Heritage conservation in Chennai has been a matter of concern for several years; and legal hurdles, public apathy, the lack of government intervention has led to the rapid deterioration of heritage structures. Experts point out that the city ranks lower than Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and even Pondicherry.

Conservation architecture

These other cities not only have policies in place and the active participation of INTACH, they also have dedicated conservation companies. Typically, these companies are involved in the rehabilitation, restoration, and conservation of heritage and historical structures, says Arun Menon, Convener, National Advisory Board, National Centre for Safety of Heritage Structures (NCSHS).

They develop a detailed project report (DPR) after an investigative phase that involves historical research and a scientific study on materials used. This document is the basis for the identification of items of work, costs, etc. A contractor is then hired, and the work executed under the supervision of the conservation architect. The work could also be awarded as a turnkey project to the architect.

In most cases, contractors with specialised skills are required to work with lime mortar, timber and joinery, traditional flooring and roofing techniques, sculptural and painting works, etc. “There hasn’t been a conservation movement in the city. We do not even have a legislation to protect heritage structures,” says Menon.

Conservation practice stems from a deep-rooted passion and love for history; a degree in conservation is secondary. Ranee Vedamuthu, Professor of Architecture, Anna University, says the many architects involved in conservation are driven solely by interest. “Chennai lacks these practices and that’s one reason why there is no awareness of conservation management.”

Expert guidance

City-based conservation architect K. Kalpana, who handled the restoration of the Senate House, says the first step in restoring a structure is roping in experts to understand the various aspects of building failure. “The older the building, the more technically and financially complicated its restoration; and basic architects or engineers cannot assist in conservation management. In most cases, it is the government or institutions who own heritage structures, and the way authorities approach the restoration of an old building is wrong — only symptomatic repairs are done by local engineers.”

A few age-related issues are remediable and can be handled with the right approach. Understanding the older materials used is important because replacing them with contemporary materials doesn’t work.

Public connect

Heritage structures in the city don’t have a public interface and this is the larger issue. Most government offices are housed in heritage structures and are accessed by thousands of people each day. “There is little effort to educate or create awareness among visitors,” says Vedamuthu. Take, for example, the College of Engineering building at Guindy. The college campus used to have its own electricity generation unit; a powerhouse. “This is engineering heritage. Today, the building is dilapidated and aspiring engineers do not know what they have in their midst.”

Most structures can be revived by just cleaning them and improving the access ways around them. Anna Salai, dotted with many heritage buildings, should be declared a National-Important or ASI-Listed Road, or Heritage Road, suggests city-based architect Xavier Benedict. Vehicular movement along the stretch should be restricted on certain days and cycling encouraged. “All heritage buildings should be tagged with a ‘mark of importance’ that highlights its historical significance. The introduction of a heritage bus for tourist would be beneficial too.”

Adaptive reuse

Conservation is an expensive process and structures must be reused keeping in mind their original functionality. It has been proven world-over that the maintenance and upkeep of heritage structures is possible.

Even in India there have been cases of mills being converted to office spaces or old buildings into retail spaces. Sujatha Shankar, practicing architect and convenor of INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage), Chennai Chapter, says, “A ‘space audit’ is necessary for each of these buildings. This is basically a study of how the building is utilised now, and how it can be put to productive use.”

Most buildings are notified heritage properties, and they can be revived by adding conveniences such as pedestrian friendly spaces, landscaping, and parking spots. If this is done without hampering their heritage value, it will not only extend the life of the building but also retain the integrity of the structure by putting it to use. Owners of individual properties must be given the freedom to reuse or redevelop their structures while following a set of guidelines. Kalpana points out that while only a few structures in the city have been reused, educational buildings form a majority of Chennai’s heritage buildings. “Most of them are over a century old. These buildings have deteriorated over the years and lost their charm due to the lack of funds and expertise.”

Menon says this is definitely a way of prolonging the useful life of heritage structures and only with regular use and regular maintenance protocols can any structure’s loss of serviceability be slowed down. He suggests a model for adaptive reuse and management that provides tangible economic benefits to the owner and the city. Such a plan will prevent misuse of heritage structures.

Heritage Act

There have been talks of implementing the TN Heritage Commission Act, pending for years. Meanwhile, a lot of destruction of heritage structures ha already occurred. As Vedamuthu points out, Mylapore has great heritage value but there has been no architectural control of the new buildings in the area. The city must begin somewhere and begin soon.

Source The Hindu NIDHI ADLAKHA