As It Was in the Beginning is Now and Ever Shall Be Part 2 Project 2024 Laura Green Ulster University | UK Heritage buildings in Northern Ireland silently echo a valuable history, marking cultural, religious change, and political turmoil. These structures hold the stories and the spirit of the community of the people that have come before us.Yet, the overwhelming observation is of the underutilization and continuous destruction of these valuable assets. Adaptive reuse and modification of heritage buildings could be the answer to saving heritage and solving many environmental and economic problems Northern Ireland currently faces.The primary reason for the neglect of heritage in Northern Ireland is the ambiguity surrounding the determination of a building’s authenticity. Assessing authenticity seems subjective. Is it situated in the historical period it represents? Is it observed in the community it has been a part of? Or is it in the inherent spirit the building holds and the emotions it evokes? Clarifying where a building loses its authenticity could lead to revised planning legislation for smoother, more successful adaptive reuse projects.My project looks into how defining a buildings authenticity can allow for successful reuse of our heritage assets. Tutor(s) David Coyles