The Significance and Status of Kaunas Interwar Architecture from the Perspective of Heritage Security Cover Image

Kauno tarpukario (1918–1940) architektūros reikšmė ir galimybės vertinant šiuolaikinės paveldosaugos požiūriu
The Significance and Status of Kaunas Interwar Architecture from the Perspective of Heritage Security

Author(s): Viltė Migonytė, Vaidas Petrulis
Subject(s): History
Published by: Vytauto Didžiojo Universitetas
Keywords: heritage; architectural modernization; architectural identity; Bruno Latour’s conception

Summary/Abstract: The heritage of interwar Kaunas (1918- 1940) is one of the most significant testimonies of the processes of architectural modernization of Lithuanian towns, which took place in the first half of the 20th century. Despite the obvious importance of this heritage for the architectural identity and “local spirit” of the city, a bigger part of the buildings are currently in poor condition. The article claims that the official methods of heritage security in Lithuania are mostly oriented at individual architectural and urban objects, whereas different architectural interactions and combinations are neglected. The theoretical framework of the work is based on the Bruno Latour’s conception of the cartography of controversies, prevalent in the contemporary theory of architecture, and its relation to the notion of “cultural ways”, popular in heritage security. The article discusses the possible ways of uniting the architectural heritage of interwar Kaunas into the networks, which would relate the material heritage with non-material values (historical, social and cultural). The creation of thematic networks would enrich the official practice of heritage security, on the one hand, and would incorporate the interwar architectural heritage into the memory maps of local community, on the other.

  • Issue Year: 2012
  • Issue No: 12
  • Page Range: 191-202
  • Page Count: 10
  • Language: Lithuanian