Rethinking 20C Nordic Heritage - Framework for Future Practice

About the seminar

The 20th Century Historic Thematic Framework (20cHTF) is a new tool that the Getty Conservation Institute and ICOMOS IS20C developed. Its primary purpose is to assess and interpret 20th-century built heritage. As such, the 20cHTF aims to update and broaden how to designate heritage, thus ensuring that it reflects the full complexity of the 20th century.

The seminar will take place at the former LO-School in Helsingør, a listed building that embodies the values of the Scandinavian labor movement.

The programme offers an exploration of the opportunities and challenges involved in identifying, interpreting, and managing 20th-century heritage across the Nordic region.
It will bring together experts from heritage institutions, universities, museums, and conservation organisations. In addition, the conference will create a forum for critical discussion on how the 20CHTF can support more inclusive, thematic, and future-oriented approaches to heritage practice.

The event is organized by ICOMOS Denmark, ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on 20th Century Heritage (ISC20C), and valued partners: ICOMOS Finland, ICOMOS Sweden, ICOMOS Norway, Faroe Islands National Museum, Museum of Åland and Property Board of Åland.
The A.P Møller Foundation, The Nordic Culture Fund, as well as ICOMOS Sweden also support the event.

Programme of the day

The seminar will last from 9 AM to 6 PM (CET).

The morning sessions  will begin with an introduction to the 20CHTF, followed by a discussion on the heritage of the Nordic welfare state. Presentations will notably examine how 20th-century architecture, planning, and social infrastructure express cultural expressions of shared social values and collective memory.

Building on this, the remainder of the programme focuses on the practical application of these ideas through some Nordic case studies. Presentations from Denmark and Finland will explore national experiences with thematic frameworks and pilot projects. Specifically, they will demonstrate how practitioners can integrate new methodologies into heritage assessment and conservation strategies.
In the afternoon, presentations address subjects as varied as:

• the representation of women architects in public archives and museum collections,
• the heritage value of healthcare architecture,
• the complexities of preserving modern urban environments undergoing significant transformation.

Throughout the day, dedicated panel discussions and question-and-answer sessions will provide opportunities for dialogue between speakers and participants.
Experts will touch on the questions of sustainability, social value and representation. They will also provide insights into how Nordic institutions and practitioners are rethinking the legacy of this heritage and shaping its future stewardship.

Registration and accomodation

Early Bird tickets are available until 20 June. Registration deadline: 1 September.

Accomodation is available, though the places are limited.
Please make reservations through the registration link. Konventum will send an invoice directly.