| No building or structure shall be altered or demolished if there is any conceivable way of preserving it in its original or current condition. When upgrading and adapting a building to new uses, the existing structure should be retained by strengthening and repairing the structural elements. Any alteration or strengthening to structural elements should be done in the most sympathetic and unobtrusive way possible using original methods and materials whenever possible.
Before any conservation work commences, a thorough research and documentation should be carried out on the conservation building to ensure that restoration work is faithfully carried out. At every stage of the conservation work, the technical aspects and process of the various activities should be documented.
The conservation principle is explained in greater detail in the book on `Objectives, Principles and Standards for Preservation and Conservation'. The leaflet on `Preferred Design Approach' for structural alteration to shophouses in conservation areas highlights the structural design philosophy to be adopted for conservation buildings and good practice at the design and restoration stages.
Both are available for sale at the Customer Service Centre, 1st Storey, The URA Centre, 45 Maxwell Road, Singapore 069118.
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