Heritage Endures. An Unscientific Experience with the House Bequeathed by the Urisarri

Abstract

This article is a reflection on the fragility heritage sites. Six buildings of cultural interest were chosen as a useful population in an example case: the property of Carlos Joaquín Urisarri, a resident of the Colony in the historic center of Bogotá, a simple construction of adobe belonging to the Ministry of Culture and the Caro and Cuervo Institute, which was found in ruins, due to the logic of policies of the entities that are in charge of preserving this heritage. This has made its use slip in time. Three estates have proposed to contribute to the design, execution and monitoring of projects to take place in the historical center of Bogotá, but generating a processes to complete a procedure with signatures and seals with a duration between one to three years. In the meantime, this construction —like others in the city and the country— is on hold or in ruin and has to restart the process once again because it has not completed one of the steps, it has not acquired the resources or has had to return the money because it has not executed the project as planned. Fortunately, we have taken corrective measures and the restoration project will begin.