~ontext The Institute of Historic Building Conservation No 60 December 1998 In this issue: LOCALDISTINCTIVENESS Best value in local government Maintenance versus repair Restoration of Chinese wallpaper Progress on National Vocational Qualifications Successful prosecution in North London Spring Cottage, Cliveden Plus: Sir Titus, M'Learned Friend, Supporting Columns
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THE INSTITUTE OF HISTORIC BUILDING CONSERVATION http:/ /www.ihbc.org.uk Context and IHBC News Editor Bob Kindred, 4 Henley Road, Ipswich !Pl 3FS, Tel: 01473 259441 (Ipswich Borough Council, Tel: 01473 262934, Fax, 01473 262974), e-mail, ihbc_editor@mkcn.org.uk IHBC Officers Chairman, Dr Malcolm Airs (Department of Continuing Education, Oxford University, Tel, 01865 270395), 39 High Street, Dorchester-on-Thames, Oxon OXl0 7HN, Tel, 01865 340075. e-mail: malcolmairs@conted.ox.ac.uk Vice-Chairman, Alan Taylor (Staffordshire County Council, Tel, 01785 277282), 15 Village Gardens, Walton on the Hill, Stafford STl 7 011, Tel, 01785 664473, e-mail: ihbc_ vicechair@mkcn.org. uk Secretary, Dr Richard Morrice (English Heritage, Tel, 0171-973 3132), Old Laundry Cottage, Mote Road, Ivyhatch, Kent TN15 0NT, e-mail, ihbc_secretary@mkcn.org.uk Treasurer: Robert Parkinson (West Oxfordshire District Council, Tel, 01993 770247), Tbe Old Priory, Priory Lane, Bicester, Oxon OX6 7BG, e-mail: ihbc_treasurer@mkcn.org.uk Membership Secretary, Gus Astley (Bath & North East Somerset Council, Fax, 01225 477674), Manor House, Wells Road, Hallatrow, Bristol BS39 6EJ, Tel/Answerphone, 01761 453047, e-mail, ihbc_membership@mkcn.org.uk Branches Co-ordinator, Julia Smith (Milton Keynes Council, Tel: 01908 252501), 49 Chaucer Drive, Aylesbury HP21 7LH, Tel, 01296 435187, e-mail: ihbc_branches@mkcn.org.uk Consul!ations Co-ordinator, Graham Arnold (Sefton Borough Council, Tel: 0151-934 3574), 13 Sefton Drive, Liverpool LS 3SD, e-mail: ihbc_consultations@mkcn.org.uk Education Co-ordinator, Philip Grover (Oxford Brookes University, Tel, 01865 483425), 7 Palmer Road, Sutton-on-Trent, Notes NG23 6PP, Tel, 01636 822089, e-mail, prgrover@brookes.ac.uk Technical Panel Co-ordinator, Marion Brinton (Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council, Tel, 01256 844844), Development Department, Civic Offices, London Road, Basingstoke, Hanes RG21 4AH Publicity Ojjicer, David Davidson, Flat 2, 15 Southwood Avenue, Highgate, London N6 5RY, Tel: 0181-348 3145, e-mail, ihbc_publicity@mkcn.org.uk Branch Officers North, Ian Goodman, Tel, 01670 519391, e-mail: ihbc_north@mkcn.org.uk North West, Sheila Stones, Tel, 0161-793 3770, Fax, 0161-794 6471 Yorkshire, Stephen Bateman, Tel, 01274 754551, e-mail: ihbc_yorkshire@mkcn.org.uk West Midlands, David Baxter, Tel, 01432 261950 East Midlands, Michael Taylor, Tel, 0116-252 7296 South, Martin Andrew, Tel, 01494 421578 South West, David Stirling, Tel, 01249 760670, e-mail, dstirling@northwilts.gov.uk Hast Anglia, Paula Judson Tel, 01376 572286 South Hast, Nigel Barker, Tel, 0181-541 9417, e-mail: ihbc_southeast@mkcn.org.uk London, Rosemarie MacQueen, Tel, 0171-641 2455 Scotland, Ronnie Robertson, Tel, 01343 563287 Wales, Neil Sumner, Tel, 01656 643159, e-mail: ihbc_wales@mkcn.org.uk Northern Ireland, Laurence Manogue, Tel: 01232 23500 ext 279, e-mail, ihbc_ireland@mkcn.org.uk Registered as a Charity Number 1061593. Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in England Number 3333780. Registered Office: Old Laundry Cottage, Mote Road, Ivy Hatch, nr Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 ONT. Context 60 December 1998 Context News 4 LOCAL DISTINCTIVENESS Thirty years of design control. David Stenning 7 LODIS: Local Distinctiveness Strategies to promote economic competitiveness. Peter de Figueiredo 8 10 Towards a new vernacular housing. Mark Parsons IHBC East Midlands Conference: New Housing, History in the Making 12 Britain: the Trabant house builders of Europe? Martin Richardson 13 Local distinctiveness in new housing: the West Dorset approach. David Oliver 14 16 Residential design - not an optional extra. Matthew Carmona New Labour: new conservation? John Pendlebury and Tim Townshend 17 Best Value in Local Government. Progress on conservation benchmarking. Bob Kindred Spring Cottage, Cliveden. Ann Towers 21 24 27 29 31 33 34 36 37 39 40 42 Successful prosecution in North london. Mike Brown Supporting Columns: repair or demolish? Brian Morton Preventive maintenance: the way forward? George Allan Conservation of the Chinese wallpaper at Woburn Abbey Sir Titus: Billy Burges. David Morton Green Flag Park Awards. Alan Taylor M'Learned Friend. Charles Mynors Conservation Control NVQ: Units and Elements. John Preston IHBC News Book reviews Editorial It is currently fashionable to claim that conservation is a blight on development. A small number of siren voices, who should know better and who apparently claim to be well informed on such matters, see regeneration and conservation as incompatible. Perhaps it is more a case of them being prevented from making a fast buck and moving on? Is this prejudice true everywhere? On closer inspection, this seems to be particularly metropolitan pre-occupation. Are these views representative? Again it seems that such opinions are often based on long held prejudices or narrow sectional interest- not on what communities want and not what their democratically elected representatives have chosen to allocate resources towards. Perhaps those who sit round Hampstead dinner tables and plot to subvert the consensus enshrined in Government policies such as PPG15 should get out and about a little more. A little fresh air in West Dorset or North Norfolk would do them good. They might also learn that, at grass roots level, the local authorities which they seem to so despise are actually thought by their communities to be doing a pretty good job on the conservation front. Far from being a blight, conservation is a positive force. The role played in maintaining a cherished sense of place, identity and local distinctiveness are the theme of this issue and Context may return to it again soon. Equally, while there is always room for improvement in the local authority system that delivers conservation, the development of Best Value as a force for change in local government shows that, while it must be professional and in tune with the needs of its Council Tax payers and customers, it must also be properly resourced. Would those same siren voices support better funded conservation? Probably not, but then they are too lazy to find out how it works, what its aims are, why it has community support and why it works rather well against the odds. 3
Context Editor. Bob Kindred 4 Henley Road, Ipswich IPl 3FS, Tel: 01473 259441 (Ipswich Borough Council), Tel: 01473 262934, Fax: 01473 262974 e-mail: ihbc_editor@mkcn.org.uk Deputy Hditor: Vacant Production Editor: Jonathan David, Tel: 01582 763415, Fax: 01582 467480 Context is published quarterly and is distributed to all members of the Institute of Historic 13uilding Conservation. © Institute of Historic Building Conservation 1998 ISSN: 0958-2746 Published for the Institute of Historic Building Conservation by Hall-McCartney Ltd, Heritage House, PO Box 21, BALDOCK, Herts SG7 SSH. Tel: 01462 896688 Fax: 01462 896677 e-mail: hallmccartney@com puserve .corn Nonmember subscriptions to Context Context is available to nonmembers of the !HBC at an annual subscription rate, including postage, of: United Kingdon Elsewhere: £40.00 US$113.00 Subscription orders, together with remittances payable to Hall-McCartney Ltd, should be sent to the address shown above. The views expressed in Context are not necessarily those held by the !HBC or the publishers. Neither the publishers nor the !HBC shall be under any liability whatsoever in respect of contributed articles. The products and services advertised in this publication are not necessarily endorsed by the Institute. COVERSTORY As heritage resources are becoming ever more scarce, why are we spending so much on expensive repairs when we could follow William Morris's dictum: "Stave off repair with daily care"? Such attention might have saved this small Irish cottage (but then again perhaps not). In this issue, George Allen makes a strong case for carrying out good housekeeping before serious repairs become necessary. This seems to have struck a chord with the HLF but a major change of attitude seems to be required among local authorities, English Heritage and others. Any more opinions on this literally neglected topic? 4 NEWS TACTILEPAVING Tired of fighting battles over paving schemes that have to incorpora re drab-pink and sickly-yellow concrete tactile paving into traditional paved surfaces? Unable to convince your colleagues to spend half their budget on traditional paving incorporating expensive brass studs as a tactile surface? Help may be at hand. Marshal ls has introduced three new natural Yorkstone tactile pavings to its landscaping range. They now offer hazard warning, platform edge and cycleway surface finishes alongside the blister paving to help the blind and partially sighted. Changes in DoT guidelines now permit the incorporation of natural stone tactile paving into schemes where similar materials are to be used. The hazard warning paving features half-rod shaped bars warning of a hazard which requires caution, e.g. at the top and bottom of steps; the cycleway paving can be used where pedestrians and cyclists share the same surface. WANTED Back copy of Perspectives in Architecture Issue 29 Qune-July 1997) Please contact Paul Johnson Tel: 0115-923 2166 (Nottingham) to complete a set. OBITUARY: CECIL HEWETT 1926-1998 Craftsman and carpent1y historian Cecil Hewett was not a member of the ACO (he had Groucho Marx's views on clubs-with, of course, the exception ofVAG), nor would it have been appropriate because, despite a life dedicated to historic buildings he would never have considered himself to be a Conservation Officer. For Cecil, historic buildings, in particular their timber parts, were his life but he left it to others to consider changes. In fact he could be quite ruthless in his search for the. truth about a building. I heard him say more than once (and mean it) "to understand this building we need to take it apart". In his early youth in Laindon, Essex all his spare time was spent cycling the county and studying buildings. In those days, mills, in particular windmills, were his first interest. In the late 1930s a few were still working and he met, worked with, and drank with the last of the Essex millers. In his later years he still made working models of those mills because he not only understood timber, he could work it, as can be seen in the demonstration pieces he made to illustrate the intricacy and beauty of many early joints National service and teacher training (including drinking with Dylan Thomas in Swansea) lead on to school teaching during which time he scoured Essex and nearby counties in search of timber framed buildings in order to discover how they were built. This search led him to a study of the jointing methods and, ignoring the received knowledge of the time, he set about constructing a chronology. His first major heresy was to declare the two great barns at Cressing Temple to be more 13th century than 16th as attributed by the RCHM. Support from within the Essex Records Office encouraged him to publish his ideas which were so well illustrated by his unique drawing technique. Initially his theory and chronology were the subject of heated debate amongst the academic historians: his ideas blew great holes in their carefully constructed Bannister Fletcher fabric. However he gained considerable support from American academics as well as in Europe. Then came Carbon 14 dating which started to support his views and, subsequently, dendrochronolgy has provided more accurate support. In the early 1970s he joined the GLC Historic Buildings Division but, although he loved the work, he was not keen on commuting and he jumped at the chance to join the Essex CC team in 1974, which is when I first met him. Although I knew his work I had not met him before he joined (I nearly wrote "the interview", but I do not think we bothered with that formality). His presence was a shot in the arm for the section and clays out looking at "new" old buildings were a constant delight and we basked in reflected glory. The Conservation Portfolio In the December 1998 edition of the Portfolio are: Latham Architects Professional Practice Operating Nationwide from Derby The Metal Window Co Ltd Studio Range Allows Linking of Standard Conservation Rooflights Side by Side Context 60 December 1998
A small barn of the 18th century, illustrating the main members and the the building was used (by Cecil Shortly after he joined the County we started on the 'Heseltine' Listing resurvey which gave Cecil the opportunity to look officially at almost any building he wished; to him it must have been like Christmas every day. Owners were seldom disappointed with his visits: he was such an enthusiast that even if the barn turned out to be 17th century not 14th his description of the carpentry as "Wrenian" ensured that the farmer treated it with suitable respect. His interpretation of the criteria was gloriously biased, but then the Chief Inspector at the time did instruct us to ensure that 10% was the right proportion of Grade I and II* buildings for any list. Cecil's advice on the County-owned windmills, because of his early studies, was invaluable. During this time he published English historic cmpentry and English cathedral and monastic cmpentry. His earlier works were The development of carpentry 1200-1700 0969) and Church carpentry, an Essex study 0974). In his spare time he built and decorated harpsichords and he was also a silversmith of some ability. His models are exemplars; a number were commissioned by the Science Museum. Sadly some years ago he suffered a severe stroke which resulted in his early retirement. However his persistence ensured a good recovery and, Context 60 December 1998 NEWS with the help of his long time historian colleague, Adrian Gibson, he continued to study buildings and their parts, historic doors have been a particular late enthusiasm. Earlier this year, and not before time, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Technology by Anglia Polytechnic University. My memories remain very personal, such as a day in the roofs of Lincoln Cathedral and the drive home in his Armstrong Siddeley (Cecil's driving was best described as "enthusiastic"). He was the most dogmatic of arguers, brooking no dissent but always disputing with good grace and humour and prepared to take advice (provided that it was from someone he respected). His contribution to our understanding of timber framing cannot be overstated, but the dating is in some ways secondary. It was into the minds of those craftsmen who, centuries ago, constructed those great roofs and frames that Cecil Hewett led us. With his loss and the early death of Mike Wadhams, the study of the older buildings in Essex and East Anglia is the poorer. However their enthusiasm has ensured a goodly following of disciples who are still finding 'new' old buildings. Peter Richards As a local family company, spanning three generations, we aim to provide personal attention, close supervision and comprehensive after sales care. For maintenance and repairs, however small, we provide a prompt reliable service. We have the experience and resources to have carried out contracts of all types and sizes, from literally a few pounds to several millions of pounds; our main objective being to provide a quality job and a satisfied client. With a large, directly employed workforce, we have the resources to cover all aspects of building work including decorating, electrical work, roofing, plumbing and heating etc. together with a full design and planning service. Many of our craftsmen are trained and experienced in the more specialised areas of their crafts, such as:- Specialist paint techniques Running decorative plaster cornices and mouldings Use of traditional lime putty in brickwork and plastering Purpose made joinery We run a large joiners shop from which we faithfully reproduce period joinery such as doors and windows, stairs and mouldings as well as designing and manufacturing high quality bedroom and kitchen furniture. Our estimates and advice are free. R.W. ARMSTRONG & SONS LIMITED HIGH QUALITY BUILDING AND DESIGN ALDERMASTONROAD, SHERBORNE ST.JOHN, ~ i "I~ BASINGSTOKE,HAMPSHIRE RG24 9JZ Z-~·-·· rELEPHONE (01256)850177 FACSIMILE(01256)851089 Reg1s1eredHouse.B,,lde1 THE TRADITIONAL LIME Co. • matured lime putties • mortars • renders • plasters • lime washes • pigments • hydraulic limes • riven oak and sawn oak laths TRADLYM® TODAY'S BOND WITH THEPAST Church Farm, Leckhampton, Cheltenham, Glos GL51 5XX Telephone: (01242) 525444 Fax: (01242) 237727 @1-@] 5
6 Gliassfor period window§ , "' ~ The London Crown Glass Company specialises in providing authentic glass for the windows of period buildings. This glass, handblown using the traditional techniques of the glass blowers, is specified by The National Trust, The Crown Estates and indeed many others involved in the conservation of Britain's heritage. Specify authentic period glass for your restoration projects. • THE LONDON CROWN GLASS COMPANY 21 Harpsden Road, Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire, RG9 IEE Telephone: 0 I491 4 I3227 Facsimile: 01491 413228 NEWS FORTHCOMING ISSUE-S DEADLINESAND THEMES Copy deadline for the Spring 1999 issue (No 61) will be Wednesday 20 January. Please adhere to this deadline. This will cover the impact of the contraction in funding for area based conservation and challenge of conserving the heritage with diminished resources. Other contributions, experiences, technical notes, significant appeal decisions or case studies are welcome (space permitting), IHBCmembershipin Lincolnshireis strong.An historic building in Louth town centre housesthe officesof on IHBCmember,Sandy IHBC. FromRobertWalker and Fiona Newton (both IHBC!),EastLindsey District Council Articles under 2,000 words are much preferred, If you have copy longer than this please discuss it in advance with the Editor. If you submit copy, please do so on 3.5 inch floppy disk in Windows 95 format. Do not send disks from Apple Macs; these are not formatted for the Editor's Windows 95 machine. Make sure on disks to state on the label what software it is written in. Don't just give the title of the file! Alternatively you can e-mail text to the Editor at: ihbc_editor@mkcn.org.uk but only if your e-mail does not convert the text to MIME format. If in doubt send copy on disk for the time being. PHILOSOPHOYF CONSERVATIO- N CANTERBURYCONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS Although members will have seen adverts in the last three issues !HBC News, you are reminded that a few copies of this outstanding publication, produced by the organisers of the Canterbury Anual School in 1997, are still available. Papers include: the Pre-history of Conservation by David Stocker; William Morris and the SPAB by Chris Miele; Philosophy for the Conservation of Historic Parks and Gardens by David Lambert and other important contributions. The A4, 68 page thoroughly illustrated softback book is well worth its bargain price of £6.00 (inc p&p). Copies are available from David Kincaid, Conservation Section, Planning Department, Canterbury City Council, Military Road, Canterbury CTl 1YW. Cheques should be made payable to ACO Canterbury School 1997. All receipts go directly to the IHBC. JOHN BYSOUTH Stone Consultant Advice given on the use of natural stone m buildings - both old and new Services include: Surveys and reports Recommendations for repairs and restoration Sourcing of suitable material Budget estimates Project management and supervision 90 Selborne Road, Southgate, London N14 7DG Tel/Fax: 0181 882 1554 Context 60 December 1998
LOCAL DISTINC11VENE55 Thirty earsofdesigncontrol David Stenning looks back to see what progress has been made. I joined the Essex County Council Planning Department in 1968 as one of the new, five person, conservation team. The Civic Amenities Act was a recent event and conservation was a topical idea with a remarkably illdefined agenda. A few months previously, an article in theArchitects'Journal provided photographs of supposedly appropriate new buildings, with a view to stimulating debate. Housing in the Barbican at Plymouth received a particular paean of praise, responding to a narrow street, with an assertive saw-toothed fa<,;:ade.I recently re-visited that structure and discovered that it now has a twin further down the street. It is now difficult to understand the particular state of mind that prevailed in that remarkably distant time. Those of us, in the new team, with architectural qualifications were, inevitably, products of the 'modernist' mainstream with particular ideas to exploit. We felt duty-bound to pursue our flat-roofed utilitarianism, with a fine sense of moral purpose. Very soon, we felt obliged to adjust to our new scenario in the face of unexpected demands. Whilst we, in timehonoured fashion, felt the need continuously to 'reinvent the wheel', other pressures made themselves felt A move towards vertically proportioned windows was soon apparent, as were pitched roof variants, with originality of shape a prime consideration. This particular 'cultural pressure' was to lead others, in other local authorities, to follow a similar path. Being the 'office junior', I had more opportunity for theoretical speculation, which led me increasingly towards more 'historicist' thoughts. This heresy remained bottom-drawer material, awaiting more propitious circumstances. It was a new, enthusiastic staff member, Michael Shepherd, who should be credited with the real breakthrough. Housing developments were always Context 60 December 1998 the testbed and a series of vigorously negotiated, small infills provided the usefully appropriate means. By marrying simple, geometrical block forms, with symmetrical windows and appropriate materials, their qualities were self-evident. Looking back now, this pioneering approach produced a certain hard-edged austerity that was seen to be desirable in reflecting the climate of the times. 'Joining everything together' became our obsessive motto, as we purposefully sought enclosure and traditional English townscape. It was out of this ferment that the first Essex Design Guide was conceived and produced. As chief illustrator (for better or worse), I tentatively pressed towards more evident historicism, much to the consternation of some colleagues! It was this document, with all of the ensuing controversy, that established Essex as a socalled 'reactionary force'. We obviously felt otherwise and, on the contrary, felt more like a potential 'avantgarde' moving in new directions. In the following years, this Essex approach gained the benefit of accumulated experience. The extremely selective use of 'traditional' elements, chosen for their practical virtue rather than their nostalgic values, formed the backbone of the efforts. Such use, providing as it does 'unifying' qualities, led to the achievement of the necessary and cohesion and integration with the existing, historic environments. Many colleagues have contributed to this work and Peter Richards, Roy Chandler, Michael Munt, Alan Stones and Hillary Brightman are just some of the creative individuals (too numerous to list) who have assisted this progress. However, despite the superficialities, the modernist agenda has always been apparent. Individuals can never escape the spirit of the times - which is all-pervading and always informsallof our endeavours. My pet label of 'vernacular-purism' was adopted to reflect that abstracted us of traditional language, seen in the light of our late 20th century sensibilities. There was a brief period in the 1970s when the architectural profession seemed prepared to move in a similar direction. The reaction against bleaker aspects of modernism seemed to promise a welcome new beginning. Sadly this petered out in the apparent cul-de-sac of post-modernism and in narrow revivalist tendencies. We were soon to return to that striving for stylistic novelty that is so unhelpful to our cause and which often leads to selfindulgent chaos. Over recent years, other conservation officers, in other areas of Britain, seem to have echoed our experiences. The so-called 'Leeds style' has attracted attention, not always favourable, for its use of urban, Edwardian vocabulary. The emergence of a similar language in the Essex towns of Colchester and Chelmsford is clearly due to similar pressures. In a somewhat different vein, strong-minded development-control in Wiltshire and North Norfolk has achieved exceptionally appropriate results. An unfortunate by-product of the process has been the abuse and missapplication of 'historical' detail by various commercial interests. Concerned primarily for the symbolic and sentimental qualities of 'olde England', our ideas have been systematically hijacked. Unfortunately and inevitably, the two strands are confused and we become the undeserving scapegoats. There should never be any intention to impose bureaucratic restraints on those who have good ideas of their own. Frequently, we find ourselves working in situations where the building team lacks any positive thinking. In such a vacuum of ideas, we are obliged to offer possibilities, and positiveness, on our part, is actively en7
8 couraged. Clearly, such situations have their limitations and basically good concepts, spoilt by poor detailing and a lack of conviction, are the usual, unwelcome outcome. Fortunately, there are some architects who do share, at least, some of our interests and who are prepared to 'preserve and enhance the existing character'. It is with working with them that real progress is made and we remain entirely reliant on their good intentions. However, there is much we can do to influence the climate of opinion, by means of theoretical debate and by our own efforts at negotiation. How many satisfactory in-fill schemes do you know that have enhanced the character of a Conservation Area? Clearly, there are many gallant attempts, but the overall standard remains disappointing. Little wonder that Conservation Officers turn increasingly to repair of old buildings as an apparently more manageable task. Nevertheless, new works, whether as extensions or complete structures, remain part of our task. This should not be nervously side-stepped. Over the years, I have attended numerous conferences and listened to many papers on the thorny subject of historic infill. The same arguments and the same colour slides inevitably appear, to little, apparent effect. Rarely do the examples seem relevant or the arguments particularly pertinent, but the roundabout continues to turn. Often I gain the impression of a deliberate effort to obscure, with the 'architect knows best' as the all-pervading message. As an architect myself, I find this deeply unhelpful and a mystifying process, designed to prevent rational thought. It seems to me that there is a general failure to address the basic issues or of any attempt to find common ground. Perhaps unsurprisingly, our agenda and that of the architectural profession fail to coincide, despite all these years of seemingly rational discourse. Unfortunately, it would appear that the task itself is not viewed with sufficient seriousness. There appears too much more credit, and thus peer approval, for the individual, personal statement. Conversely, there is little incentive to work within an established context, despite the obvious intellectual challenge. There was a time when the Civic Trust awards seemed to offer the opportunity of establishing an appropriate critical platform. Unsurprisingly, awards can only reflect the nature of the entries and a lack of suitable candidates can reduce the beneficial effects. Typical negotiation sketch. In fundamental terms, I see our task as one of achieving continuity and that this historic, cultural and social continuity as being central to a 'conservationist' stance. Preservation tends to stress separateness and the isolation of objects in metaphorical, or literal, glass cases. I can obviously enjoy a useful discourse with those who share a conservationist point of view, as defined in this manner. Preserving 'character' seems to require such a need for continuity, whereas the preservation of individual artefacts inevitably leads to disjunctures. Are we sure that we have arrived at an appropriate philosophy, by which to guide our responses? In my mode of thought, A (the old) + B (the new) ought to lead to C (the new conse1vationist outcome). When A and B remain separated, disunity is stressed and harmony LODIS remains unachievable. In conclusion, it is my view that the professional Conservation Officer is uniquely placed to play a vital part in the building design debate when it involves dealing with the historic context. Our special experience, gained in our daily tasks, provides us with a markedly relevant point of view. I believe we should be proud of our knowledge and sure in our purpose and that we should actively pursue our aims. With this in view, I believe that our new Institute could take up the challenge and establish a usefully proactive role. I have in mind making use of a suitable forum for debate and in achieving a general initiative-seeking profile. What do you think? D F Stenning, Historic Buildings and Design Section of Essex County Council Planning Department. LocalDistinctiveness Strategiesto promoteeconomic ompetitiveness Peter de Figueiredo describes a European project to distil the essence of the place. Local Distinctiveness is what makes places special. It marks the difference between one place and another. For historic towns and villages, it is the key to their attractiveness and the reason why we cherish their intrinsic character. Yet, throughout the UK and beyond, these unique qualities are being eroded: by the actions of multinational companies; by the distortion of local cultures; by the use of standardised products; and by the loss of the connection between people and their local environments. By allowing these actions to undermine the attractiveness of our historic towns; we risk damaging their future prosperity. For in an increasingly competitive economic climate, the distinctive town enjoys a natural advantage. Local distinctiveness is often why people choose to visit a place, to shop in one town rather than another, and a major factor in attracting business investment. The link between local distinctiveness and economic competitiveness is the subject of an international project, titled LODIS, funded by the European Union. The project has just been approved under the RECITE programme . Context 60 December 1998
Locol distinctiveness: baroque paving in Catania, Sicily. of DG XVI with a total budget of 4,700,000 ECU(£3,385,000).*It involves inter-regional co-operation between six European partners, under the leadership of Chester City Council. The overall objectives are to develop Local Distinctiveness Strategies for each partner region, and to establish a European Local Distinctiveness Network for technical and information exchange. The strategies will provide a framework for a series of linked social and economic actions to promote the increased competitiveness of the local economy. They are intended to lead to consistency of decision-making where the public realm is affected, so that individual actions reinforce the sense of place, rather than slowly erode it. Specific aims include: ■ ensuring the future vitality and viability of historic centres and their capacity to respond to external threats; ■ involving local people and businesses to promote a sense of ownership, civic pride and sense of identity; ■ encouraging a sustainable future based on the promotion of local skills and products; ■ integrating the arts, heritage, local industries and urban design to shape the public realm; ■ promoting cultural tourism and marketing to reinforce local character; ■ conserving and enhancing the built and natural environment through sustainable regeneration; * RECITE (Regions and Cities for Europe) is a programme under Article 10 of the European Regional Development Fune! Regulation. It supports inter-regional cooperation to exchange experience and skills, and to take advantage of similarities and differences between communities and cultures. The aim is to encourage innovation, enrich ways of working and develop local potential. Context60 December1998 ■ helping to retain the 'local shop' in traditional centres. The partners participating in LODIS are Catania (Sicily), Salerno (Southern Italy), Vale do Lima (Northern Portugal), Limerick (Ireland), Visby (Sweden) and Chester. As lead partner, Chester is responsible for overall coordination and financial management. Each of the partners is responsible for an important historic city or region where there is a vital need to strengthen the local economy. Whilst all share a commonality of problems and opportunities, such as environmental protection, traffic management and tourism, they all enjoy differing political, cultural, social and economic conditions. This will allow for more inclusive strategies applicable across the European Union. All partners are also members of national and European networks of historic towns, which will Local distinctiveness: signage in Chester. LOCAL DISTINCTIVEN facilitate the spread of knowledge and good practice more widely. Akey aspect of the three-year LODIS programme is a series of 27 pilot projects demonstrating aspects of local distinctiveness and links with the local economy. These will include architectural lighting, street furniture, design guides, historic building repair handbooks, interpretative signage, street markets, 'welcome host' initiatives, traditional music festivals, partnership development and city centre management. To ensure active inter-regional exchange of experience, a series of four working groups consisting of representatives from each of the six partners will monitor progress of the pilot projects and evaluate their effectiveness. The four groups will look at the essential elements of local distinctiveness, as follows: ■ Environment - the unique visual character and quality of places ■ Animation - the way people use places, the 'feel' and ambience of the public realm ■ Interpretation - explaining the histo1y of places and their people ■ Active Management - how the complex relationships between streets and spaces, buildings, transport patterns, utilities, public services, trades, shops, business people, residents and visitors are managed. The final local distinctiveness strategies will be greatly dependent upon the achievements and shared experience of implementing the pilot projects. To develop the project within each of the participating regions, local partnership groups have been established, drawing in academic institutions, civic and environmental groups, and business organisations. These partners will play a crucial role in securing local support, promoting a shared vision and sense of local ownership. The partnership groups will have responsibility for decision making at the local level, and individual partners will be encouraged to assume responsibility for leading aspects of the project in areas where they have specific expertise and interest. For example, in Chester the Chamber of Tracie and Commerce will carry out surveys to gauge business opinion, University College will conduct qualitative research with 9
residents, and the Civic Trust will assess civic awareness and the means of encouraging civic pride. The consultation process is central to the project, for local distinctiveness is all about individuals' perception of what is special. Such things may not necessarily be of high heritage or architectural value: often they will be quite commonplace. The process will help people to identify the things that have meaning to them, and develop their sense of responsibility for their area. As part of the wider learning process, the project is structured to maximise dissemination of results and experience. Each partner will liaise with their national associations (for Chester: The English Historic Towns Forum; For Vale do Lima: Associacao Nacional de Municipios corn Centro Historico; for Visby: The Union of Baltic Cities etc.) The project has already been presented at the 1998 Annual Conference of the Walled Towns Friendship Circle in Piran, Slovenia, and at the inaugural meeting of the European Historic Towns Association in Valetta, Malta in October 1998. Regular newsletters will be published at both local and inter-regional level throughout the duration of the project. A website is also being established to enable interested organisations to monitor progress. In these ways there is the potential to spread the results of the project to several thousand European historic towns and cities. Anyone interested in receiving regular information about LODIS should contact Peter de Figueiredo, Chester City Council, Town Hall, Chester CHI 2HS, or preferably by e-mail: p. defigu eiredo@chestercc.gov. uk Peter de Figueiredo is Principal Design and Conservation Officer at Chester City Council, and Project Leader for LODIS. Towardsa new vernaculahr ousing Mark Parsons explains the approach in the East Midlands. Towards a new common language of place in housing is perhaps the best description of what we have been trying to achieve in the East Midlands over the last two years. The words that are most used to describe the meaning of vernacular are common and place (common place). The problem with 10 private speculative housing is that there is plenty of common but not much place, unless of course we identify the place as being the United Kingdom. The East Midlands Branch of the IHBC has been considering the design of housing. Our aim has been to develop 'pressures', similar perhaps to those that have occurred historically, which could create new housing which was both common and had a sense of place. I would emphasise that our common would, of course, have an attractive aesthetic, I hope not too dissimilar to the historic vernacular architecture we so admire today. Context 60 December 1998
Workshops and a day conference were held which brought together, in successful combination, a full range of professionals from varying backgrounds and experiences. We discussed Local Distinctiveness (the protection and creation of a particular aesthetic through offering detailed guidance); Energy Use and Sustainability (influencing design through the control of the use of energy and construction materials); Government Regulation and Taxation Policy (controlling design through regulating building methods, highway construction, zoning and external spacing standards and the use of fiscal methods to either promote or suppress certain forms of development). What is new vernacular? And what is the meaning of sustainability? These were the most commonly asked questions at our two recent events. In general, people felt that vernacular, particularly vernacular architecture, was a historical term. They found it difficult to relate its meaning to the present day. Others wondered what sustainability meant, believing that what we as an Institute, with all our related interests, were trying to achieve was not connected or of particular relevance. Context60 December1998 Vernacular is relevant to our own time. The principles often prescribed to historic vernacular architecture are those which are generally applied, today, to the meaning of sustainability. Buildings of simple quality, reusable and adaptable, produced from materialsthat are freely available and economic to produce and use in construction. I would contend that what is designed and produced by the private speculative housing developer is very much what the general public want. They work hard to meet their customers' requirements and provide the image and the facilities that people feel that they need. In contrast, housing layouts, their street size and form, their public open spaces and the space between dwellings are imposed by government regulation. Highway and pavement widths, turning and car parking requirements, and indeed the much used and abused cul de sac layout produces a suburban form or 'estatescape' of isolated architectural units. The houses are dwarfed within 'a sea' of minimum widths and minimum standards. Add to this the planning requirements of minimum distance and minimum space and you have it. The contemporary housing estate built as a cell unrelated to its surrounds. The historic architectural vernacular was created by the 'pressures' of their time; the availability of construction materials and land; the cost of transporting and processing those materials into their required form; and the availability and cost of the craft skills necessary to put them together. I believe that some of these 'pressures' should be re-imposed. Not by strict regulation of design or by trying to manipulate or impose a particular architectural 'taste', but by controlling the availability and source of construction materials. This could be achieved through offering tax and financial incentives for local sourcing, reusing materials and buying those which are both energy efficient and renewable; encouraging a move away from employment taxation towards taxation which targets construction materials LOCAL DISTINCTIVEN which require large doses of nonrenewable and polluting energy (the cost of labour more than anything else prevents the development of good building art and craft); adding to this stricter requirements for energy use within our homes, promoting good daylighting, ventilation and the use of materials substantially free of volatile gases. This together with an emphasis on localised government; the provision of smaller housing estates; changes in highway design; and a rethinking of spacing standards; could achievemore intimacy, a scale more in keeping with people and an 'estatescape' which we could happily live with, made up of houses which are truly distinctive and of their place and time. The new vernacular housing may well be very different. The houses would certainly contain plenty of locally sourced timber products. Some metals would be used, of course recycled. Concrete, some in the form of blockwork, utilising reclaimed materials could provide foundations and ground floor structure. Renders and timber panels could be used with lots of insulation manufactured from reclaimed paper. A little recycled plastic foam board or glass fibre quilt might be specified for those damp and dark corners. Sun, light and ventilation would require special consideration. The creation of wind shelter and the collection and recycling of water using ponds would form our landscapes. The provision of energy efficient services and interior finishes from recycled clays, glass, metals, timbers and plastics, paints and staining materials using natural dyes would form the basis of our interior design. If you add to this a structural design which could allow adaptation over time, and materials and details which can be easily repaired, you may well achieve an aesthetic which is born of a practice of the utmost relevance to our clay. The brick cannot be sustained, the 'neo' is an embarrassment. Campaign for the 'green' house and you will achieve the real house. Mark Parsons works as a Conservation Architect/or Anthony Short and Partners, Ashhoume, Derbyshire. Formerly he worked as Principal Urban Design and Conservation Officer/or the City of Nottingham and is aformer chair of the !HBC East Midlands Branch. 11
IHBCEast MidlandsBranchConference: New Housing, History intheMaking June1998 Following on from last year's successful workshop 'Towards a New Vernacular', the East Midlands Branch aimed, in its 1998 conference, to consider the issues of new housing in greater depth. The successful event was held in June at the Inland Revenue HQ, Nottingham, a recent and much cited building by Sir Michael Hopkins, which although not new housing, is certainly new building design in a formidable form. New housing often conflicts with historic environments. Ironically, however, historic environments are often seen as the most desirable areas in which to live. We are not trying to encourage pastiche, as some of our speakers suspected, but instead to examine the possibility of housing in the new millennium which will blend with our historic settlements and stand the test of time. To be able to do this, design must be flexible, allowing adaptation and re-adaptation. Construction and use must be energy efficient. Materials must be long lasting, easily repairable and environmentally friendly. Houses must respect their location, capitalising on existing resources and enhancing the wider environment. The speakers at the conference were: Professor Brian Edwards, University of Huddersfield; Matthew Carmona, University of Nottingham; Martin Richardson, Architect; David Oliver, consultant architect/masterplanner; Tony Duffin, DTI Energy Technology Support Unit; Jane Gardner, House Builders Federation; and Karl Cooper, Derbyshire County Council. Keynote presentation - Sustainable housing: the new vernacular - Professor Brian Edwards Vernacular architecture is a local style forged by the use of regionally derived building materials and the meeting of essentially local needs. It tends to occur away from metropolitan centres and at times of unified social agendas. 12 The vernacular thrives in rural areas, is shaped by local craftsmen, and tends to involve slowly evolving building types. The principal forces behind the present push for vernacular have come from the Brundtland definition of sustainability, Rio in 1992, and Kyoto in 1997. Sustainability has become the unifying social agenda. If the three elements of energy, ecology and environment define the corners of a triangle, the space within the triangle provides for sustainable action. Activities that fall outside of the triangle are inherently unsustainable. Increasingly, legislation regulates environmental practice. The Maastricht treaty, for example, binds 15 (soon to be 24) nations to common environmental principles; the best known perhaps being 'the polluter pays'. Environmental problems are frequently global; they have no respect for national boundaries impacting on key resources, water, food supplies etc. Buildings and construction in Britain are responsible for: 50% of energy use; 50% of CFCs, HCFCs; 80% of lost agricultural land; 50% of industrial raw materials; 50% of water use. Because of the this, as conservation measures bite, a new style of housing will emerge. Industrialisation changed the tradition of building utilising locally sourced materials and designs that respected climate. Vernacular is essentially about fine grain, local crafts, local materials and local designs. Sustainable housing could therefore be defined as: "That which effectively integrates low energy design with materials which have minimal environmental or ecological impact (in manufacture, use and disposal) whilst maintaining social diversity." The definition requires that we: minimise non-renewable resource consumption; reuse, recycle, restore; enhance the natural environment; recognise and pursue quality; learn from experience; minimise waste and prevent pollution; use outputs from one process as inputs to others; adjust sustainable principles to economic and social ones; create non exclusive housing. Some factors that need to be considered when moving towards Sustainable Housing are therefore: Energy impacts ■ energy in use (revenue carbon) ■ energy in manufacture (capital carbon) ■ energy in transport (capital and revenue carbon) ■ maximise renewable energy use ■ minimise fossil fuel energy use ■ use orientation to conserve energy ■ integrate land uses ■ compact forms ■ sheltering layouts Environmental impacts ■ land, agriculture loss ■ water conse1vation ■ health (global, local, building, personal) ■ pollution (global and local) ■ building as resource (durable, adaptable) ■ visually rich ■ locally distinctive Ecological impacts ■ bio-diversity (global and local) ■ follow ecological principles (i.e. closed cycles) ■ maximum richness with minimum resources ■ use planting for shelter at building edge ■ consider building for other species (bats, owls) ■ use materials to enhance or extend habitats. Indicators can reduce the bewildering complexity of sustainable design. By taking one material, say brick, and considering its impacts, a score may be able to be established against sustainability principles (land lost to agriculture, manufacture and transport energy, energy saved in use). Then Context 60 December 1998
De Bockstraat is part of a very large scale redevelopment of a run down inner city area of The Hague, and consists of l 83 dwellings for rent and for sale. The perspective shows the central square. LOCAL DISTINCTIVEN again, 'product miles' allows a choice between materials based on weight and distance travelled. The use of indigenous materials weighed against imported materials (with indigenous materials in addition supporting indigenous crafts.) In conclusion, sustainable housing is a key aspect of sustainable development. Until exemplar projects are fully evaluated we should use indicators to guide good practice. The move towards more sustainable housing will in itself create the new vernacular. Britain:theTrabanthouse buildersof Europe? Martin Richardson worries that we sacrifice quality at every turn. What's gone wrong with British housing? Returning from Europe, it's hard to believe that this generally wealthy, educated, socially responsible count1y can still be despoiling its cities, towns and villages with housing of such abysmal quality. The UK house building indust1y has achieved the distinction of producing the Trabant housing of Europe. We seem for some years now to have settled into a fearful paralysis, a wistful nostalgia. We do not flatter our heritage by inept mimicry, we degrade it. One can enumerate reasons for this condition: our early industrialisation and our flight from its horrors into the imagined wholesomeness of the past, creating a kind of refuge for troubled times, such as our traumatic affair with the (largely degraded) modernism of the 1960s; a sense that the past was better than ever the future could be; our class system that (endorsed by Prince Charles) equates class with classical; and the de-culturisation and decontrol of the Thatcher years. The ve1y title of the 1998 East Midlands conference implies that even a future can only be validated by viewing it in the rear mirror. And the idea that we have to quote the leaflet, to Context 60 December 1998 "blend with our historic settlements" implies a use of hushed voices in sacred places. Yet, though no current planning officer transposed to that time and place would have let him do it, John Wood did not build Bath in hushed tones. What characterises the old places and buildings that we love is their authenticity, their dramatic geology of strata and intrusions that reflect the materials and construction of their time, the dynamics of their evolution. The attempt to snuggle up to an idealised historically correct past with obsequious parody has been a dreadful failure. Under the most auspicious circumstances, with the best talents, whether in Richmond or Dorchester, it does not work. The scenographic image does not bear close scrutiny. Society, materials, economics, the spirit of the times have changed too much. To respect the past is to understand its vitality, not to ape its mannerisms. Foster's intervention in Burlington House shows just this. Sadly this is an all too rare example. Yet only an hour or two's flight away we find societies constructing futures without their eyes transfixed by the rear mirror. Denmark has been fortunate in its transition to modernity, as though it had passed seamlessly from 1830 to 1930 without the physical and social trauma that we have experienced. A quiet and sympathetic contempora1y architecture is happily accepted and created by a kitchless society, which respects progressive, evolutiona1y design, and social experiment, as a desirable, responsible and normal part of every day life. In Germany the Weimar Republic was at the cutting edge of modernity, and the great housing projects of the 1920s still enchant by their quiet, seemingly un-revolutionary liveability. The Nazis gave neo-classicism and neovernacularism a bad name, which perhaps saved Germany from our post war regressions. Berlin can now show a sequence of progressive projects, repairing and extending its fabric, that convince by their built quality and as places to live in. Ten years ago I won a competition for a housing project in The Hague, where my work has been ever since. This has afforded me a close view of the Netherlands, a country which, with its own brand of modernity, its commitment to physical and social development and its cultural responsibility, presents a model of what can be 13
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