La conservación preventiva del patrimonio edificado y de la sociedad constituida

Abstract

Preventive Conservation approach emerged linked to the museums field. The analogy ‘prevent is better than cure’, derived from the medicine, has inspired conservation measures to diverse types of cultural products. Currently, it guides new tools and techniques to guarantee cultural heritage good’s protection. This approach, has been extended to the immovable cultural heritage management, as a new paradigm. It emphasizes proactive actions, rather than reactive actions, which seeks to prevent damage or at reducing them through control of environmental factors. In the southern region of Ecuador, important experiences in this field, have been developed by the vlir City´s Preservation Management project at the University of Cuenca. Considering reflections of experts such as Andrea Bruno y Nicola di Battista and, recognizing contemporary threats derived from market pressures -on which social and cultural interest are displaced by economic interest- the article analyses the efforts to preserve the cultural heritage under the Preventive Conservation approach. Using the case-of-study the Historic City Centre of Cuenca, area listed as national heritage since 1982 and world heritage site by UNESCO since 1999. The efforts analyzed, refer not only to museums, buildings and historical monuments preservation, but efforts to preserve the spirit of this Andean city, and its social values, which represent the uniqueness of Cuenca. What are the limits of applicability of Preventive Conservation approach? The present reflection, shows the wide range of advances developed in more than one decade .