Preservation Review

The preserved buildings constitute an important part of our cultural heritage and history, and it is the first time in the history of the Building Preservation Act that such a comprehensive and systematic review of preservation values is being carried out. The systematic review is carried out by us being on site in connection with other tasks in the area. Traveling such a large country is very challenging financially and in terms of time. The preservation review will give us better knowledge about the preserved buildings, so that the preservation orders become more understandable.

First time in the history of preservation

In the coming years, the country's preserved buildings will be systematically reviewed by the Greenland National Museum & Archives, where each building will be described and assessed to clarify the basis for the preservation and to subsequently draw up a forward-looking action plan for each building. The purpose is to gain more knowledge about the architectural and cultural-historical values that form the basis for the preservations and to increase awareness of the preserved buildings throughout the country.

Based on the preservation review, building owners of preserved buildings will be offered individual action plans for their buildings. The action plan will be guiding for which works should be carried out to maintain or restore the building's preservation values. The action plan will contain an overview of which works should be carried out within a period of years, for example, within 3, 5, or 10 years, so that the building owner can plan renovation/restoration in good time. Economically, it also becomes more manageable for the building owner, as it becomes easier to plan future construction work and allocate the financial resources in good time.

Building Culture 2015

Realdania Byg and the Agency for Culture (Kulturstyrelsen) focus on preservation-worthy buildings to strengthen and future-proof the management of the built heritage and create new knowledge, new networks, useful tools, and completely new dissemination to owners and municipalities.

Historic Houses in Ilimanaq

Realdania Byg is now realizing a major project together with Qaasuitsup Municipality and World of Greenland, which will contribute to disseminating the area's natural and cultural heritage. The purpose is to create a sustainable basis for growth and progress for the settlement with tourism as the focal point.

Realdania Byg has taken over two preserved houses in Ilimanaq, which in the future will play a crucial role in the dissemination of Greenlandic world and cultural heritage with a focus on the preservation and reuse of built heritage. The two preserved houses from the period 1751–1770 will be restored and converted into a dissemination centre, a restaurant, and a shop.

On Realdania Byg's website, you can get further information about the project.

Work with Preservation-Worthy Buildings and Environments in the Towns

It is desirable that knowledge, methods, and tools be developed and built up for the joint management of preservation values in the future, and NKA will assist with advice on methods for building registration, etc.

Here are some good reasons to put built cultural heritage on the agenda:

1. Attract settlement and business and retain and attract labour.
2. Local cohesion around life and values from the past and strengthen the municipality's identity.
3. Built heritage creates value when it becomes the framework for activities – create life in the buildings.

The forgotten stories must be made visible, and the owners of the preservation-worthy buildings must be made aware of what they have. It is about inspiring new use – it is often not the buildings that are obsolete, but the attitude towards them that needs renewal.

Many of the preservation-worthy houses are just as essential as the preserved ones for the cultural environment in which they are included. Nevertheless, we see around the towns that preservation-worthy buildings undergo violent changes as new smart and cheap building materials become available in building markets, and the buildings risk completely losing their preservation value.