Total Reconstruction: a Case Study of Aladza Mosque

Total reconstruction, authenticity, fragment recomposition What makes a completely reconstructed building an asset of architectural heritage? Most certainly it is an immaterial component: the cultural significance of the building, fragments of collective memory or the unwillingness of the people to accept the fact of destruction. UNESCO has pointed out that the intangible component is as important as the physical like in the case of Aladza Mosque in Foca. The research and experience gathered from the destruction of the mosque along with the project of reconstruction, and the rebuilding that will follow will become an essential part of this heritage. The physical presence of this XVI century building is scarce, it is more like evidence and proof of existence rather than stone pieces that can be recomposed into the reconstructed building. This paper follows the research and recording of the site and its remains, and exposes the emergence of detailed project designs.