Meeting of Historic Homeowners with Conservation Authorities

Published: 07.06.2024

We have just concluded an extremely valuable meeting. On June 5, 2024, the inaugural seminar of the planned annual series titled „DE ARS PERSEVERANTIAE – THE ART OF ENDURANCE” took place at Dwór Somianka. Organized by the Domus Polonorum Association, the event aimed to strengthen cooperation between historic property owners and conservation authorities.

During the seminar, discussions focused on how to optimally shape relationships between historic property owners and conservation offices to efficiently utilize grant funds. Issues related to the preparation of applications for construction and landscaping permits, to ensure that granted funding is not lost, were also addressed.

The seminar began with an introductory lecture by Tomasz Zwiech, a landscape architecture designer and member of the Landscape Architecture Section of OW SARP. Anna Grudzińska, Deputy Mazovian Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments, presented the Conservation Office’s experiences in collaborating with historic property owners. Private owners Andrzej Novak-Zempliński (Dwór in Tułowice) and Michał Sobański (Palace in Guzów) shared their experiences with the Conservation Offices.

Katarzyna Łowicka, Chair of the Landscape Architecture Section of OW SARP, highlighted several key insights from the seminar:

  • Historic properties, whether publicly or privately owned, are part of Poland’s national heritage and require significant resources for their preservation.
  • The state supports historic property owners through targeted grants, though the share of such grants for private properties remains small.
  • Proper preparation of revalorization projects for historic gardens is crucial and should be based on thorough research and analysis.

The seminar emphasized the need for dialogue and trust between all parties involved in the protection of historic properties. Landscape architects play a vital role in bridging the needs of historic garden owners with the expectations of conservators. The participation of the Landscape Architecture Section in the seminar and the prospect of further cooperation between Domus Polonorum and the Mazovian Conservator of Monuments is certainly a step in the right direction.

Special thanks to Katarzyna Łowicka for her valuable presence, conference summary, and photos.

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