Dr. phil. Clara Rellensmann
Teaching Associate and Postdoctoral Researcher
Building 2B / Room 0.15
Konrad-Wachsmann-Allee 4
03046 Cottbus
T +49 (0) 355 69 3996
clara.rellensmann(at)b-tu.de
Office hours: by appointment
Clara Rellensmann studied European Studies with a focus on art history and cultural studies at the University of Passau and World Heritage Studies at BTU. In 2010/11, she held the Mercator Fellowship on International Affairs and subsequently worked as a consultant for the UNESCO offices in Bangkok and Yangon until 2016. Since April 2017, she has been working as a Teaching and Research Associate at the Department of Architectural Conservation. Clara Rellensmann has worked as a researcher at the University of Zurich and was a visiting researcher at Carleton University. For her doctoral thesis, in association with the DFG Research Training Group 1913 "Cultural and Technological Significance of Historic Buildings", she investigated the Buddhist site of Bagan and identity politics in Myanmar. For her research, she was awarded the Max-Grünebaum-Preis in 2022.
Clara Rellensmann works at the intersections of heritage conservation, critical heritage studies, and architectural history and theory. She understands heritage conservation as an applied science and creative practice, which is reflected in her practice-oriented research and teaching.
Clara Rellensmann is a founding member of Haus Döschnitz and she founded Studio Bagan. She is a member of the ICOMOS International Committee on Risk Preparedness. From 2020 to 2017, she served as a board member of ICOMOS International and in 2019/2020 as an expert on the World Heritage Panel.
Focus areas
- Consumerist heritage: architectures of consumption
- Heritage politics
- Participatory practices in heritage
- Cultural heritage and sustainable development
Current projects
- Dying department stores: a study project on consumerist architectures as heritage
- Haus Döschnitz: cross-disciplinary adaptive re-use project in the Schwarza Valley, Thuringian Forest
- Studio Bagan: preservation studio and student exchange with the Yangon Technological University (2017-2022)
Monograph
Rellensmann, C: Appropriating Sacred Spaces. Heritage Politics in Myanmar, (Studies in Art, Heritage, Law and the Market, vol. 10), Cham 2024.
Edited volumes
Casper, J. / Eisenloffel, K. / Rellensmann, C. / Stevens, M.: Studio Bagan: Heritage Tourism – Conflicts and Chances, Brandenburg University of Technology / IKMZ, 2019.
Bartoli, S. / Rellensmann, C. / Linden, S.: AG7 - Bagan, Büros für Konstruktivismus, Berlin 2019.
Rellensmann, C. / Römer, A.: STUDIO BAGAN – building in heritage context, Brandenburg University of Technology / IKMZ 2018.
Rellensmann, C. (Hg): Heritage Conservation and Ideologies (a reader), Brandenburg University of Technology / IKMZ 2018.
Other Publications
Rellensmann, C. / Pwint, Wint Tin Htut Latt: "Studio Bagan: Strengthening Cultural Heritage Conservation Through Interdisciplinary Problem-Based Learning", in: Klumpner, H. / Papanicolaou, K.E. (eds.), Transitioning to Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG11), MDPI Book Series: Transitioning to Sustainability, MDPI 2024.
Rellensmann, C.: "Von einer Ruinenlandschaft zur Pagodenstadt: ideologisiertes Weiterbauen in Myanmar 1995–2011", in: Froschauer, E.M. / Lorenz, W. / Rellensmann, L. / Wiesener, A. (eds.), Vom Wert des Weiterbauens – konstruktive Lösungen und kulturgeschichtlicher Zusammenhänge, Basel 2020, pp. 67–82.
Rellensmann, C.: "Wessen Erbe bewahren?", ad hoc international, 11.11.2020.
Maas, K. / Rellensmann, C. / Rellensmann, L.: "Diversify/Decolonize Heritage!“ Report on Kick-off Workshop, ICOMOS Germany website, August 2020.
Rellensmann, C. / Stevens, J.M.: "Studio Bagan - Working across disciplines to contribute to the sustainable conservation of Myanmar’s flagship destination", in: Kollert,C. / Weidner, S. (eds.), Researching Cities and Designing Spaces – Research at the Institute of Urban Planning, Brandenburg University of Technology / IKMZ, 2020.
German Committee of UNESCO (ed.): "Welterbe bedeutet Verantwortung zu übernehmen!, Interview mit Clara Rellensmann anlässlich des Europäischen Kulturerbejahrs 2018", April 2018.
Interview mit Clara Rellensmann in Dokumentation: Chanel+ Archeologeeks. Sauver Bagan, Série documentaire, Saison 1, Épisode 1, France 2017.
Rellensmann, C. / Mezzino, D. / Santana Quintero, M. / Pwint, Wint Tin Htut Latt:" Technical Assistance for the Conservation of Built Heritage at Bagan, Myanmar", Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLI-B5, 2016, pp. 945-952.
doi:10.5194/isprs-archives-XLI-B5-945-2016
Rellensmann, Clara. "Das Welterbe Bewahren." Internationale Politik, vol. 1, 2012, p. 56.
Conference contributions and public lectures
23.4.2025, Leuven
Lecture “Counternarratives as a critical approach to conservation”
Meet the Jury Lecture Series, Raymond Lemaire International Centre for Conservation, KU Leuven
2.8.2023, Maastricht
Presentation “Pioneering co-creative preservation in the countryside?”
“Regenerate!” Annual MACCH Symposium, Maastricht University / Jan van Eyck Academy
2.8.2023, online
Lecture “Counternarratives as a critical approach to conservation”
Public Lecture Series, University of Hong Kong
26–30 August 2020, online
Conference paper: „Accounting for the past or business as usual? The afterlife of ideologically transformed heritage sites in Myanmar since 2011“
Association of Critical Heritage Studies, 5th Biannual Conference, University College London, 26.–30. August 2020
2 June 2019, Sarajevo
Workshop: It’s complicated: Negotiating the diverse needs of stakeholders at living religious heritage sites (coordination together with Katelyn Williams)
Interpret Europe Conference: Engaging with Diversity, 31 May - 3 June 2019 in Sarajevo
5 December 2018, Buenos Aires
World Heritage Information Session (organization together with Gabriel Caballero (Singapur))
ICOMOS Annual General Assembly, 3-6 December 2018 in Buenos Aires
7 October 2018, Rangun (Myanmar)
Lecture: World Heritage narratives and beyond
DAAD Summer School STUDIO BAGAN, 7–21 October 2018 in Myanmar
27 September 2018, Kaiserslautern
Poster Presentation: Studio Bagan – Building in Heritage Contexts
Conference Research Culture in Architecture, 27–28 September 2018 in Kaiserslautern
8 August 20018, Apolda
Lecture and Discussion: Wie weiter mit Eiermanns Erbe? (together with Luise Rellensmann (Cottbus) and Sophia Walk (Graz))
IBA (Thuringia) Campus, 5 July - 25 August in Apolda
28 June 2018, Cottbus
Contribution: Ideologie und Weiterbauen in Myanmar: Bagan 1995–2011
Colloquium Vom Wert des Weiterbauens, 27–29 June 2018 in Cottbus
7 February 2018, Ottawa
Contribution: Authenticating Reconstruction – An investigation of Bagan’s rebuilt landscape
NSERC Create Heritage Research Forum (Carleton University), 7–9 February 2018 in Ottawa
17 June 2017, Bonn
Conference paper: How to make merit in modernity? An investigation of Bagan’s reconstructed landscape.
Myanmar Studies Conference, June 2017 in Bonn
20 May 2017, London
Contribution: Authenticating Reconstruction – An investigation of Bagan’s rebuilt landscape.
Architectural History Workshop, Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain (SAHGB), May 2015 in London
Master's Theses - primary supervisor
Upama Kabir, Khandoker (2023). Towards adaptive re-use through co-creational art practice: a case of neglected historic sites of Old Dhaka, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg.
Secondary supervisor: Prof. Dr. Mona Raafat (Helwan University, Cairo)
Twayana, Astha (2023). Traditional Practice for Heritage Conservation in the Newar Community of Nepal – Case Study of the Deslar Guthi, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg.
Secondary supervisor: Prof. Dr. Mona Raafat (Helwan University, Cairo)
Manjunath, Meghana (2018). Sustainable Tourism Guidelines for Mysore City, India.
Master's Program in World Heritage Studies, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg.
Secondary supervisor: Olav Clemens, FH Westküste
Putra, Edwin Perdana (2018). Assessment of Adaptive Re-use in Post-Colonial Buildings: A Case Study in Braga Street, Indonesia.
Masterstudiengang Heritage Conservation and Site Management, Brandenburg University of TechnologyCottbus-Senftenberg.
Secondary supervisor: Prof. Dr. Nevine Nizar, Helwan University, Cairo.
Master's Theses - secondary supervisor
Gupta, Meetali (2024). The Role of Young Heritage Professionals in EU Cultural Heritage Policies, Frameworks and Initiatives, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg.
Primary Supervisor: Prof. Dr. iur. Eike Albrecht
Yegnanarayanan, Karthika (2023). Silk Weaving Tradition of Tamil Nadu, India: Documenting the Kanchipuram Silk, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg.
Primary supervisor: Prof. Dr. Roland Bernecker
Putilina, Anastasiia (2022). Cultural Appropriation of Ukrainian tangible and intangible heritage in the light of Russo-Ukrainian War 2022, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg.
Primary supervisor: Prof. Dr. Roland Bernecker Supitcha
Sutthanonkul, Supitcha (2022). Making a contribution to the SDGs: adaptive reuse of industrial heritage of the teak industry in Prae Province, Thailand, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg.
Primary supervisor: Prof. Dr. habil. Johanna Blokker
Dreger, Inga (2022). Unbequeme Ostmoderne: Ablehnung und Werte des Rechenzentrums in Potsdam, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg.
Primary supervisor: Dr. Alexandra Skedzuhn-Safir
Bardhan, Jayashree (2021) Optimising ICOMOS’ ‘Heritage at Risk’ Initiatives:Towards a Comprehensive Framework for Cultural Heritage at Risk.
Master's Programme in World Heritage Studies, Brandenburg University of TechnologyCottbus-Senftenberg.
Primary supervisor: V.-Prof. Dr. Alexandra Skedzuhn-Safir, BTU with Dr. Teresa Patricio, KU Leuven.
Kleitz, Elise (2019) Transmitting traumatic memory to future generations in the post-conflict urban landscape: the critical task of architecture.
Master's Programme in World Heritage Studies, Brandenburg University of TechnologyCottbus-Senftenberg
Primary supervisor: Prof. Dr. Leo Schmidt, BTU.
Mühlstädt, Isabelle (2019) Keeping the Genius Loci Alive – Understanding and Preserving the Spirit and Feeling of Places.
Master's Programme in World Heritage Studies, Brandenburg University of TechnologyCottbus-Senftenberg.
Primary supervisor: Prof. Dr. Leo Schmidt, BTU.
Kuhnlein, Melanie (2018) Umnutzung der denkmalgeschützten Obermühle Leutra in ein Wohngebäude.
Master's Programme in Building and Conservation, Brandenburg University of TechnologyCottbus-Senftenberg.
Primary supervisor: Prof. Dr. Leo Schmidtt, BTU.
Leckie, Leonardo Bucco (2018) The First Line of Defence: Humanitarian First Aid to Cultural Heritage during Armed Conflict and the Role of the International Community.
Master's Programme in World Heritage Studies, Brandenburg University of TechnologyCottbus-Senftenberg.
Primary supervisor: Prof. Dr. Leo Schmidtt, BTU.
Teng, Zhuoyou (2018) Heritage of migrants in a changing society: a case study from Bangkok’s Chinatown.
Master's Programme in World Heritage Studies, Brandenburg University of TechnologyCottbus-Senftenberg.
Primary supervisor: Prof. Dr. Anna Amelina, BTU.