Evaluation of the actual protection zone of the UNESCO site Casbah of Algiers: current inconsistencies, and need to preserve its integrity

  • Mohamed Boukader Institut of Architecture and Urban Planning (I.A.U). University “Saad Dahleb” Blida 1. Algeria.
  • Chennaoui Youcef Professor - Research Director École Polytechnique d’Architecture et d’Urbanisme d’Alger, EPAU Algérie. Lab: Ville, Architecture et Patrimoine EPAU. ALGER
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37558/gec.v15i0.547
Palabras clave: Buffer zone, historic site, historic urban site, the Casbah of Algiers, integrity

Resumen

The issue of safeguarding historical centres included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and their surroundings from negative impacts caused by pressure of the urban dynamic is important as well as topical. This article addresses this problem through an evaluation of a buffer zone as a means of strengthening protection around a historic site and its context, while maintaining its integrity. Through a case study of the UNESCO site of the Casbah in Algiers, we have tried to prove our hypothesis that, in the case of an urban historic site, the delineation criteria for the buffer zone, which is usually based on the property’s isolation and protection conditions, should be made in relation to, and in favour of, the articulation of the old with the new, allowing for the integration and insertion of the cultural urban property into the urban dynamic of the town.
Our assessment of the actual protection zone around the Casbah has brought to light several inadequacies concerning the establishment of its perimeters, which undermine the main objective of reinforcing the cultural value of the site, its structural and visual integrity as well as that of its surroundings. Because of this, a revision of the protection zone’s perimeter is strongly recommended so as to strengthen protection around the UNESCO site of the Casbah in Algiers and maintain its exceptional value

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Biografía del autor/a

Mohamed Boukader, Institut of Architecture and Urban Planning (I.A.U). University “Saad Dahleb” Blida 1. Algeria.

Mohamed Boukader: Arch. Mohamed Boukader is a full professor at the Institut of Architecture and Urban Planning (I.A.U). University “Saad Dahleb” Blida 1. Algeria. He is a research member at the LVAP (Laboratoire: Ville – Architecture et Patrimoine) at the EPAU of Algiers.
Arch. Mohamed Boukader He was nominated since 2006, as a qualified architect of historical heritage for the Ministry of Culture of Algeria. Arch.Mohamed Boukader is a member of the teaching team of the Master “Architecture and cultural Heritage” at the Institut of Architecture and Urban Planning (I.A.U). University «Saad Dahleb” Blida 1. He is currently finishing a PhD (doctorate) in protection of historical sites at the EPAU of Algiers

Chennaoui Youcef, Professor - Research Director École Polytechnique d’Architecture et d’Urbanisme d’Alger, EPAU Algérie. Lab: Ville, Architecture et Patrimoine EPAU. ALGER

Youcef Chennaoui: Prof .Dr Youcef Chennaoui is a full professor at the EPAU (Ecole Polytechnique d’Architecture et d’Urbanisme) of Algiers (Algeria). He is a research director at the LVAP (Laboratoire : Ville – Architecture et Patrimoine) at the EPAU of Algiers.
Prof .Dr Youcef Chennaoui was nominated since 2006, as a qualified architect of historical heritage for the Ministry of Culture of Algeria. Head of “the protective and enhancement plan of the archaeological site of Tipasa (Algeria)” (world heritage). Prof .Dr Youcef Chennaoui is an active member of the UNESCO (Bureau Maghreb). He has published more than 50 papers in a lot of international seminar’s proceedings and international reviews. He has a lot skills and expertise in cutural landscapes, history of architecture, architecture aesthetics, heritage sustainbility and heritage management.

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Publicado
2019-06-27
Cómo citar
Boukader, M., & Youcef, C. (2019). Evaluation of the actual protection zone of the UNESCO site Casbah of Algiers: current inconsistencies, and need to preserve its integrity. Ge-Conservacion, 15, 39-49. https://doi.org/10.37558/gec.v15i0.547
Número
Vol. 15 (2019): Ge-conservación Nº 15
Sección
Artículos
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