How do we preserve?

How Do We Preserve?

The Greenland National Museum & Archives (NKA) constantly receives preservation ideas and also initiates new preservation cases for buildings with special cultural-historical significance. Anyone can suggest a building for preservation by contacting NKA. This requires submitting documentation of the building, its surroundings, and any other relevant information for the assessment.

Preservation may cover the entire building, its exterior, individual components, and the immediate surroundings, provided these elements form part of the whole considered worthy of preservation or protection.

A preservation case begins when someone contacts the Greenland National Museum & Archives about a specific building. NKA initiates the case after deciding to proceed, and then presents a preservation proposal to the Cultural Heritage Council (Kulturarvsrådet). Several types of buildings qualify for consideration, but all must have typical historical features of their time and be of national interest for posterity.

How a Preservation Case Proceeds

A preservation order is generally permanent, so decisions must rely on a solid professional foundation. The process must also involve citizens and interested parties regarding the building. Because the process involves a series of legally mandated phases, it is always long.

Here is a description of the normal preservation process:

1. Initiation and Inspection: The Greenland National Museum & Archives receives an inquiry or initiates a preservation case on its own. The inquiry must include photos and current information about the building. NKA also gathers its own information, such as details on other structures by the same architect, the building's cultural-historical context, and typical features of its time. NKA then inspects the building.
2. Decision and Submission: NKA decides whether to commence a preservation case. If the assessment is positive, NKA submits a preservation proposal to Det særlige bygningssyn ved Kulturministeriet. If the assessment is negative, NKA communicates this to the party who submitted the inquiry, and this decision is appealable.
3. Council Assessment: The Cultural Heritage Council (Kulturarvsrådet) assesses the case. NKA can only carry out the preservation if the council recommends it. If the council deems the building unsuitable for preservation, the proposal fails, and the decision is not appealable.
4. Notification: If the Cultural Heritage Council finds a building suitable for preservation, NKA notifies the owner, users, the municipality, the local museum, and any locally tied associations who requested written notification.
5. Public Hearing: NKA simultaneously places an advertisement about the preservation proposal in the local newspaper, which starts a three-month public hearing phase. During this time, anyone can submit comments on the proposal to NKA. Once NKA sends the hearing announcement letter, owners cannot carry out any construction work, alterations, or demolition without NKA's permission.
6. NKA's Final Decision: After the hearing period ends, NKA must decide whether to proceed with the preservation, considering the comments received. Once NKA makes a decision, it sends a letter to the owner and a copy to the other involved parties. NKA can issue a negative decision at this point, even if they initiated the case and the Cultural Heritage Council disagrees.
7. Registration or Advertisement: The decision, whether positive or negative, is appealable to Naalakkersuisut (the Government of Greenland). If no one appeals the decision, NKA advertises the final decision in local newspapers. If the decision is a preservation, NKA registers the preservation on the building's title (tinglyser).

1. Appeal to Naalakkersuisut: If someone appeals NKA's decision to Naalakkersuisut, the Member of Naalakkersuisut's position is awaited. No time limit exists for the Member to process the appeal. Once the Member's position is available, NKA announces it in the local newspapers.