Rethinking Sustainable Development : Preserving Historic Urban Landscapes in Olympic Host Cities

Ref.: 16
Domaine thématique: 01 Intégrité physique des paysages urbains historiques
Date de réception: 16/11/2008

AUTEURS (*Auteur principal)

BLASER, Andrea * (États-Unis d'Amérique) - Archaeological Investigations Northwest, Inc

RÉSUMÉ

What role can international organizations play in preserving the physical integrity of historic urban landscapes ? For institutions such as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) who have recently adopted sustainable development guidelines, opportunities for the preservation of fragile historic urban landscapes are abundant. As I will discuss in this paper, the preservation of historic structures not only aids in the preservation of local tradition and culture in host cities of the Olympic Games, but their preservation also reduces the use of new building materials created under polluting circumstances or that are sourced unsustainably. As will be supported in my paper, the argument for sustainability is also one for preservation of the historic built environment, opening a door of opportunity for the IOC and other international organizations with sustainability guidelines to become stewards of historic urban landscapes around the world.

As an increasing number of researchers have begun to explore the link between historic preservation and its role within sustainablility agendas, organizations such as the IOC, who involve themselves in complex and wide-spread development and construction programs, often in historic urban areas, have a responsibility to identify historic structures and plan for the preservation of their physical integrity. Unfortunately, the benefits of preserving historic urban landscapes have been largely overlooked by the IOC. In the lead-up to the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China, historic hutongs, protected by local heritage laws, were torn down and reconstructed. Not only was an opportunity missed to promote the IOC's sustainability agenda through the adaptive reuse and preservation of the physical integrity of the hutongs, but a larger opportunity to preserve the entirety of the historic urban lanscape was overlooked. Through continued research and awareness of the link between sustainable development and historic preservation, international organizations such as the IOC can become a positive force in the continued preservation of historic urban landscapes.

BIBLIOGRAPHIE