New in old

1: Abstract
1-1 The story is about the “New” in “Old”. New is a contemporary thing, and old is something
with an age, and history. Additionally the “Old” word stands here for a “thing” which has an age
of a minimum human being standard’s generation, or more. People around the world are truly
connected to their history, and past. There are lots of evidences, which prove, we as human being
learnt, and experiment a lot from the past, and improved in many issues, such as architecture, art,
technology, culture, politic, and etc … , and the development of all these issues which,
mentioned before could not be achieve, without to take the history in the consideration.

1-2 This thesis highlights the importance of preserving the “Old” in Architecture’s field, and
protecting it from many issues, which can cause damage to it. The causes are wars, climate
conditions, and the age itself. These issues can be harmful for an object, because nothing in this
world stays forever, and in order to keep things “alive” as much as possible, to gift it to the
future generations, in an acceptable condition, requires lots of attention, and care. Additionally to
achieve on this, there are lots of issues, which are need necessarily to take in consideration, such
as aesthetic, design, materiality, and the technology. Also the thesis explains clearly the
connections between, the “New”, and “Old”, by taking all the necessary requirements,
evaluations, and respectabilities in consideration for the “Old”, and the necessity of the “New”
for the present time, besides the “Old”.

2: Introduction
2-1 There are many important topics, within the story of “New” in “Old”, which are needed to
mention, and discuss, in order to understand, the value of the “Old”, and the importance of the
“New” in the same time. First of all is the definition of the “Monument”, and the ways of dealing
with, such as conservation, and restoration, as well as several important theories, and historical
facts, about the “Monument” and its formation, also certain people, craftsmen, and architects
who deal with preservation, and restoration of the architectural heritages.

2-2 Secondly there are some examples, globally of the “Monuments”, and the “New” in “Old” in
the field of contemporary architecture, in order to demonstrate the emphasis of the existence, and
necessity of the “New” in “Old”.

2-3 The last, but not the least, is the historical references, and theory of the Nicosia city, capital
of Cyprus, and the contemporary situation of the city, as a case study, in order to demonstrate,
that the walled city of Nicosia is a “Monument” and all the parts of its “Old” body are
“Monuments” too, as well as its interiors of the “inhabitant spaces”, which belongs to the whole
body.
3: Monument
3-1 "A monument is a work of man erected for the specific purpose of keeping particular human
deeds or destinies alive and present in the consciousness of future generation”. Whatever which
has an age, or historical or deliberate commemorative value, could be a "Monument". A
"Monument" represents the earliest documented periods of human culture. The last but not least,
a "monument" is a property of great importance to the cultural heritage of every people.

3-2 There are many kind of "monument" which is important to mention them, in order to
understand more clear the meaning of a "monument". A "monument" could be an Architectural
monument, Art, or history; it may be religious, or secular, or Archaeological, as well as,
"Musical art" which are to be categorized simply as "monument" of writing. It could be a
scientific collection or important collections of books or archives, or it may be an individual
plants or entire forests which calls "natural monument".

It will be fine if we take a flash back, and make few analyses about some "monument" values
which presented in the story before. To make it simple the "age value" is based on the perception
of the lively play of natural forces, it is a power throughout the course of time, like mechanical
and chemical forces of nature, which applies to the "monument", and everything.

Nature most destructive forces are earthquakes, and the climate such as, rain, snow, and ice, the
temperature, moisture, wind, sunshine, and etc…, which affects to everything, include a
"monument".

3-3 The historical value is an issue which we need to take a look at it. We call historical all
things that once were, and are no longer, but the historical value of a "monument" is based on the
development of human creation in a particular field. This value presents the stylistic categories.
The man could divide the "monuments" according to general period such as medieval, early
modern (renaissance, and baroque), and etc… in order to understand the "value".

3-4 The policy and ideology of "Deliberate commemorative" is to keep a moment from
becoming history, in other hand keep the "monument" alive and present it to the future
generation. By saying this, we could say that somehow the fundamental requirement of
deliberate "monument" is restoration, which will present to you later what is the meaning of
"restoration".

In the conclusion we understood that a "monument" should have a great "value", and meaning to
the contemporary people, and must be respected by them, because is somehow connected to the
roots of culture, and society of the people.
The story is going to continue by introducing the terms anastylosis, reconstruction, and
reproduction. First of all in order to understand these terms we need to understand what
conservation is, and after, it will be easier to figure it out, what are those terms?

3-5 "Conservation is the action taken to prevent decay, and manage change dynamically”, and
have in mind, that the minimum action is always the best. The conservation action is requires
some ranges of activities, which we need to consider about." The required skills cover a wind
rage, including those of the town planner, landscape Architect, valuation surveyor, urban
designer, conservation Architect, engineers of several specializations, quantity surveyor, building
contractor, a craftsman related to each material, Archaeologist, Art historian, and antiquary,
supported by the biologist, chemist, physicist, geologist, and seismologist, In order to complete
this list the historic building officer should be included as well" .

Conservation must keep, and preserve, and if possible enhance the message, and value of the
cultural property ("monument"). These values help to make decision, and make some opinion, or
justify, and propose the intervention. The "values" are under a three major heading. First are
emotional values which are wonder, identity, continuity, and symbolic values. The second values
are cultural values like documentary, historic, archaeological, townscape, landscape, and
ecological, technological, and scientific. The third one is the use value, which are functional,
economic, social, educational, political, and ethnic.

3-6 After the explanation of the meaning of "conservation", the story goes to the "intervention",
in order to justify, the meaning of it. There are seven different kinds of intervention, or in
different explanation, the intervention has degrees. The degrees of intervention are prevention of
deterioration, preservation of the existing state, consolidation of the fabric, restoration,
rehabilitation, reproduction, and reconstruction.

In any major conservation projects, some of these degrees may take place. The story will
introduce, and analyze three of those degrees out of the seven, which are anastylosis,
reconstruction, and reproduction, also have in mind, that the anastylosis is a restoration.

3-7 What do we mean restoration? Restoration itself means to restore, or repair an "object" the
word and the thing both are modern. Restoration is based on the respect of the original material,
design, and acquires documentaries. The replacement of the missing part should be in harmony
to the whole. It makes sense to say that, the cleaning of a building is also a form of restoration,
and the replacement of decorative missing part is another kind.

3-8 Restoration by anastylosis means that using the original material for the projects, which are
supported by firm archaeological evidence, and when it makes decay more understandable. In
other expression let the spatial volumes to be seen, and visualize more easily, and "it can make a
historic site look like a film set and devalue the message of the site". Additionally the intent of
anastylosis restoration is to rebuild from the original materials. This could be done by replacing
the components back in to their original position. The component should carefully resemble
piece by piece.

3-9 The next degree is reproduction, which needs to be mentioned. The reproduction is an action
which entails copying the extant artifact, usually in order to replace some missing, or decayed
parts to balance, and maintain its aesthetic harmony. For instance something which has a great
"value" to the society, and culture of people ("monument"), like a painting or a sculpture will
removed from its original position, and took to the museum in order to protect it from the
climate, or anything else for the sake of preservation, and after a good reproduction took its
place.

3-10 The last, but not the least is the reconstruction intervention, which took place when a
"historic building", or a "historic center" had a disaster by an earthquake, or fire, or war. It may
reconstructed by new materials, and it may move to another place. The moving of the whole
building(s) to a new site is another form of reconstruction also. "As in restoration, reconstruction
must be based upon accurate documentation, and evidence, never upon conjecture". At the ends
have in mind, that the reconstruction intervention has no patina of age.

3-11 The story is going to continue in order to lead us to the formation, and some historical
references of stylistic restoration, the anti-restoration movement, and the restauro filologico, also
the personalities, whom had influence about, the formation of these restoration's ideologies, and
policies.

This is very important to begin with restoration, and anti-restoration movement in a very simple,
explanation, and then to have some explanation of historical reference. The restoration in the
field of architecture brings us some name in our mind, which are the Eugene-Emmanuel Viollet-
le-Duc on the one hand, and William Morris, and John Ruskin on the other.

There is an important issue, which is William Morris, and John Ruskin who were among the
contemporaries of Viollet-le-Duc, violently opposed Viollet-le-Duc's work. They took a
direction stand against all restoration, and a stand that Camillo Boito took up again in Italy.

John Ruskin is the master, and prophet of the radical way of perceiving age "value", together
with William Morris, he introduce the Anti-restoration movement, whose aim were declared in
the manifesto of society for the protection of ancient buildings.

"Viollet-le-Duc is considered to be the greatest exponent of the movement whose adherents

thought of restoration as imitation, and as reconstruction "in a style of the Original". This group
believed that by studying the monuments of the past, especially the great gothic cathedrals, and
with meticulously accurate, and detailed documentation of the characteristics of style as well as
of the details of the buildings, and the methods of construction, they could make possible the
complete rebuilding of entire parts or phases of the buildings".
In the first part of nineteenth century, the architects and builders were still ignorant about
mediaeval architectural systems and techniques.

Prosper Merimee was well aware that those who repair can be just as dangerous as those who
destroy, the case of abbey church of saint Denis showed clearly the risks involved. There had
been works in the church ever since 1805 to repair the ravages of the revolution, but without
proper understanding of the structural system.

There are many who would prefer death to dishonour. There words which anticipated John
Ruskin, had an effect Debret resigned, and the work was entrusted to Viollet-le-Duc, who limited
himself to consolidation, and did not attempt to build a new tower.

Regarding to ancient monuments, it is better to consolidate than to repair, better to repair than to
restore, better to restore than to rebuild, better to rebuild than to embellish: in no case must
anything be added and, above all, nothing should be removed.

3-12 The most discussed personality in the history of French restoration is certainly Eugene
Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc (1814-79), Architect and chief inspector of monuments. His influence
has been felt for Good and Bad, not only in France, but also in the rest of the world

He was the son of Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc, conservator of royal residences at the Tuileries, and
of Etienne J. Delécluze. Never entering an official school of architecture, he made his own
studies practising in architectural studios, working for the directorate of public works, as well as
touring in both central Europe, and Italy.

On his return from Italy in August 1838, he attended the meeting of the council of historic
buildings as an observer, and was nominated as assistant inspector to the construction works at
the royal archives; the following year he inspected the church of Saint-Just in Narbonne for
repairs. His life and work were divided between his interests as an archaeologist and historian,
conservator, and restorer, and architect, and creator; his approach was always systematic, based
on a thorough analysis of each case

Merimee summarized this by saying that he had an excellent mind; he knows how to reason,
which is a great point in architecture, because the objective of this art being essentially
usefulness, an error of reasoning could not be made without its being as error against art at the
same time.

Service des monuments historiques in 1846; two years later he was a member of the commission
des art ET edifices religieux, in 1853 he was appointed general inspector of diocesan buildings,
and in 1857 Diocesan Architect. His intense studies in art and architecture, and his interests in
other fields such as mountains and geology, gave him material to write a great number of articles
in dozens of periodicals and journals, including Annales archéologiques, during 1854-68 he
published the ten volumes of the dictionary of French architecture, and in the following years
there were several other publications, e.g., on the history of architecture, and furniture.

Viollet-le-Duc was an excellent draughtsman, and worked as an architect designing new

buildings, as well as furniture and interiors, including the design of the imperial train. He was
interested in teaching, and contributed to decorative arts and crafts. However, his main
contribution was the restoration of historic structures, both as architect and as inspector, and he
has a thorough knowledge of traditional building methods, and techniques. His main restoration
projects included the cathedrals of Paris, Amiens, Reims and Clermont-Ferrand, the churches of
Saint-Just in Narbonne, La Madeleine in Vézelav, saint-Pere-sous-Vézelav, Beaune, Saint-Denis,
Saint-Sernin of Toulouse, and Eu, as well as the fortified Cite of Carcassonne, the Synodal hall
of sens, the Castle of Coucy, the Castle of Pierrefonds, and the ramparts of Avignon.

He was involved in numerous other schemes in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and
Switzerland. His direct or indirect influence was felt all over Europe and even on other countries,
and he became practically a symbol of the restoration movement.

According to Viollet-le-Duc, the four Gothic vaults at the east end of the nave had been rebuilt
after the collapse of the Romanesque vaults, but hastily, and without care of art, and there were
not properly connected to the old walls. The vault between the transept towers was structurally
safe, while the others needed rebuilding.

Viollet-le-Duc made certain changes to the existing situation, giving it a more symmetrical form.
He added three buttresses to support the upper part of the front; two of these were built on either
side if the central windows. In the restoration of sculptural elements, he recorded everything
systematically, and studied all elements, even if there was no better understand the original
artistic purpose.

Architecture, according to him, was not an art of imitation, but a production by man. Forms and
proportions existed in the universe, and it was man’s task to discover them and to develop the
principles of construction according to the requirements of his cultural context. Just as in nature,
specific conditions gave birth to specific types of crystals, which in turn were the basis of the
formation of mountains.

He argued that in mediaeval France there had been no styles for builders to choose from. Instead,
there was a cultural development, which could produce different forms characteristic to
particular areas in the country.

Viollet-le-Duc saw restoration always as a trial for the building due to vibrations and shocks, and
he recommended improving the structure where possible: new parts should be made with
additional strength, and particular care should be given to the choice of materials, and if possible
to have them of better quality than the originals.
Viollet-le-Duc held a strong belief in the skills of the designer, as well as in the final perfection
of life and development. He with his English counterpart George Gilbert Scott became the
symbols of destructive restoration in contrast to the conservation movement headed by John
Ruskin and William Morris.

3-13 The anti-restoration movement criticized restoration architects for the destruction of the
historical authenticity of the buildings, and fought for their protection, conservation and
maintenance. The principle protagonist in this movement was John Ruskin (1819-1900), whose
piercing eye and biting pen detected and denounced any sort of restoration. As a result, in
England language, the word restoration came to indicate something negative, and in due time,
was replaced by the word conservation: the movement itself became the conservation movement.
Ruskin saw a historic building, painting or sculpture as a unique creation by an artisan or artist in
specific historic context. Such a genuine work of art resulted from personal sacrifice; it was
based on man’s perception of beauty in nature, where it existed as a reflection of God.

Age itself contributed to beauty; the marks of age could thus be seen as an essential element in
an object that could only be considered mature in its beauty after several centuries.

Having received a sheltered education in a wealthy family, Ruskin was well read in the classics
of literature and philosophy with special interest in Thomas Carlyle. With his mother he spends
much time to studying the Bible, and his parents would have like to see him as a bishop. Instead,
he became an art critic and theorist; he was a good draughtsman and painter, as well as teacher.
He travelled extensively, and spent much time in Italy especially. His writing was rich in ideas,
often polemical, and exhibited ball the resources of languages; his publications dealt with a
variety of subjects, including art and architecture, history and geology, social and political issues.
His principle works in relation to the arts were the five volumes of modern painters (1843-60),
three volumes of the stones of Venice (1851-53) and the seven lamps of architecture (1849).

Ruskin did not write a history of conservation, but he identified the values and the significance
of historic buildings and objects more clearly than anyone before him, thus providing a
foundation for modern conservation philosophies.

Beauty was the essence of Ruskin’s life, and it resulted from an intrinsic harmony and repose.
Perfect beauty was in God, and as a reflection of God it was found in nature and in art. He
divided beauty in to typical and vital, the former consisting of form and qualities of form, such as
curved lines, the latter concerned with expression, happiness and energy of life. In architecture
he conceived forms to be beautiful so far as they derived from nature, because man was not able
to produce beauty by himself. Classical architecture was not based on the imitation of nature,
except in details such as the Corinthian capital, and did not meet the requirements of beauty.

3-14 The story is continuing to the restauro filologico which a "monument" in this sense, was
built to carry a message, and it was itself seen as a document. One of the most important poles of
development of restauro filologico especially in relation to historians, and archaeologists was C.
Mongeri, who wrote about the restoration of works of art in 1878.

He was secretary to the academy of fine arts of Brera, and had close connection, and contacts
with those responsible for archaeology in Milan, there developed a historical approach analogous
with the linguistic studies, which has, in fact, been called "Philological".

The concept of "text" was extended beyond the actual inspiration to the material of the structure
associated with historical value. While this development was much influences by the English
conservation movement, it may never have been fully accepted by the Italians due to their
different cultural environment and philosophical system.

A most famous, and significant contributor to this policy in Italy was Tito Vespasiano Paravicini
(1832-1892), an art historian who had studied at the Milan Academy. He studies of the styles,
and characters of each period. Paravicini saw to trends, one which was supported by idealists like
Viollet-le-Duc, and another by archaeologists, who lack a vision beyond what the reality of a
monument, could present, but who gave priority to maintaining the monument as a living page of
history, without removing anything, or adding anything. Additionally the concepts which
developed by Paravicini was taken up by Professor Camillo Boito (1836-1914), who become a
most visible protagonist of the Italian conservation movement at the end of the century.

3-15 There is an important issue, before to understand, and judge about the "restoration" practice,
it could be fine to inform about the conservator Architects first, and then to conclude. The
architectural conservator must be trained in the new technology, and in scientific laboratory
methods, which now being applied to the conservation of artefacts in other filed; he or she must
be able to tap resources in such sub-specialities of chemistry as spectrographic analysis, radio-
carbon dating, and resistivity analysis.

She or he should know how to use new archaeological techniques for analysing site evidence
computer technology for retrieval of recorded information, and photogrammetric for producing
accurate dimensional drawings, and solving difficult problems of recording. In other hand also
there are conservation craftsmen which engaged to conservation. This is connected to an art, or
somehow scientific activity, such as repairing, or even cleaning. These people need to be trained
well, in order to become good craftsmen.

The story explained, and proved in depth, that what is the value of the “ Old” to the society, and
how should we preserved and kept the “Monument”, for the future generations, and the
importance of it.
4: History of the walled City, and the Pedieos River
The next step is to introduce to the reader, the history of the Nicosia city, in order to understand,
that, this great city is a “Monument”, and all the parts of its “Old” body are “Monuments” too, as
well as its interiors of the “inhabitant spaces”, because of its potentialities, and characteristics.

4-1 Nicosia city becomes the capital of Cyprus in the 10th century AD, during the Byzantine
time, when due to the raids by the Arabs, the population moved away from the coastal areas, to
the centre of the island, in order to avoid danger, and be safe.

4-2 During the middle ages, the city becomes the capital of the Luzingnan feudal rule (1192-
1489). During this time, the city developed into a western medieval metropolis, where nobles,
merchants, and clergy resided. Duing this period of time Nicosia fields was mostly used by
farmers to plants vegetables, and it was Pedieos river pass through from the middle of city. The
Pedieos play a very important rule at those times, because people use its water for their fields,
and needs.

4-3 Nicosia remained the capital of Cyprus during the Venetian rule as well (1489-1570). The
walls still standing today were built during this period by a very famous Venetian engineer
Giulio Savorgnano in an effort to protect the city from the Ottoman attacks. The only entry
points into the city during this time, and the three centuries of the Ottoman rule which followed
were the Giuliana Gate, the San Domenico Gate, and the Del Proveditore Gate (today known as
the Famagusta, Paphos, and Kyrenia Gates Respectively). These gates would open at sundown,
and close at sunset.

4-4 It was during the British rule, and by the end of the 19th century, that moving of the Colonial
administrative offices outside the walled city triggered the first land division for creating
building sites around the core. Bridges linking the old city with these new areas outside were
soon opened. The first one was built in 1882 at what is today known as Eleftheria Square. What
was gradually created was an important urban north – south axis on which commercial activity
naturally flourished.

4-5 Nicosia remained the capital of the independent state of Cyprus established in 1960.
Unfortunately, problems in the provisions of the new constitution seemed to encourage the
segregation rather than the integration of the Greek and Turkish population of the island, creating
problems and mistrust between them. By 1963 paramilitary forces in both communities
participated in an inter–communal confrontation which then led to the spatial segregation of the
two communities.

A British initiative to achieve a truce resulted in the creation of the dividing line which is called
green line in Nicosia which remained as a permanent dividing line between Greeks and Turks,
limiting freedom and prohibiting movement. The Turkish Cypriots withdrew into separate
geographical areas or enclaves and established their own administration. The United Nations
resolution (March 1964) provided that a United Peace Keeping Force should be created and
stationed on the island and a United Nation Mediator appointed for the purpose of promoting a
peaceful solution of the problem. The United Nations Force was to control and protect the Green
line formed.

In 1974, a coup by the Greek junta to overthrow president Makarios was followed by a Turkish
invasion which resulted in the present division of the island, with the Turkish Cypriot (18 percent
of the population) on the north (38 percent of the island) and the Greek Cypriots on the south.
The two communities were not spatially separated before 1974. This was the course even more
the case before the formation of the Turkish Cypriot enclaves in 1965 which was the first attempt
to give a spatial form to a political problem.

The green line now is 185 km in length and of varying width (from a few meters at some points
in the walled city of Nicosia, to five km in some rural areas) was extended east and west, thus
dividing the whole island into two.

The recent development is the decision taken on April 23rd 2004 by the Turkish side to open a
crossing which allows each community to visit the other side. This was solely a decision of the
Turkish side since the Greek side, considering the dividing line not as a border between two
countries but as a temporary arrangement, allows free movement for all the Cypriots and visitors
who have entered the island from an internationally recognised point of entry. The crossing
points thus established is Ledra Palace and Agios Dometios in Nicosia, and Pergamos, and
Strovilia, both controlled by the British Bases on the island. Apart from diplomatic cars, United
Nations vehicles, and ambulances, the Ledra Palace is only for pedestrians, while the other
crossing points are for vehicular traffic as well. Even before, the Ledra Palace point was actually
open to tourists who wish to visit the north.

5: Conclusion
5-1 There are lots of evidences, which explained on the text to end up with a conclusion, that the
Nicosia city is a “Monument” and the Pedieos River is a natural “Monument” in the whole city.
So we have two “large Monument” in the whole Nicosia city, and prove the potentiality, and
show the characteristics of each. These two “Monuments” are truly connected to each other, and
both to the whole city, in the existing situation today.

The idea is to use the Pedieos as a “Monument” which is “Old” on the text, and add the “New”
to have the “New” in “Old” in order to make the Pedieos inhabitant place for the society. Note
that the Pedieos river is unused for this moment and the whole river is most of the time empty of
water, because of the tamassos dam, which controls the water of the Pedieos so it can be
inhabitant for the society, and used by people rather than unused.

Now a day the Pedieos is passing through the whole Nicosia city and not from the walled city of
Nicosia, and divided the city in the two parts. These parts are connected from some points by
bridges for cars and pedestrians. In one point the pedieos divides the old strovolos from the new
city. In the urban scale there is a strong reason to have connection between the two from the
Pedieos. The River (“Monument”) can be a bridge to connect the “Old” to “New”, and in order
to achieve this, we need a “New” design to have a strong connection between the Two.

The Main Idea is to use a project Designed by a Student some years before as a sample, and
design the Interior of it. Why the interior? Because as mentioned before in the text, we saw the
whole city of walled Nicosia as a “Monument” and all the small parts (Buildings) as
“Monument” too, and if we saw in smaller scale, the interior becomes very important fact.

The Interior of the building should represents the whole city, because it is the buildings, and
interiors which attract people attentions and not the whole city in the same time, because of our
scale, as human being we are not be able to see the whole city in one look. We need to walk and
takes lots of time to see the entire city, for instance it is not possible to see the walled city and
Pedieos at the same time, because they are far from each other. So we need to have a piece in an
acceptable human being scale which represents at the same time the characteristics, and
potentiality of the whole to the society, and this can be done by Interior spaces, and “buildings”
or landscapes, and even the natural environments in small scales.
1: Abstract
1-1: What “Old” and what “New” is?

1-2: The Value of the “Old”, and the importance of “New”

2: Introduction
2-1: The definition of “Monument”

2-2: The necessity of the “New”, and “Old”

2-3: Introduction to historical references of the old Nicosia as a “Monument”

3: Monument
3-1: What is “Monument”?

3-2: Types of “Monument”

3-3: The Historical value of the “Monument”

3-4: “Deliberate commemorative”

3-5: The meaning of Conservation

3-6: The Intervention

3-7: The Restoration

3-8: Restoration by Anastylosis

3-9: The Reproduction

3-10: The Reconstruction intervention

3-11: The formation of Stylistic Restoration, and the Anti-Restoration Movement

3-12: Viollet-le-Duk

3-13: The Anti-Restoration Movement, and John Ruskin

3-14: The Restauro filologico, and C. Mongeri

3-15: What the Restoration practice is?

4: History of the Walled City, and the Pedieos River
4-1: Nicosia in Byzantine period

4-2: Nicosia in the Middle Age

4-3: Venetian time

4-4: British Rule in the 19th Century

4-5: The Contemporary Nicosia

5: Conclusion
5-1: The matter of scale, and the connectivity between the “Old”, and the “New”