Context 83 - March 2004

# / . 4 % 8 4 - ! 2 # ( 0ERIODICALLYx 4HE PROBLEM OF MASONRY FALLING FROM THE FACADES OF BUILDINGS WAS THE SUBJECT OF ARTICLES BY "ARRY (UNT OVER TWO ISSUES OF .ATURAL 3TONE 3PECIALIST 3EPTEMBER AND /CTOBER )T IS OCCASIONALLY NECESSARY TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE EFFECTS OF GRADUAL DENUDATION OF SURFACES BY NATURAL WEATHERING PROCESSES AND LARGER FALLS THAT MIGHT POSE A THREAT TO SAFETY 4HE FIRST PART DISCUSSES SOME OF THE PROBLEMS AND HOW THEY MIGHT BE PREDICTED AND AVOIDED ! VERY HELPFUL GUIDE TO ASSESSING THE LEVEL OF THREAT IS BASED ON THE ANSWERS TO SIX QUESTIONS POSED TO CLARIFY HOW A FA ADE IS PERFORMING AND HOW BEST TO DIRECT FUNDS FOR INVESTIGATION IN A MORE APPROPRIATE WAY %XAMPLES ARE PROVIDED OF HOW THE ANALYSIS HAS BEEN APPLIED IN PRACTICE 4HE SECOND PART DISCUSSES HOW TO GET THE BEST FROM A FA ADE SURVEY ONCE A PROBLEM HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AND GOES ON TO ASSESS THE RELATIVE COST OF DIFFERENT METHODS OF INVESTIGATION 4HIS IS A USEFUL INTRODUCTION FOR THOSE WHO ENCOUNTER THE ISSUE ONLY INFREQUENTLY 4HE FOLLOWING .OVEMBER ISSUE CONTAINS AN ARTICLE BY )AN 0RITCHETT THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF )*0 "UILDING #ONSERVATION /NE OF THE MOST ENTHUSIASTIC EXPONENTS OF LIME RENDERS 0RITCHETT EXPLAINS HOW SAND AND CEMENT RENDER ON THE NAVE AND CHANCEL OF THE TH CENTURY 3T *AMES #HURCH &INCHAMPSTEAD "ERKSHIRE WAS REPLACED WITH LIME RENDER 4HE $ECEMBER ISSUE PROVIDES A RESUME OF THE NEW TESTING STANDARDS INTRODUCED IN THE LAST THREE YEARS INCLUDING FROST RESISTANCE "3 %. SLABS FOR NATURAL EXTERNAL STONE PAVING "3 %. AND SLIP RESISTANCE "3 %. n WHICH MIGHT BE BORNE IN MIND BY ALL THOSE CONSIDERING NATURAL STONE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ENHANCEMENT 4HOSE WITH AN INTEREST IN THEATRES BUT WHO ARE NOT READERS OF THE EXCELLENT 4HEATRES 4RUST .EWSLETTER MIGHT LIKE TO NOTE THAT THE TRUST HAS BEEN GATHERING INFORMATION ON "RITISH THEATRES OVER THE PAST TEN TEARS OR SO )T NOW HAS AN EXTENSIVE DATABASE CONTAINING RECORDS OF OVER THEATRE BUILDINGS 4HIS FORMED THE BASIS OF 4HE 4HEATRES 4RUST 'UIDE TO "RITISH 4HEATRES PUBLISHED IN /CTOBER 4HE TRUST NOW INTENDS TO MAKE THE DATABASE AVAILABLE ONLINE !N INITIAL TEST VERSION OF RECORDS IS NOW AVAILABLE AT WWW THEATRESTRUST ORG UK /THER WEBSITE CHANGES ANNOUNCED IN THE 3EPTEMBER ISSUE INCLUDE ALSO MAKING !DVICE .OTE .O PLANNING APPEALS RELATING TO THEATRES n USEFUL DECISIONS PRECEDENTS AND NOTES FOR NOVICES AVAILABLE ONLINE )N THE $ECEMBER ISSUE 0ETER ,ONGMAN PAYS TRIBUTE TO THAT GIANT OF THEATRE DESIGN &RANK -ATCHAM BORN YEARS AGO ,ONGMAN REMINDS US THAT DURING -ATCHAM S RELATIVELY SHORT CAREER HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR NEW BUILDINGS AND EXTENDED OR IMPROVED AT LEAST AS MANY AGAIN 4WENTY EIGHT SURVIVE n OF THEM THEATRES ALL OF THEM LISTED n AND ARE 'RADE ) OR )) &OLLOWING /XFORD AS A PLACE RELATED THEME IN 4HE6ICTORIAN THE .OVEMBER ISSUE LOOKED AT 6ICTORIAN "ATH PARTLY TO COINCIDE WITH THE EXCELLENT POCKET SIZED 0EVSNER !RCHITECTURAL 'UIDE TO THAT CITY 4HE GUIDE S AUTHOR -ICHAEL &ORSYTH MAKES A PERSUASIVE CASE FOR THE SOMEWHAT OVERLOOKED 6ICTORIAN AND %DWARDIAN BUILDINGS IN %NGLAND S FINEST 'EORGIAN CITY 4HE ISSUE ALSO CELEBRATES 3IR .INIAN #OMPER S 3T #YPRIAN S #HURCH #LARENCE 'ATE -ARYLEBONE A CAUSE OF GREAT EXCITEMENT AT THE TIME BECAUSE IT OPENED A NEW UNDERSTANDING OF LITURGICAL WORSHIP THAT HAD NEVER BEFORE BEEN SEEN IN SUCH PURE MEDIEVALIST FORM IN ,ONDON /VER PRAISED BY "ETJEMAN AND DISMISSED AS PASTICHE BY 0EVSNER THE CELEBRATION OF THE TH ANNIVERSARY OF ITS CONSECRATION IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO REAPPRAISE THIS INFLUENTIAL DESIGN #OMPER DESIGNED HIS CHURCHES @TO PRESENT AN ORGANIC WHOLE FROM WHICH NOTHING CAN BE TAKEN AND NOTHING ADDED 4HE ARTICLE S AUTHOR CONCLUDES THAT THIS WAS MORE THAN ARTISTIC TYRANNY AS THE DESIGN BLAZED A TRAIL FOR !NGLICAN LITURGICAL DEVELOPMENT FOR THE NEXT YEARS 4HE QUESTION OF THE NATIONAL APPROACH TO DESIGNATION POLICY CONTINUED TO DOMINATE 30!" .EWS !UTUMN 6OL .O WITH DISCUSSION OF THE @LISTING REVOLUTION 3URPRISINGLY FEW OTHER SPECIALIST JOURNALS HAVE GIVEN THE ISSUE MUCH ATTENTION n POSSIBLY BECAUSE OF THE TIMINGS OF PUBLICATION BUT BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS THE CONTENTS OF THE (ERITAGE7HITE 0APER WILL BE WELL ON THE WAY TO FORMULATION )T IS THEREFORE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW OR IF THE 30!" S PERCEPTIONS AND CONCERNS SQUARE WITH THOSE OF THE )("# AND OTHERS AND TO WHAT DEGREE SUCH CONCERNS ARE REFLECTED IN THE NEXT STEPS TOWARDS POTENTIAL LEGISLATION )N THE SAME ISSUE 'EORGE &ERGUSON PRESIDENT OF THE 2)"! AND A 30!" LIFE MEMBER SETS OUT HIS VISION IN PRESSING POLITICIANS FOR A BETTER DEAL FOR HISTORIC BUILDINGS 4HE ISSUE ALSO REFLECTS ON SEVEN OTHER 2)"! PRESIDENTS WHO HAD DEALINGS WITH THE 30!" n NOT ALWAYS HAPPY n INCLUDING NOT UNSURPRISINGLY '' 3COTT AND %WAN #HRISTIAN BRANDED BY7ILLIAM -ORRIS @A GREAT CRIMINAL 4O MARK THE SECOND ANNUAL .ATIONAL -AINTENANCE7EEK THE7INTER ISSUE 6OL .O WAS A MAINTENANCE SPECIAL 30!" WAS AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE WEEK S PROMOTION 4HERE IS NO DOUBT THAT INTEREST IN THIS TOPIC IS GATHERING MOMENTUM AND BECOMING MORE CENTRAL TO THINKING ABOUT GOOD PRACTICE WITHIN THE SECTOR &URTHER IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE TELEVISION @2ESTORATION SERIES THERE IS A GROWING REALISATION THAT TIMELY AND APPROPRIATE MAINTENANCE MIGHT HAVE PREVENTED MANY OF THE BUILDINGS AT RISK BASKET CASES FROM DEGENERATING TO THAT DEGREE OF DERELICTION 2OLAND "ILLINGTON OF -AINTAIN OUR (ERITAGE DESCRIBES

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