The Most Questionable Building Restorations In The World

The concept of architectural heritage and listed building restoration is relatively new and as a result the definition of what a good restoration is continues to change.

There are buildings which shifted public opinion from architectural blemish getting in the way of major development efforts to beloved listed examples of controversial architectural traditions in barely a decade, such is the rapid development of what it means to preserve and restore a building.

However, there are some restorations where the initial character of the building might have been neglected, to say the least.

Castle Of Matrera

In the ninth century, the Castle of Matrera was constructed to defend the town of Iptuci (now part of the city of Prado del Ray), but by 2010, the ancient walls had taken a beating from the elements, leading to the decision to restore it in a way that has drawn controversy to this day.

However, whilst the sheer white brutalist concrete walls of which the crumbling parts of Matrera are affixed to have received a lot of criticism, it does have its defenders, largely based on the notion that the concrete additions are designed to highlight what is left.

Château de Rentilly

Rentilly Cultural Park, 30km east of Paris, was previously a feudal estate before being converted into a cultural landmark and museum for contemporary art in 2014 when it received quite an unusual makeover.

The classic 16th-century chateau was given a second skin made of mirrors designed to reflect the beauty of the surrounding countryside.

It did do this, to the architect’s credit, but in doing so a lot of the traditional character of the house has been lost considerably, and it has since been described as looking akin to the Death Star from the Star Wars franchise.

There is a defence that can be made for the designer’s intentions, but at the same time, it is also a building that is remarkably easy to hate.