From Punishment to Luxury: The Silence of Memory in the Adaptive Reuse of Difficult Heritage

Authors : Ayşan Ilgın Polat, Can Mehmet Hersek

Pages : 717-731

View : 84 | Download : 281

Publication Date : 2025-12-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Cultural heritage sites do not capture the architectural remnants of the past only, but also they illustrate the politics of memory in societies. Nevertheless, transformation of buildings linked to trauma, oppression, and shame identified as difficult heritage is a source of ethical dilemma, which troubles more conventional conservation practice. This paper analyses the adaptive reuse of Het Arresthuis prison in Roermond, Netherlands, into a luxury hotel in terms of architecture, meaning, and morality. The paper examines the dilemma between the physical integrity of the building and its functions as memory-vectors within the context of universal standards including the Venice Charter, the ICOMOS principles and the Dutch national statutes (i.e. the Erfgoedwet and the Omgevingswet). As a case study surveyed through qualitative research techniques, it was established that although the building has maintained its architectural originality, the transformation of prison information into the components of a luxury consumption has provided a sort of a dark tourism ambiance. The findings indicate that although physical conservation was successful, narrative strategies aimed at confronting the past remained insufficient, and a silence of memory was produced by aestheticizing the historical burden of the space. Consequently, the study argues that in such transformations, not only technical and legal protection but also principles of social participation and critical narrative must be integrated into the process.
Keywords : Rahatsız edici miras, Het Arresthuis, Adaptif yeniden kullanım, Cezaevi mimarisi, Anı suskunluğu

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