Re-Site

Focusing on restoration sites, their actors, and practices, this project brings together several initiatives led by members of the DIVA laboratory in the field of the history of conservation-restoration.

Traditionally, this history has been approached through the writings of restorers and their often simplified alignment with one side or another of debates artificially framed as polarized—such as the 19th-century opposition between the “schools” of Viollet-le-Duc and Ruskin. By contrast, examining history through the lens of the restoration site itself offers a more nuanced perspective.

Drawing on archival research and in situ observation, this approach investigates materials, techniques, and professional interactions in their full complexity, often revealing subtle yet significant deviations from the theoretical principles of their time.

The initiatives contributing to this project operate at multiple scales—some focusing on local case studies (in Liège and its surroundings), others adopting a broader European perspective. What unites them is a shared emphasis on contemporary-period case studies as a means of understanding evolving restoration practices.

In the long term, the project will also draw on research from the LinkedHerit project, particularly its work on network analysis in the heritage field, to further contextualize the actors and connections shaping restoration practice.