Interview Gonzalo King, Vice President of Arespa
April 28, 2010
What kind of diseases can affect to the historic constructions and buildings?
They are often complications arising from poor maintenance of the building, which mainly covers. It must be borne in mind that the humidity are rotting wood of the slabs and the first plants... in short, are slowly destroying the building. The problems of stability by failures of foundations and structural wall damage are also common because now not resist the thrust of the covers.
And how are fighting these pathologies?
It will depend on the pathology. If the problem is one of the decks, are normally placed new ones; If stability, must be works of consolidation of foundations, piles or injections of mortar or concrete; If they are problems of thrusts of the decks, straps between the walls can be placed so that they do not open more. Many of the works are pure craftsmanship: must play that was made three centuries, keeping the aesthetics of the time.
And on the facades?
Well, the building may also suffer other kinds of pathologies in his skin, the facade. Over time, is affected by various types of pollution or problems that come from inside the building. Normally, is a problem that has more to do with the aesthetic with the stability of the building.
But the façade may contain ornamental as sculptures and engravings elements?
Yes, that a smooth stone wall is better or worse can not have too much, but when it affects sculptures and engravings elements the situation changes.
What they do in these cases?
When the part of the façade to be treated is not important since the artistic or aesthetic point of view, is a simple cleaning, without using too many chemicals because they can damage the stone. In the event that there are artistic or historical elements, enter scene the restorers who applied a series of very sophisticated techniques, with very specific chemical products, which will clean all harmful to the stone in operations almost microsurgery.
This is a big unknown King does not dare to answer. "At the end of the 19th century reinforced concrete was invented and certainly we do not know if it undo when you have three hundred or four hundred years." "Is something with which usually to speculate with colleagues from the Guild". An example is the aluminosis, a pathology affecting the concrete, mainly in the beams of the slabs. What surprises hold us the future in buildings that have been built in the mid- and late 20th century? Honestly, I do not know, ruling King.
And we already have in our country with professionals specialized in the field?
30 Years ago, when I started working on this type of restoration work, it was very difficult to find skilled personnel. Today, in any place of Spain can be a group of people with sufficient capacity to deal with any work of restoration both in stone altarpieces or murals.
Who promotes this type of proceedings in historic buildings?
In 80% of cases, the promoter is an official body, which responsible for the project to a specialized architect, a restaurateur or an archaeologist. Later, the Agency takes a public contest, which will require the company experience in similar work.
And they can participate several companies...
The Administration may not coordinate the work of several companies, so, normally, it is responsible for the project to a single company, which will hire companies or specialists you need for each job.
And once 'cured' the building of their diseases I guess that you establishing a plan of conservation and maintenance so does not become spoil
Well, that's an unfinished business. The Administration has quite with maintaining the buildings and, by so to speak, Act of firefighter to simply save them from destruction. Unfortunately, not reversed all the money that this activity would require. In addition, a situation occurs: often Governments restored buildings that are not your property.
Then?
When a public body restores a building to someone for the sake of the community, for the preservation of our heritage, means that its owner is who should keep it now.
And it is not the case?
No, it is not more common.
But this is difficult to solve...
Yes. At the moment, some Governments are considering establishing conservation protocols and, even, to finance them if the owner of the building has no capability to do so.
What is the profile of the owners of these buildings?
A good part of the historical heritage of our country is owned by the Church, and it is she who must retain it. It may be the case that the construction is a small church and the parish priest to have sensitivity and worry about keep it once it has been...
But can that not...
Of course. In addition, in a large Cathedral maintenance are expensive. Many times we get projects of restoration of buildings already restored ten years ago; These are cases in which the owner has taken taken minimum measures of conservation.
"My Cathedral"
"My Cathedral". Thus Gonzalo Rey refers to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Not in vain, he has been working in conservation since 1987. King recalled that in 1998 were invested 1 billion pesetas of pesetas in the restoration of the temple. In it, King participated very intensely in the cleaning of the main façade of the Obradoiro, in intervention of an archaeological nature in the cloister and its waterproofing, the restoration of the altarpiece of the chancel and a general clean-up of all the temple.
"A dirty and neglected aspect"
Today the Cathedral offers a "dirty and neglected aspect" due to the large amount of grass and MOSS which disfigure the facade. "As a result are not going to fall today the Cathedral, it is clear, but the presence of MOSS and does can eventually erode and deteriorate the stone, and should be avoid it", says the Vice President of Arespa. All these elements plant, thick in some areas, what they do is, according to King, "disturbing the view of the Cathedral with everything that is artistic and worthwhile." "It is an aesthetic issue, fundamentally."
