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The following principles are generally accepted world wide as appropriate for
historic properties.
- Respect for Documentary Evidence:
restoration should be
based on research, not speculation. Photographs, drawings and physical evidence are
preferred information sources.
Respect for Original Location: moving a building should
always be a last resort for protecting a structure. A change in site diminishes
significantly the historic value of a building.
Respect for Historic Material: repair and conservation
is the best route, with replacement of materials limited to when it is absolutely
necessary.
Respect for Original Fabric: repairs should be done
with like materials. To use different material than the original alters the integrity of
the historic property.
Respect for the Buildings History: restoring to
one period at the expense of another changes the integrity of the evolution of the
historic structure. Later additions that might be destroyed to restore a building to a
particular time period in fact destroy the evidence of the historic evolution.
Reversibility: If alterations are made in a manner that
means the original design and technique is respected, it can be returned to its original
condition at a later date. Original material might be removed, numbered and protected for
later restoration, or covered in situ, so that the changes made are reversible.
Legibility: new work should not be made to appear
exactly as the old. It is important to be able to distinguish new material and work from
the original, and these distinctions should not be blurred.
Maintenance: regular care can postpone the need for
restoration indefinitely. Regular upkeep helps avoid the need for major restoration work,
and thus reduces the associated high costs.
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