A Dilemma in conservation and reuse of monuments and settings: an observation of the issue with special reference to the heritage city of Galle Fort

Abstract

Conservation of a monument can be carried out either as a dead or a living monument. Dead monuments are preserved and kept in a totally artificial way. Living monuments on the other hand permits its citizens to live a contemporary life style while conserving and maintaining the physical fabric of the city and environment. To minimize the extra burden of maintenance and not to create dead spaces in a city the conservationists have identified the reuse of conserved spaces and monuments. The prime aim of this is to keep the monuments in use while proclaiming its significance to society. Yet the human mutilation and the enforcement of conservation policies, regulations have failed to proclaim the heritage cities of its "living" significance and is a recurring *dilemma in conservation and reuse of monuments. It is the human participation which makes the physical context alive. For to keep a city as a living monument this dilemmatic situation has to be resolved. It is needed to facilitate the citizens to fulfill their spatial needs out of their environment. Negligence of this has caused degradation of city life in conserved cities. The study notes, the need to develop an approach that is more responsive to the living patterns. The capacity of Urban space to support dwelling that is reflected in place making is to be reinforced. Having faced this current problem of degradation of city life the heritage city of Galle -Fort is to be protected in order to facilitate it as a living monument