A new way of making sense of heritage might arise when ecological ways of knowing are combined with curated decay and adaptive use. Caitlin DeSilvey (University of Exeter) and Heather Viles (University of Oxford) explored the spectrum of actively and adaptively managing change from challenges to prevent perception of neglect to sustain or even gain value and create opportunities for new significance.
Caitlin’s presented definition of ‘Adaptive Release’ which “reflects an active decision to accommodate and interpret the dynamic transformation of a heritage asset and its associated values and significance.” (DeSilvey et al. 2021) is presented provisionally (rather than prescriptively) to open space for proactive dialogue.
And that's exactly what our audience did, responding to the offer by posing interesting and challenging questions like:
How does the concept of adaptive release work if the circumstances change radically during the release process? Can the process respond to this?
At a practical level, how have you considered sites managed in this way might 'work' in areas where population densities and diverse interest groups may pull the management in different ways?
I would be interested to hear more about what kinds of public-facing creative engagement with these sites adaptive release might open up? How might this diversify public access to the sites/ how might it change how the sites perform cultural work?
This is only the beginning of a fascinating journey in which heritage communities will investigate what can be learnt from change.
DeSilvey, C., Fredheim, H., Fluck, H., Hails, R., Harrison, R., Samuel, I., & Blundell, A. (2021). When Loss is More: From Managed Decline to Adaptive Release. The Historic Environment: Policy & Practice, 12(3-4), 418-433. doi:10.1080/17567505.2021.1957263
