jouan, Architecte en Chef des Monuments Historiques, introduced us to several of the restoration efforts currently underway at the Cathedral Saint-Gatien, built between 1170 and 1547.
Several construction efforts were in progress: exterior masonry restoration of the south tower was well underway; a pre-construction study of painted interior walls in a side chapel just south of the altar; and about to begin was an effort to stabilize the northern wall of the north transept. Click on "Read More" to learn about a technique the French have refined for adding a second layer of glass to the outside of the leaded windows, to help protect them against further oxidation, without losing the jointed character of the leaded glass window on the exterior.
Detail of deteriorated condition of north rose window
Several construction efforts were in progress: exterior masonry restoration of the south tower was well underway; a pre-construction study of painted interior walls in a side chapel just south of the altar; and about to begin was an effort to stabilize the northern wall of the north transept. Click on "Read More" to learn about a technique the French have refined for adding a second layer of glass to the outside of the leaded windows, to help protect them against further oxidation, without losing the jointed character of the leaded glass window on the exterior.
Detail of deteriorated condition of north rose window
