Conversion of water towers – an instrument for conserving heritage assets
Conversion of water towers – an instrument for conserving heritage assets

Summary/Abstract: Water towers are symbolical landmarks that refer to the industrialization. The oldest water towers are technical and industrial assets whose current and future evolution is a sensitive matter as a result of the economic context that brought about the closing of numerous industrial enterprises and abandoning infrastructure assets, including water towers. Some water towers were included on the national cultural-heritage lists across the world, thanks to the manifold values they incorporate (technological, historical, architectural, esthetical, among others). In this context, it has become necessary to convert them, with the twofold purpose of conserving them and assigning them a new function, for the local community members. Although there are numerous models for good practice in the conversion of water towers in several European countries, in Romania their reuse is a difficult process, most of the time burdened by shortcomings of legislation or lack of financial support. The study’s main purpose is to present reasons for the conversion of water towers and to highlight several good practice models, as well as to present several water towers with a high potential for conversion.

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