CoToCoCo

A COnceptual TOolkit for COntemporary COnservation

Since the mid-20th century, the field of heritage has undergone constant expansion. Much like contemporary art has challenged traditional museum practices, new forms of heritage—minor, vernacular, industrial, and contemporary—along with the growing involvement of diverse stakeholders and emerging imperatives such as economic viability and sustainability, have continually questioned established principles of conservation and transmission.

In response to this widening scope, doctrinal texts have proliferated since the foundational Venice Charter (1964), aiming to provide coherent frameworks for action within this evolving field. Yet, in practice, the abundance of such documents does not necessarily ensure the quality of restoration or adaptive reuse projects.

On one side, professionals often rely on the more general or well-known texts, even when more recent and specialized guidelines exist. On the other, the very effort to produce documents that achieve global consensus and remain adaptable to varied contexts often results in principles that are open to broad—and sometimes conflicting—interpretations.

The CoToCoCo project takes a deliberate step back from these universally accepted doctrines. By examining heritage valorization through concepts and perspectives developed outside the traditional disciplinary framework, it seeks to place critical reflection at the core of heritage theory and practice.