Docomomo International
Encyclopedia
Docomomo International is a non-profit organization whose full title is International Working Party for Documentation and Conservation of Buildings, Sites and Neighborhoods of the Modern Movement.
, established in 1965. The work of Icomos was concerned with the protection and conservation of historical buildings and sites, whereas Docomomo was founded to take up the challenge of the protection and conservation of Modern Architecture
and Urbanism
.
Docomomo International was founded in Eindhoven in 1988 by Dutch
architects Hubert-Jan Henket and Wessel de Jonge. Henket chaired Docomomo International with de Jonge as secretary until September 2000 when the International Secretariat relocated to Paris, where it was hosted by the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine, in the Palais de Chaillot. The Chair was Maristella Casciato, architect and architect historian; with Émilie d'Orgeix, architectural historian, as secretary and Anne-Laure Guillet as director.
In 2010, the International Secretariat was relocated to Barcelona, hosted by the Fundació Mies van der Rohe. Ana Tostoes, architect and architect historian chairs Docomomo International with Ivan Blasi, architect, as secretary.
The 2012 Conference will be held in Espoo, Finland.
The International Scientific Committee on Technology (ISC/T) organizes seminars covering the following themes: restoration of reinforced concrete structures, curtain-wall facades, windows and glass, wood and the modern movement, colours in modern architecture and stone in modern buildings.
Seminars and conferences are often held in key modernist buildings, as for instance at Alvar Aalto
’s Vyborg Library
(2003 ISC/T seminar), Brinkman and Leendert van der Vlugt
's Van Nelle factory in Rotterdam
(2008 Conference), and Gordon Bunshaft's Lever House
in New York (closing party at 2004 Conference).
, or support local campaigners.
Docomomo's preservation work along with others was recognised by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
after a 2009 charrette
to protect the former Bell Labs Holmdel Complex
.
History
Its foundation was inspired by the work of ICOMOS, the International Council on Monuments and SitesInternational Council on Monuments and Sites
The International Council on Monuments and Sites is a professional association that works for the conservation and protection of cultural heritage places around the world...
, established in 1965. The work of Icomos was concerned with the protection and conservation of historical buildings and sites, whereas Docomomo was founded to take up the challenge of the protection and conservation of Modern Architecture
Modern architecture
Modern architecture is generally characterized by simplification of form and creation of ornament from the structure and theme of the building. It is a term applied to an overarching movement, with its exact definition and scope varying widely...
and Urbanism
Urbanism
Broadly, urbanism is a focus on cities and urban areas, their geography, economies, politics, social characteristics, as well as the effects on, and caused by, the built environment.-Philosophy:...
.
Docomomo International was founded in Eindhoven in 1988 by Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
architects Hubert-Jan Henket and Wessel de Jonge. Henket chaired Docomomo International with de Jonge as secretary until September 2000 when the International Secretariat relocated to Paris, where it was hosted by the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine, in the Palais de Chaillot. The Chair was Maristella Casciato, architect and architect historian; with Émilie d'Orgeix, architectural historian, as secretary and Anne-Laure Guillet as director.
In 2010, the International Secretariat was relocated to Barcelona, hosted by the Fundació Mies van der Rohe. Ana Tostoes, architect and architect historian chairs Docomomo International with Ivan Blasi, architect, as secretary.
Conferences and seminars
Docomomo holds biennial international conferences where the people related to conservation issues gather and exchange information and studies pertaining to their scholarly research. The list of conferences held until now is as follows:- 1990 - Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- 1992 - Bauhaus Dessau, Germany
- 1994 - Barcelona, Spain
- 1996 - Bratislava and Sliac, Slovakia
- 1998 - Stockholm, Sweden
- 2000 - Brasilia, Brazil
- 2002 - Paris, France
- 2004 - New York, United States
- 2006 - Istanbul and Ankara, Turkey
- 2008 - Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- 2010 - Mexico City, Mexico
The 2012 Conference will be held in Espoo, Finland.
The International Scientific Committee on Technology (ISC/T) organizes seminars covering the following themes: restoration of reinforced concrete structures, curtain-wall facades, windows and glass, wood and the modern movement, colours in modern architecture and stone in modern buildings.
Seminars and conferences are often held in key modernist buildings, as for instance at Alvar Aalto
Alvar Aalto
Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto was a Finnish architect and designer. His work includes architecture, furniture, textiles and glassware...
’s Vyborg Library
Vyborg Library
The Municipal Library in Vyborg, Russia, is an internationally acclaimed design by the Finnish architect Alvar Aalto. The library, built in 1933–35 is considered one of the first manifestations of "regional modernism"...
(2003 ISC/T seminar), Brinkman and Leendert van der Vlugt
Leendert van der Vlugt
Leendert Cornelis van der Vlugt was a Dutch architect in Rotterdam.After the death of the Rotterdam architect Michiel Brinkman in 1925, his son Johannes Brinkman, a constructional engineer, took over the architectural office and made Leendert van der Vlugt co-director. The new practice was called...
's Van Nelle factory in Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
(2008 Conference), and Gordon Bunshaft's Lever House
Lever House
Lever House, designed by Gordon Bunshaft of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill and located at 390 Park Avenue in New York City, is the quintessential and seminal glass-box skyscraper built in the International style according to the design principles of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Completed in 1952, it was...
in New York (closing party at 2004 Conference).
Work at national level
Many countries have national Docomomo working parties, as either part of academic establishments or architecture federations. They may define gazeteers of important structures to be protected, such as DoCoMoMo Key Scottish MonumentsDoCoMoMo Key Scottish Monuments
DoCoMoMo Key Scottish Monuments is a list of 60 notable post-war buildings in Scotland, compiled in 1993 by the international architectural conservation organisation DoCoMoMo....
, or support local campaigners.
Docomomo's preservation work along with others was recognised by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is a government agency in the U.S. state of New Jersey that is responsible for managing the state's natural resources and addressing issues related to pollution...
after a 2009 charrette
Charrette
A charrette , is often Anglicized to charette and sometimes called a design charrette. It consists of an intense period of design activity.-Charrettes in general:...
to protect the former Bell Labs Holmdel Complex
Bell Labs Holmdel Complex
The Bell Labs Holmdel Complex functioned for forty-four years as a research laboratory in basic physics research and was the home of several Nobel Prize winners. The centerpiece of the campus is an Eero Saarinen designed structure that served as the home to over 6,000 researchers...
.