(CS5.2) Heritage Masonry: Investigating the value of traditional building crafts in Canada and opportunities for capacity building

In many cultures around the world, traditional building craftspeople are recognized as important bearers of intangible cultural heritage whose knowledge and skills are worth preserving alongside the structures that they build and repair. The definition of cultural heritage has evolved over the last century from being focused on tangible forms and static values to encompass intangible phenomena. In recent years, heritage has often been described as a process rather than a product that is contextual and interactive, and its value is continuously being renegotiated by its participants. This shifting paradigm was reinforced by international instruments like the Nara Document, the Burra Charter, and the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. These documents were instrumental in expanding the concept of heritage beyond its initial Eurocentric lens, which focused on predominantly monumental architecture, towards a more inclusive interpretation that reflects cultural plurality.

Craftspeople perform and produce heritage products through the continued practice of traditional activities. However, most of these crafts and the apprentice-style learning that they depend on has been in decline since industrialization and the development of mass-produced building materials. As a result, many of these traditional crafts are disappearing. Sustainable conservation of heritage buildings depends on competent craftspeople who can repair and maintain them, and it is imperative that their knowledge of traditional building techniques is transmitted to future generations.

In Canada, the built heritage industry is relatively small, but growing, and the workforce of skilled craftspeople and their abilities is not well understood. An industry cannot plan or be effectively managed if its workforce and their skills are not known. In the context of the built heritage industry, monitoring and capacity building have additional implications related to the transmission of intangible cultural knowledge and the formation of cultural identity. According to UNESCO, “capacity is the ability of individuals, organizations and societies to perform functions, solve problems, and set and achieve objectives in a sustainable manner." Capacity building focuses on human resource development, organizational development, and institutional and legal framework development to incrementally improve existing abilities, and in the context of heritage it should promote collaboration, inclusivity, and public awareness. Capacity building strategies should be people-centred, and work to affect positive change.

I investigated the value of craftsmanship in the context of heritage structures in Canada, with a specific focus on masonry, by evaluating current built heritage market demands and capacities, heritage policies and legal protection, industry practices, and training opportunities. In my proposed presentation, I will discuss the results of my research, identify issues and systemic barriers in the industry, highlight opportunities for capacity building, and make recommendations to promote an appreciation of traditional building crafts in Canada.