A Framework for the Assessment Process of Contemporary Architectural Heritage and its Investigation in Iranian Heritage

In the protection of places with cultural significance, the identification and assessment procedure is the basic phase and generally the first step. Considering the specific characteristics of Modern and contemporary heritage, a framework for this procedure is necessary. The purpose of this research is to propose a framework based on the activities, documents and research done in this field in the global context.

This research is based on the descriptive-analytical method with library-study and logical reasoning in the three areas of registration, identification and assessment of modern works.

In this study, while reviewing the activities and researches, the criteria of the world heritage guidelines effective on the registration of modern heritage, the historical thematic identification frameworks of this heritage and a method for assessment the buildings of the era have been introduced. At the end, based on these cases, a model and framework of the assessment process of modern architectural heritage is proposed. Also, it’s usage has been investigated in a domain of Iranian heritage works.

A framework for the assessment process of the modern architectural heritage provides the possibility of clarifying and facilitating the registration, identification and assessment of these works. Such a framework, taking into account the nature of Modern and contemporary heritage and its commonalities in the global context, has the possibility of being formulated as a general framework. To use in a national or regional context, it is necessary to adapt it considering the historical, cultural and social characteristics of the context.