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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.

Historic materiality in close-up

Material compatibility as a conservation criterion.

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