New Buildings in Historic Settings: Revisiting Renzo Piano's Design Approach

Abstract

Contemporary design in historic settings is a controversial issue where it impacts on an existing historic context. Conservation charters and scholarly literature on architectural designs within the historic environment provide preliminary insights and guidance that necessitate further elaboration and development. The aim of this study is to generate a more detailed and clearer insight into design strategies that inform the design of new buildings in historic locations through the work of the architect Renzo Piano. From the Centre Pompidou to his most recently built & Idot;stanbul Modern, he has seven new designs in the cities of Paris, Valetta, Athens, Beirut, and & Idot;stanbul. These buildings, six of which are in the settings of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the seventh within the historic site of Beirut, are described individually to trace the architect's design approach. Seven categories have been identified, from the use of an existing square to the scale, form, view creation, transparency preferences, opening designs, and colour choices revealing strategies have been found compatible with their historic settings. By listing them, seven core principles are proposed as policy guidelines.