Study on Causative Agents of Damage in the Costa Rican Caribbean Architecture from a Multidisciplinary Perspective

Abstract

The aim of this communication is to analyze the architectural, historic and construction values of the Costa Rican Caribbean architecture, which constitutes an architectural typology of the identity of the city of Limón. Damages linked to biological agents in these buildings were identified based on the multidisciplinary research project titled “Conservation of the Costa Rican Caribbean architecture by applying advanced techniques for studying the causative agents of damage in the buildings”. An inventory of the study area was conducted in order to identify predominant elements of this type of architecture, as well as to quantify and georeference, through a Geographic Information System, the buildings that are still preserved; the identification of damage-causing agents within the inventory was also part of the process. As a second stage, samples taken from the buildings will be analyzed in the biological sciences laboratory to identify biological agents that were potentially responsible for damage. Thirty representative buildings of the Costa Rican Caribbean architecture were identified, for which inventory records were made that included information about architectural and building aspects, as well as damage identification and classification, and types of causative agents. Based on a multi-criteria evaluation, Capitanía de Puerto, Casa Misionera de la Iglesia Bautista and other edifications were selected as the buildings to conduct the inventory of biological damage, sampling, and environmental monitoring.

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References

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