Preservation of modern architecture facades: the case of UFSM Central Administration building

Abstract

This article discusses the preservation of the Central Administration Building of Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM) located in the south of Brazil. The building is a non-declared cultural heritage, built at the
end of the 1960s and designed according to principles of modern architecture. The building underwent continuous alterations, mainly in its facades. A study was thus conducted to point out guidelines for its conservation and restoration. The method involved the research of historical documents, which justify both the importance of UFSM in the local context and aspects related to the model adopted for the implementation of the university campus, which followed the precepts of modernist urbanism. Files stored
in the institution that contains documentation of the original project were consulted to verify the initial conformation foreseen in the project and how it was built at the time. Testimonials from key individuals were collected to substantiate and record the transformations made to the building over the years as a result of reforms and adjustments to administrative needs. Bibliography referring to Brazilian and international experiences were sought to understand the actions adopted in the preservation of modern architecture. Based on this framework, guidelines were drawn for the preservation of the building’s facades. These guidelines seek the preservation of the building considering the public resources available, pointing out
viable actions that respect the main formal and aesthetic characteristics of the property. The main result is a product that serves as a guideline for the intervention on the building, and procedures that can guide the intervention in other buildings with the same characteristics.