unsanitary (usually Victorian) buildings. The new, clearly modern architectural style of the period was seen as part of the vibrant, swinging sixties! However, attitudes change . Over the last 20 years, I don't think I have ever met anyone who will admit that, at the time, they liked the new buildings of the 1960s. I make this point to ask the question how, in conservation terms, we judge buildings of the recent past? Some were well liked when they were new, but are now almost universally decried. Multistorey flats come within this category. When they were built many were perceived of as 'villages in the sky' and the perfect response to the slums they replaced. Today, factors such as the location of the buildings, growth in car ownership and changing social conditions mean that many of them are unpopular with residents and they are being demolished, in precisely the same way that Victorian buildings were in the 1960s, to be replaced by lower development which is usually of a similar overall density. The buildings of previous ages have gone through three stages, acclamation, abuse and finally approval. Are 1960s buildings in a similar trough t~day, comparable to that of Victorian buildings up to 1980 or Georgian buildings before 1930? It may sound heresy today, but do we run a similar risk of demolishing what future generations will cherish and approve of? A positive attempt has been made to avoid this by listing a number of 1960s and later buildings. However, any listing of recent buildings is bound to be judged today with similar social, economic and political influences that influenced the 1960s views of Victorian buildings and the present attitude to inter-war architecture. The age of the person making the assessment and their direct experience of the building type in question will also be an influence. There is no doubt that this is a ve1y difficult task but it must be attempted now, because in 30 or 40 years there will be few 1960s buildings left. However, we must also accept that the consensus in 2030 about the merits of selecting buildings of the 1960s may not agree with those actually being chosen at present. Tailpiece Some time ago I was asked to give some advice to a university who was the owner of a listed 1960s tower block. An integral •part of the design was a large plate-glass window that covered both the ground and mezzanine floors and allowed the interior of this part of the building to be seen. The building was in the middle of the campus but, unfortunately, on a Saturday night it was also. on the route of a short cut home for a group of the city's more inebriated and boisterous residents. Eve1y so often, one of them would take a large catapult and fire stones at the window, and from time to time it would break. It was not a standard size and the university couldn't simply go to Autoglass for a replacement. Each time it required a special order to Pilkington that took time to deliver and cost £17,000. Eventually the insurers would no longer provide cover and, to reduce the cost of these Saturday evening activities, the university wanted to replace the single enormous window with two smaller (but still very large) ones, that were of a size that was more easily obtainable and cheaper to replace. There was a serious practical problem but a long debate ensued as to whether the character of the building would be affected by this change and the proposal would therefore need listed building consent. Use of air guns or catapults on the glass in listed buildings is not new, but the cost of replacement for those buildings erected before the 1960s is generally much less. This illustrates that listed building control of 20th century buildings, particularly those from after the First World War, may need quite a different and more flexible approach to that required up to now. Context 65 March 2000 SITUATIONS VACANT? Vacancies for architects, surveyors, town planners with experience and/or qualifications in historic building conservation can be filled by booking a display advertisement in Context. Your advertisement will reach readers across the UK and Eire m local authorities, central government departments and other publicly funded bodies, as well as private professional practices and universities. Contact the publishers. It will cost you less than you think! Publishing datee of the next issue of Context is 7 June 2000 Preferred reservation deadline is 4May2000 After this deadline, you will be offered either editor's choice of space or a looseinsert in the journal To find our more, contact: Hall-McCartney Ltd, Heritage House PO Box 21, Baldock, Hertfordshire SG7 SSH Tel: 01462 896688 Fax: 01462 896677 E-mail: context@hallmccartney.co.uk 25
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