Interdisciplinary diagnostics in the process of revitalization of historic buildings, in terms of changing their function

Warsaw University of Technology, The Institute of Building Engineering, al. Armii Ludowej 16, 00-637 Warsaw, Poland

^* Corresponding author: w.terlikowski@il.pw.edu.pl

Abstract

Revitalization of historic buildings in crisis areas is a complex, interdisciplinary process that addresses not only the technical problems of buildings, but also the social, environmental, economic and cultural issues of the local community. Proper diagnosis of the dangers and social problems in the crisis area should be the basis for identifying new functionalities for this area. It should help to resolve the diagnosed problems, as well as to stimulate growth and revival in all spheres related to the life of the local community. The construction process, which results in the change of the function of the building and its adaptation to modern demands - technical, utility and formal, requires innovative interdisciplinary diagnostic methods. Each building, its structure and its components, has a certain adaptability that can be presented in a measurable and comparable manner. Evaluation of adaptability is a part of the expanded, interdisciplinary diagnostics of the historic building, which should be applied in the process of its revitalization. Determination of adaptability is an element of wider diagnostic procedures, which results in assessment of the revitalization capacity of a building.