A History of Architectural Conservation expands knowledge about the conservation of ancient monuments, works of art and historic buildings. It includes the origins of the interest in conservation within the European context, and the development of the concepts from Antiquity and the Renaissance to the present day. Jokilehto illustrates how this development has influenced international collaboration in the protection and conservation of cultural heritage, and how it has formed the principal concepts and approach to conservation and restoration in today's multi-cultural society.
This book is based on archival research of original documents and the study of key restoration examples in countries that have influenced the international conservation movement. Accessible and of great interest to students and the general public it includes conservation trends in Europe, the USA, India, Iran and Japan.
Jokilehto's book is an insightful overview of the history of architectural conservation. He covers topics such as the evolution of the discipline, the emergence of key players and organizations, and the development of conservation philosophies and approaches. Jokilehto can contextualize conservation within broader social, political, and cultural contexts. Overall, I recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of preservation.
The history of Architectural Conservation is riddled with argument and strife, with very few projects done that have unanimous backing regarding their success. The book has been informative but not the most enjoyable or the most comforting read. I did not read it as a textbook but I am pretty sure it should be used as one if it isn't already.