The Building Conservation as a Problem. From Usage and Destruction of the Existing to the Constructions of National History (Argentina, 1852-1910)

Abstract

The aim of this article is to contribute to set a history of practices linked to the conformation of the historical heritage in Argentina between 1852 and 1910, by assembling the adjacent interests that promoted those practices and the ideological as well as conceptual matrixes that fostered them.

We specifically looked into the options to which public servants could appeal to respond to new demands on the conservation of devices that were progressively losing their traditional usage value. With this purpose, we carried out a preliminary exploration on debates, projects, procedures, regulations and laws discussed between 1852 and 1910 in relation to conservation and/or destruction of buildings appreciated because of their age or their connection with significant events and figures of the national history.

The theme is framed within an investigating field crossover, thus the text recovers and assembles evidences and hypothesis which are generally drawn up in a dissociated way from cultural studies, history of historiography, urban history and literature focused on the organisation of collections and museums.

Finally, a work has been done on documents that record not only projects brought to life but also some designs and options spread at that time.