Covering constructions for architecture in ruins

Lýdia Chovancová

SUMMARY

Conservation and restoration of architecture in ruins in Slovakia has been financially supported since 2012. It covers mainly stabilisation and conservation of ruins in emergency state opening thus a dispute about their new roofs like one of the possible ways of conservation. The ruins located in natural surrounding have been often roofed by a hidden flat roof, well-preserved ruins are stylistically reconstructed. The paper aims to point out the possibilities of roof forms over ruins depending on their current actual conditions.

In introduction basic terminology related to architecture in ruins is defined, subsequently we refer to scientific disciplines influencing the procedure of conservation, restoration and presentation of ruins. Architecture as a scientific discipline is an intersection between landscape architecture, urbanism, structural engineering and monument conservation. The urban factors such as its location within the urban structure, distant views of the area and views from the area, its outline, access roads and greenery influence the applied conservation method in the given locality and implicitly the position of the shelter or covering structure. Architectural factors that need to be considered when deciding for a new roof over the ruin are the degree of its destruction, the possibilities of its reconstruction, the original roof form, design philosophy and its new function. Two schemes of roof shapes (a slope roof and a flat roof) have been prepared to point out the scale of possible roof shelters over a preserved ruin.

Comparing the realizations and the presented schemes emerges that only a narrow range of coverings for ruins has been used in Slovakia. The indistinctive way of reconstruction is used rarely. Specialists prefer new shapes of utilitarian and hidden flat roofs.

Keywords: shelter, enclosure building, archaeological site, ruin, roof