ブックタイトル「近代の文化遺産の保存理念と修復理念」英語版

概要

「近代の文化遺産の保存理念と修復理念」英語版

35　When I visited these sites about twenty yearsago, there were still slagheaps as well as relatedbuildings in the vicinities, with the atmosphereof a coal mining town intact. In recent years,development for preservation has worked togreatly change the environment.　As has been explained, inscription on theWorld Heritage List of operating facilities ofmajor companies and the bay area is significantin that this may provide chances for changesin preservation principles or preservationsystems in Japan. Traditionally in our country,offices in charge of World Heritage listinghave been for natural heritage, the Departmentof Environment and for cultural properties,the Agency for Cultural Affairs. However, inthe case of this World Heritage property, asthis included operating facilities that arenot nationally designated cultural properties,the Cabinet Office was responsible for theapplication processes.＜ New cultural properties ＞・Working facilities・ Those given second lives as aworking facility　（A second life for the structure)＜ Conventional cultural properties ＞・ Selection of masterpieces,restoration to its original form・ Cultural properties to be put tonew uses, "process restoration"← Industrial civil engineeringheritage properties＋Figure 1　New cultural heritage properties“process restoration” has come to be talked about.Furthermore, in recent years, working facilitieshave been designated. In the past, there hadbeen operating electric power plants and bridgesdesignated as national Important CulturalProperties, but they were categorized as works ofcivil engineering. Recent issues have transferredto preservation of working industrial facilities.　I would like to raise a question regarding thefollowing properties, which I believe may be thesecond or third group of working facilities thatcan be considered as future artifacts of culturalheritage (Figure 1).　In 2015 at LIXIL Gallery, an exhibitiontitled “Rediscovery of Historic Railroad Relics”(in Osaka from June to August and in Ginzafrom August to November) was held, togetherwith lectures by specialists on the topic. I wasinvolved in its curation and the concept Iproposed was an exhibit which would introduceartifacts that had “once retired but were givennew functions and revived,” in other words,“structures that were given a second life.”　Photo 14 is of an old tunnel that is now usedas a wine cellar and another neighboring tunnel,also no longer in use, which has been made intoa part of a walking trail. Such uses can perhapsbe possible with cultural properties also. WhatI wanted to introduce here was an example ofproperties that were given “a third working life.”Photo 15 is Kasumi-bashi Bridge in Yokohamawhich is a reuse of Egasaki overpass originally(2) New Groups of Cultural HeritageIn the past, cultural properties were designatedfocusing on superior work and they weregenerally restored back to the original state.However, as industrial and civil engineering sitescame to be designated as national ImportantCultural Properties under the new categoryof heritage from Japan’s modernization period,utilization of these cultural properties began togain attention and a restoration method called