Reconstrução de uma feição "original": estratégias projetuais de intervenção em ruínas do Brasil e o caso da Capela do Engenho Cunhaú, RN

Abstract

In the pioneering phase of the National Historical and Artistic Heritage Service (Sphan), now known as Iphan, the fundamental guidelines for the safeguarding and intervention of Brazilian cultural assets were established. During this period, the preservation of colonial-style buildings became common in the country, along with a widespread restoration practice that aimed at reconstructing an "original" state of the monuments listed by the federal agency. In this context, the general objective of this study is to understand the design intervention strategies applied to the Chapel of Engenho do Cunhaú, in order to contribute to the conceptual and theoretical discussion on the relationship between restoration projects and ruined heritage. e ruin selected for analysis is the Chapel of Nossa Senhora das Candeias, commonly known as the Chapel of Cunhaú, located in the municipality of Canguaretama, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. e chapel’s archival documents proved to be highly relevant to the intended analysis, as they contain discussions by Sphan architects regarding the design strategies to be adopted in the restoration project. e primary sources that form the basis of this research include the listing and intervention processes, along with their respective iconographic archives, made available by the Central Archive of Iphan (ACI-RJ). To support the analysis of design strategies, this study considers preservationist theories, information on the listing and intervention processes, and the academic and professional trajectories of the architects involved in the restoration projects as theoretical principles. us, this research seeks to contribute to the contemporary debate on intervention projects in ruins by addressing both material aspects, related to the form and social function of these monuments, and immaterial aspects, which, in this study, refer to the environmental context in which these heritage sites are situated.