Bridging cultural significance and risk assessment: compared analysis from Conservation Management Plans in Portugal and Cuba (1960-1966)

How can we retain the cultural significance of a 20th-century architectural masterpiece while protecting it from the increasing risks due to climate change? Is climate change protection an ultimate challenge or an opportunity to retain the building’s authenticity of 20th-century architecture? This paper discusses this question by comparing two iconic masterpieces of 20th-century architecture, awarded with a “Keeping It Modern” by the Getty Foundation for developing Conservation Management Plans (CMPs). This paper aims to address the relationship between cultural significance and risk assessment through the compared analysis of the CMPs for two emblematic 20th-century masterpieces: the Ocean Swimming Pool in Portugal (Álvaro Siza, 1960-1966) and the National Art Schools of Cuba (Ricardo Porro, Roberto Gottardi and Vittorio Garatti, 1961). The Ocean Swimming Pool is an exposed concrete building with an exceptional setting over the seaside rocks, whose authenticity is now strongly threatened by hazards such as coastal erosion and chloride explosion determined by the sea level rise. In turn, the National Art Schools of Cuba is a unique complex with organic brick shapes. Since the complex is next to the coastline, it has been threatened by the risk of flooding since its foundation, and such risk has been continuously increasing due to the climate change scenario. Both the CMPs are supported by a values-based approach, and comparative analyses will focus specifically on i) cultural significance assessment, ii) risk assessment, iii) policies and actions for climate change adaptation. Hence, the discussion of two case studies on distinct continents will allow us to further reflect globally on how to preserve cultural significance in the face of the growing threat of climate change.