Judgment
Material compatibility in heritage intervention
Heritage Unit·2026-07-09·5 min
How to evaluate whether a contemporary solution preserves, alters or contradicts the behavior of a historic work.
Not every modern solution is suitable for heritage. The relevant question is whether it cooperates with existing materiality or forces it to behave in a foreign way.
Compatibility is not only chemical. It is also mechanical, hygrothermal and aesthetic. A bad decision can trap moisture and accelerate decay.
Good intervention means resolving water while respecting built memory.
CompatibilityConservationMateriality