The modern house: conservation and (re)use through the narrative approach

Purpose This paper acknowledges the limitations of conventional heritage conservation, where the reuse of iconic modern houses as museums or exhibits often sacrifices their original residential function. We explore four aspects of the narrative approach – significance, reversibility, expandability and craftsmanship – to assess its potential for preserving and allowing change over time in the modern house. Design/methodology/approach Four iconic modern houses are analysed in this study: Villa Tugendhat-Brno frozen as a museum house, Chabot Museum-Rotterdam refunctioned as an art museum, Haus Schminke-Löbau used as a guest house and Maison Guiette-Antwerpen still in use. Employing aspects of the narrative approach (Walter, 2020a, b), the analysis evaluates recent heritage management practices in preserving the building’s multifaceted history and associated perspectives. Findings The narrative approach in heritage conservation values the evolving significance of cultural heritage by recognising different perspectives and preserving the traces of past changes. It promotes sustainability by enabling adaptive reuse while preserving historical integrity by respecting past and future heritage. Despite its obvious weaknesses, such as potential subjectivity, the dilution of valuations and the loss of historic fabric, it particularly responds to the ephemeral nature and challenges of modernity. Originality/value The cross-case analysis of practical conservation approaches, encompassing varied strategies for conservation and adaptive reuse, offers valuable insights for theorizing the significance of modernist architecture for both the present and future.