Un arquitecto apuesta por la restauración que ''se ciñe a las necesidades reales del objeto más que atender a los criterios de quien la realiza''
An architect is in favor of a restoration that ''adheres to the real needs of the object rather than to the criteria of the person carrying out the restoration''.
Antoni González stated at the University of Navarra that project "can accept creativity, but always with the respect demanded by the monument".
The architect Antoni Gonzalez, head of architectural heritage of the Diputación de Barcelona, bet at the University of Navarra for the objective restoration, "one in which rather than attending to the subjective criteria of the restorer, he sticks to the real needs of the object". According to the expert, who gave two sessions at School of Architecture, "depending on its time, conditions, environment, Economics or social circumstances, a monument may require a different action to that which it would require in another context".
Closely linked to this proposal, the architect addressed the question of creativity:"Restoration is a scientific and creative process at the same time. Ithas an important part, that of the historical knowledge , which conditions the subject of intervention. On the other hand, there is the architectural project ; creativity can be accepted from this point of view, but always in relation to the respect demanded by the monument. Creativity means thinking about what the building needs".
Antoni González also highlighted the importance of the environment. "We can find ourselves with a monument that is completely deteriorated, but that people esteem; this feeling is as important as the state it is in. We have to establish that relationship to be able to decide. Any part of a monument is a historical document and sometimes what matters is the place where it is located. Nothing should be destroyed," he said.
The danger of mass visits
The architect and award FAD restoration in 1980 also referred to the danger that can pose the massive visit to some monuments or landmark buildings of a city. As an example, he mentioned the case of Parc Güell, in Barcelona. "You can't conserve a building with that free and wild visit . The City Council should act soon because if it continues like this, the park will end up disappearing," he commented.
Antoni González (Barcelona, 1943) has been director of the file Historical of the high school of Architects of Catalonia, partner of the General Administration of Fine Arts of the Ministry of Culture (1979-2004) and, since 1981, head of the Local Architectural Heritage Service of the Diputación de Barcelona. In 1992 he founded the Academia del Partal (association Libre de Profesionales de la Restauración Monumental). He is the author of several books, including La restauración objetiva (1999), and has participated in more than a hundred restoration projects and works.