Relics of War: Damaged Structures and their Replacement or Management in Modern Landscapes

Larkham, Peter J. and Adams, David (2022) Relics of War: Damaged Structures and their Replacement or Management in Modern Landscapes. Sustainability, 14 (20). ISSN 2071-1050

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Abstract

All wars, large and small scale, have had impacts on the built environments enmeshed in the conflict. This is almost always an adverse reaction, often involving destruction; but can also in-clude the construction of defensive or other features. Damaged sites can be redeveloped rela-tively quickly, though some can persist for decades and some evidence of damage may be delib-erately retained for a range of reasons. Damaged structures may remain for decades or centu-ries, especially if built on a large scale: and, if surviving, may undergo re-evaluation and reten-tion as heritage features. This paper explores the fate of a range of relict features from the Second World War, surviving into modern urban and rural landscapes through inaction or deliberate action. Using a wide range of examples particularly from the UK but also drawing on others from elsewhere in Europe, we explore the impact of conflict on such relics; their nature and scale, processes of decision-making affecting their treatment over the last seven decades, and their landscape impact. The physical legacy of this war still affects many communities. Changing values so long after the conflict, and the decay of unmaintained structures, gives an urgency to reviewing the future of surviving relics.

Item Type:	Article
Identification Number:	10.3390/su142013513
Dates:	Date Event 17 October 2022 Accepted 19 October 2022 Published Online
Uncontrolled Keywords:	post-war reconstruction; relic features; urban landscapes; heritage; Europe
Subjects:	CAH13 - architecture, building and planning > CAH13-01 - architecture, building and planning > CAH13-01-03 - landscape design CAH13 - architecture, building and planning > CAH13-01 - architecture, building and planning > CAH13-01-04 - planning (urban, rural and regional)
Divisions:	Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment > College of Built Environment
Depositing User:	Peter Larkham
Date Deposited:	18 Oct 2022 18:54
Last Modified:	20 Jun 2024 11:45
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/13670

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