CIAV (Comité international d’architecture vernaculaire)

Annual Report 2005-2006

 1. New Executive

 Following a postal vote, a new executive was elected at the annual meeting held on 19 October 2005 in Xi’an, China.

 President:                     Marc de Caraffe, Canada

Vice-Presidents:           Prof. Masaru Maeno, Japan

                                    Dr. Milos Dudas, Slovakia

Secretary general:         Arq. Valeria Prieto, Mexico

 

Honorary members were appointed during that meeting

Arq. Kirsti Kovanen, Finland

Dr. Miles Lewis, Australia

Dr. Christoph Machat, Germany

Arq. Blanca Nino, Guatemala

 

The committee has currently 62 members from 43 countries, and six honorary members from five countries.   

 

2. Strategic Plan

 

An eight-point action plan is being implemented: 

 

1.  Hold next meeting in Mexico under theme “Pride of Place” in November 2006  

2.  Produce illustrated version of the Vernacular Charter.

3.  Write history of Traditional Building Construction. 

4.  Form strategic alliances with other groups interested in vernacular architecture

5.  Review committee with a view to align it with Eger-Xi’an principles.

6. Organize international meeting on vernacular reconstruction in devastated areas.

7.  Launch CIAV periodical news bulletin

8.  Launch awards program by obtaining nominations from members. 

 

The plan is based on the decisions and projects that have been taken in the committee in the past few years. 

 

3. Advocacy

 

Two resolutions proposed by CIAV were adopted at the General Assembly of ICOMOS in Xi’an

 

1. Resolution on the safeguard of vernacular traditions in disaster areas

2. Resolution to abandon construction of a road bridge that would destroy the historic character of the town of Tomo-no-Ura in Japan. 

 

4. Doctrine

 

The Charter on the conservation of the built vernacular heritage was adopted by the general assembly in 1999.  It is in use in five languages through the committee’s web site.  The committee is working on its wider distribution in the conservation field.