The modern house: conservation and (re)use through the narrative approach

A narrative approach to heritage conservation offers a promising balance between preserving modern houses' historical integrity and enabling adaptive reuse, addressing the challenges posed by modernity's ephemeral nature. This study evaluates four iconic modern houses—Villa Tugendhat in Brno (frozen as a museum), Chabot Museum in Rotterdam (refunctioned as an art museum), Haus Schminke in Löbau (used as a guest house), and Maison Guiette in Antwerp (still in residential use)—using criteria such as significance, reversibility, expandability, and craftsmanship. The analysis reveals that while the narrative approach may introduce subjectivity or dilute valuations, it effectively sustains multifaceted historical perspectives and accommodates future changes without compromising core heritage values. This cross-case study provides actionable insights for theorizing the adaptive conservation of modernist architecture, ensuring its relevance for both contemporary and future contexts.

Augustiniok, N., & Özmen, A. (2024). The modern house: conservation and (re)use through the narrative approach. Open House International. https://doi.org/10.1108/ohi-02-2024-0071