3-6. Case Study Summary

It can be observed from the preservation of the three cases that even though they have used different methods to preserve the buildings, there are still have common principle within it.

In the case of Skin, it is the first layer that visitors will come into contact with. Visitors approach the building in the most intuitive visual way. From the appearance, it can be distinguished that the building was once or is still a religious building. Therefore, preserving the spiritually symbolic elements is the first task. For Toshogu, the paintings and sculptures on the facade of the building have many meanings. On the other hand, although Boekhandel Dominicanen does not have many extraordinary sculptures like Toshogu. However, the building materials and stained glass are still passing to people the historical memory it contains. From the analysis point of view, the three cases all preserve and maintain the appearance of the building as much as possible, and their purpose is to preserve the unique architectural facade of the religious building.

On the other hand, Structure, as the most important part of the building, visually visible pillars, roofs, floors, beams in the building, wooden structures supporting the roof, etc. These are the cornerstones that maintain and build the building, as well as the treasures of historical sites. The historical value and beauty of the construction methods of traditional buildings are immeasurable. This is more important in churches and temples. The difference between religious architecture and general architecture is that it is not only a space created for people but also gods. Take churches as an example, to highlight the smallness of human beings and the sense of grandeur and sacredness of gods, church ceilings are always higher than ordinary buildings. So doest the temple complex, it has a complex and special structure. Each building has its different function, and the arrangement of its buildings also has special religious connotations. It can be seen from the three cases that no matter what the restoration project is, it only repairs and maintenance the structure, not only because of compliance with the Venice Charter or any laws but because the architect of the restoration clearly understands that the traditional structure of the building is an important part of the individuality of religious architecture. And any non-essential changes will only make it lose its charm and authenticity.

In the last Space, compared with the Nikko Toshogu it maintenance traditional space until now, the interior spaces of Boekhandel Dominicanen and Zhizhu Si have undergone many changes since they were built to the present day. And these changes' impact on the interior of the building is huge and obvious. Regarding the preservation and restoration of space, the transformation of space, reused or maintaining its original appearance, are aiming to protect the same thing, that is, the spiritual memory in the space. Take indoor ceiling paintings as an example. The ceiling frescoes in Boekhandel Dominicanen represent the art of its church, so they have also received special care during the restoration project. The Zhizhu Si also has decorative Sanskrit wood panels on the ceiling, which are also specially restored during the restoration process. Not to mention Toshogu who protect the traditional for over 385 years. The space brings people not only the visual senses but also the spiritual feeling. When it comes to the architectural space with religious connotations, the elements retained or removed in the process of preservation and restoration are ultimately for the purpose of allowing people to feel the memory remains in the space.

Although the three cases focused differently on architectural restoration and preservation. But after I analyzed the three cases, I found that the most important thing for architectural preservation is the Experience that it can bring to people, not just visually, but it lies in the overall concept and atmosphere, the facade of the building, the representative structure, and the interior space, which are all important parts of the preservation of the building and affect the overall experience of the building. The preservation of meaningful elements such as statues, paintings, building materials, windows, etc. Although they are only part of the preservation, it can be seen that regardless of the aspect of preservation and restoration, when those elements can be noticed when the building is restored and preserved. Then it can successfully preserve the memory of architectural connotation.