Facadism
See also: Frontage
The facadism is an urban practice which consists in preserving only the frontages considered to be interesting of old buildings of which all the remainder is dedicated to the demolition contracters. The frontage, reduced to a two-dimensional decoration, is then incorporated in a new construction, very often being used as alibi with an architecture without heart nor research.
This process was often used for the establishment of office buildings to the site of old buildings residential which one preserves only the appearance, dissociated from the architectural design of which it formed part, and without any consideration for original interior creation or the function of the building and the district.
The use of the facadism strongly developed in the last decades of the 20th century, particularly in the town of Brussels, as an answer to the defenders of the inheritance on behalf of the promoters, the latter considering this sufficient diversion to enable them to continue the construction of only functional buildings with character with the detriment of the restoration. In spite of the reactions and the awakening of part of the profession and authorities, examples of “facadism” are noted still today, so much so that the expression is associated with the word “Bruxellisation”.
The term “facadism” also entered the current language to indicate surface things or concepts, without depth or which have only one appearance of functionality.
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