Re-use

frazer hay 

full document can be requested by email: f.hay@napier.ac.uk

 

 

“Only a fool will build in defiance of the past. What is new and significant always must be grafted to old roots, the truly vital roots that are chosen with great care from the ones that merely survive. And what a delicate process it is to distinguish radical vitality from the wastes of mere survival, but that is the only way to achieve progress instead of disaster." [Bartok, 1962 page xvii]

 

 Intro

 This thesis paper is concerned with devising a new, rationally-organised pedagogical approach to the re-use and alteration of buildings of cultural significance.

The re-use of our built heritage is an important sustainable response to conserving many of our culturally important buildings. This alteration of use, space, architecture and meaning has to be conducted in a sensitive and considered manner with a firm focus on conserving the building’s integrity and authenticity whilst developing existing values and introducing new ones. 

Currently Scotland has a varied and contrasting approach to ‘alteration’ and ‘re-use’ in a historic context. Clearly there is an obvious divide between the projects realised by architect-poets who call on a well honed intuition with a personally driven interest, and others, who deliver projects which damage and confuse the historic fabric in their eagerness to meet budget and client demands, developing the site with a lack of vision and little understanding of conservation principles.

To address this haphazard approach to the re-use and alteration within Scotland’s built heritage, a re-use methodology and toolkit is required which can begin in higher education. Through quantitative and qualitative research and analysis of a number of student and professional practice case studies, this document attempts to consolidate a teaching methodology and design a toolkit that will underpin building reuse and adaptation, a process easily tailored to become a reference or knowledge transfer document accessible by the public and professional practice. 

Developing a conservation lead methodology where the host building plays a key role in its re-use design proposals, will re-configure the design process and help address the hit and miss culture of intervention projects.

The education of future generations of conservation architects, architects, project managers and designers will go a long way to help manage and preserve our built heritage.

 

Realistically, the objective of this thesis is not to overhaul teaching or to try and change the way architectural education delivers theory, but to give an extra didactic tool where re-use of buildings and conservation are concerned, whilst promoting a much needed general discourse within the subject area.

 

“All buildings, once handed over by the builders to the client, have three possible fates, namely to remain unchanged, to be altered or to be demolished. The price for remaining unchanged is eventual loss of occupation, the threat of alteration is the entropic skid, and the promise of demolition is of new a new building. For the architect the last course would seem the most fruitful”. Scott 2008 page 1

 

 “First we shape our buildings, then they shape us, then we shape them again-ad infinitum”. Brand,1994, page3

Stewart Brand’s quote in 1994 is a reinterpretation of Winston Churchill’s quote in 1943, “First we shape our buildings, then they shape us,” Brand,1994, page3

which he made whilst addressing the nation with regards re-building the ‘Houses of Parliament’ after its destruction during the Second World War. There were 51 years between each quote and in that period of time, society changed rapidly. Freedom from world war, politics, technology and science accelerated development in travel, communication and finance. These changes altered the way in which society viewed itself, it was now well on its way to becoming an international community. Cultural phrases such as, “the global village” appeared and architecture was increasingly seen as a machine for living. As the feeling of internationalism grew, the significance of a national identity grew too. Cultural tourism evolved, architecture and the arts were under growing pressure to facilitate modern lifestyles but also to preserve national identity. International organisations like ICOMOS [International Council on Monuments and Sites] in 1965 and UNESCO’s [the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization] world heritage convention in 1972 emerged. The rising interest in heritage combined with nationalistic feelings after the war and the economic value associated with cultural tourism fuelled the continuing debate on conservation theory and on how best to care for buildings of cultural significance.

Since the nineteenth century, the debate over restoration versus anti-restoration has dominated conservation theory. Restoration focused on the recording and reconstruction of structure championed by the Frenchman Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc, infamous for his rigorous, stylistic and often brutal restoration works.

 

“Means to re-establish [a building] to a finished state, which may in fact never have actually existed at any given time”

[Braziller.1990]

 

Anti Restoration on the other hand argued that to restore the architecture to a fictitious past, destroyed the structure’s authenticity and historic fabric. This theory was championed by Englishmen, William Morris and John Ruskin, who founded the Society for Protection of Ancient Buildings [SPAB] in1877.

 

“Neither by public, nor by those who have the care of public monuments, is the true meaning of the word restoration understood. It means the most total destruction which a building can suffer: destruction out of which no remnants can be gathered; a destruction accompanied with false description of the thing destroyed. Do not let us deceive ourselves in this important matter; it is impossible, as impossible as to raise the dead, to restore anything that has ever been great or beautiful in architecture”.

Ruskin John, [180-1989]

 

The SPAB Manifesto introduced a ‘conservative repair’ ideology; repair rather than replace with a soulless copy, respect and celebrate the structure’s authentic and historic fabric.

 

                         

 1. Viollet-le Duc                                   2. John Ruskin                      3. William Morris

 

The SPAB and Viollet-le Duc discourse, underpins much of the western European contemporary conservation theory and practice. A contemporary theory of conservation regarding architectural intervention and the building’s subsequent re-use, has been developed to engage the growing number of historic buildings which have become ruinous, vacant, tired and neglected. For buildings no longer fit for purpose and struggling to adapt to a new use, rehabilitation is often required. In 1983 the Appleton Charter defined rehabilitation from a conservation perspective:

 

 “modification of a resource to contemporary functional standards which may involve adaptation for new use” [Appleton Charter,B 1983– Rehabilitation]

 

“Innovation is essential to sustaining cultural values in the historic environment for present and future generations, but should not be achieved at the expense of places of established value” [English Heritage Conservation Policies and Guidance, page46]

Alteration for Re-use

 

Alteration for re-use facilitates change and sustainable progress within the historic built environment and when done probably will acknowledge and work with an environment containing a unique and dynamic record of human activity which has been in a continuous state of progression. Architectural re-use acknowledges that change in the historic environment is inevitable, and due mainly to natural processes of wear and tear, as well as responses to social, economic and technological transformations. Alteration for re-use is part of the conservation process of managing change to a culturally significant building which will sustain its heritage values whilst engaging in opportunities to enhance, develop and introduce relevant values for present and future generations.

 

 

Respecting the building’s integrity and authenticity

 

Understanding the impact or consequences of an alteration for re-use should go beyond the immediately apparent challenges whilst working through the practicalities of an architectural intervention. The physical and technical aspects of alteration are important, however it is the impact on the building’s authenticity and integrity which should be closely monitored. The ability to recognise and consolidate these two critical elements of conservation enables a designer to tackle a challenging project with added confidence and freedom. Authenticity lies in whatever most honestly reflects and embodies the values attached to the existing architecture. It can therefore relate to, for example, design or function, as well as architectural fabric. Often authenticity is reflected in the original structural merits or style; it could reside in the structure’s layout, rhythm, workmanship or usage. In many cases the best approach to safeguard the authenticity of a building is to create a re-use design which is easily distinguishable through contrasting materials, form or by separating the structures [new and old] altogether.

Integrity, which in its truest nature relates to a wholeness or honesty, can apply for example to structural systems, a design idea, materials and their use, or the character of a place or even its function. The integrity of a building and its protection, whilst engaging in a re-use project, is a potentially slippery aspect of conservation as it often requires compromise and a certain balance of process when identifying the key aspects of a building’s integrally, while carefully calculating the minor aspects which may be altered or relocated to smooth the progress of a re-use scheme.

 

“The decision as to which value should prevail if all cannot be fully sustained always requires a comprehensive understanding of a range of relative importance of heritage values involved and what is necessary to sustain each of them. Retaining the authenticity of a place is not always achieved by retaining as much of the existing fabric as is technically possible” [English heritage, 2008 page 28]

 

Urban regeneration

 

The advantages to re-using the existing built heritage should not be underestimated. The alteration and re-use of one culturally significant building can become a catalyst to further regeneration of the local environment, attracting added interest from leisure, tourism and retail businesses. The re-use of a building can trigger social interaction and develop a cultural identity. These aspects of regeneration make full use of the existing infrastructure. Without the need for new transport and logistical support networks the costs are relatively low and the travel options well established. The area can enjoy a new lease of life, building on the existing sense of place, history and community.

It is important however, to remember first to identify the significance of the place, which requires an understanding of its structure: who values it and why, how do the values relate to the local fabric, what is the importance of these values relevant to the developmental advantages. Understanding and articulating the values and significance of a place is necessary to make informed decisions about the future. Without their due consideration, all the good intentions of an urban regeneration initiative will eventually compromise the cultural significance for future generations to come.

 

“The significance of place embraces all the diverse cultural and natural heritage values that people associate with it, or which prompt them to respond to it. These values tend to grow in strength and complexity over time, as understanding deepens and people’s perceptions of place evolve”. [English Heritage, 2008, page36]

 

In addition to their wide spread availability, a further factor in favour of their rehabilitation and re-use is that many of these culturally significant buildings were soundly built and remain structurally sound. Although on the face of it they appear unfit for modern use, and despite obsolescence and neglect, the traditional methods of construction used to build them have left potential developers with a legacy of stable, durable, well-crafted structures which can provide an ideal basis for improvement and re-use.

 

Following the 50s and 60s perhaps cavalier approach to architecture, lessons have been learnt regarding the sociological advantages gained in maintaining established communities by rehabilitating architecture instead of demolishing and rebuilding. The significance of place and its relationship with history, community and identity, [both locally and further a field], is often, sadly overlooked. However if engaged, will produce a far richer and longer-lasting regenerative effect.

 

Embodied energy

 

Embodied energy is fast becoming one of the most important energy considerations in the built environment and increasingly an important factor in architectural conservation. In particular its buildings re-use methodology; assessing the embodied energy of an existing or historic building, reveals the cost of demolition and the viability in re-using the buildings.

In today’s energy sensitive economy, custodians of the aging and historic built environment are wrestling with the costs and practicalities of re-use and sustainability verses a new build scenario. Understanding the relationship between embodied energy and conservation methods such as alteration or re-use at the very start of a project can save money, a factor integral to any and all, government or private developer alike.

 

Determining the value of a building’s re-use or rehabilitation, maintenance costs, and overall energy benefits requires a process that provides a comprehensive assessment of the building. Embodied energy is determined by the amount of labour and energy consumed in the fabrication of a building, from the harvesting of natural resources, to the manufacture and delivery of materials and installation of these materials and products. It also includes the energy required to demolish and remove building components. Embodied energy reflects a cradle-to-grave philosophy and is critical to any sustainable approach in managing and conserving our culturally significant built environment.

 

 “The constant cycle of demolition and rebuilding puts a huge strain on natural resources and energy usage; in terms of sustain ability, demolition should be the option of last resort. In Britain alone demolition produces a staggering 70 million tonnes of waste materials annually. Construction of new buildings uses approximately 4 percent of Britain’s total energy consumption and generates 40 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year. Up to 60 percent of energy and resources used in construction is spent on the shell and core of the building, so retention of a building’s structure through conversion makes sound ecological sense”

[Foster, 2003]

 

Evaluating an existing building for re-use can be a complex balance of opposing values. Retaining existing building elements can save money, and the quality of the original materials may exceed current industry standards. Often, the elements that define the cultural and historic significance of a building are the components that ensure the highest value of embodied energy.

 

Economics 

The re-use of an existing building is partly about creative design solutions but predominantly about economic feasibility. However, successful creative solutions have been demonstrated in projects such as Stirling’s ‘Tollbooth music and arts venue.’ Here, economic gains were made which enhanced cultural values. New economic interest was generated through international tourism, promoting national and cultural interests.

With the exception of a relatively small handful of nationally significant buildings however the conservation of most buildings is dependant on them having a valid and viable use or usefulness. For building owners, investment in maintaining or reusing a historic building is most likely to be undertaken when there is a perceived economic benefit.

 

Many historic buildings eventually become neglected and are left dormant in their struggle to keep up with modern requirements. Eventually they may be assessed for demolition, the site redeveloped or the buildings re-used. Statistics show a predisposition for the demolition solution - the main reason being the preconceived unprofitable economical value of a historic building’s re-use.  

 

The advantages in the rehabilitation of existing buildings over redevelopment of a site are the construction time and man hours. Unless the building demands extensive structural alterations, then the building work should be significantly less than that of a new build project. Another cost saving measure is evident prior to the construction phase. When proposing a rehabilitation project, the pre-contract design and official permissions phases are normally quicker than for a new development, saving months in the project schedule.

This time saving often results in the project taking half to three quarters of the time that would be otherwise spent on demolition and building a new construction. This also grants economic advantages. The cost of financing the project and the effect of inflation on building costs is reduced due to a shorter development period, and the client is able to make profit from the building at an earlier date as they are able to acquire the building more quickly.

 

The re-use of historic buildings often attracts lucrative funding streams and can result in some relaxation of VAT payments. Financial assistance can also be secured from bodies such as the Heritage Lottery fund and Historic Scotland, as well as local authority historic building restoration grants.

 

In economic terms, the rehabilitation of municipal structures or obsolete housing by private developers, public authorities and the voluntary sector, benefit from large cost savings which can be achieved by the creative re-use of both the dwellings but just as importantly, the existing local infrastructure too.

 

Conservation values

 

The alteration for re-use method for working with buildings of cultural significance relies a great deal on the ability to decipher and connect with a particular set of defining values. To overlook or neglect these intrinsic values will inevitably devalue the building’s cultural significance and potentially create an uncomfortable project, ill-suited to its environment and unlikely to be accepted as a convincing re-use strategy.

 

The values are basically the qualities and characteristics that different users and different societies place on their cultural heritage at different times. For example, when the issue of national identity was raised during devolution, cultural heritage was used to unify the country and promote national distinctiveness whilst demonstrating a political agenda.

 

A building’s cultural significance is represented by a complex fabric of layered values, some relating directly and others adopting a supportive role. There are a wide range of values, all of which require some form of acknowledgment whilst responding to their needs through an appropriate intervention design and the project’s management. The role of a conservation driven designer whilst engaged in a re-use project, is to preserve where appropriate, develop new and enhance existing value.

The value and definition table provided [appendix 1] is not a full or complete set of criteria but is intended to be an overview or preliminary information vehicle for the start of an alteration for re-use design project. The table will provide a set of considerations that will aid the assemblage of an initial profile but will require a considered engagement further in the design process.

 

The values won’t be relevant or constant to all projects and will differ in importance or in their relationship to one another. Every design project working with buildings of cultural significance will be unique and their blend of values reflects that. [Appendix 1]

 

 

International examples

 

Adaptation for new use is by no means a new phenomenon; buildings have been re-used throughout history. The Baths of Diocletian in Rome were converted into the ‘Santa Maria degli Angeli Church’ by Michelangelo in 1566. However new and considered architectural interventions are seen as a creative way to breathe new life into an existing historic context, whilst reinventing an economic and social value. The new and old architecture - a layered combination - would ensure the continuation of an authentic character, whilst providing an appropriate new use. The new use would eventually add to the building’s historic fabric.

 

Early examples of contemporary architectural intervention work within a historic context are those of Swiss architect Peter Zumthor, Norwegian architect Sverre Fehn and an Italian designer Carlo Scarpa.

Carlo Scarpa, a designer from Venice who never completed his architectural education, went on to create some of the most celebrated and revered architectural intervention projects, studied by architects and students throughout the world, the most famous being the Castelvecchio Museum in Verona. Originally a castle, the building was re-designed as a museum displaying a collection of sculpture, statues and paintings. The new and historic layers can clearly be read through the architect’s considered material choices and elegant detailing which underpins the use of form in relation to the host building’s structural requirements. [Images 5, 6&7]

 

 

The Norwegian architect Sverre Fehn, built a regional museum for the municipalities within the historic ruins of a medieval cathedral in Hamar , Norway. The design intent was to create ways in which the materials and the structural forms of Fehn’s architecture, would contrast and co-exist alongside that of the cathedral’s. Fehn makes no attempt to interfere with the historic fabric of the host structure. The new intervention sits comfortably within the historic context, leaving the site easily read and clearly understood as new and historic layering. [Images 8&9]

 

 

 

The Swiss architect Peter Zumthor built an art museum around the wreckage of the parish church of St.Kolumba which was destroyed in WW2. Commissioned by Cardinal Meisner, Zumthor won the architectural competition in 1997 and the project was finally realized, 10 years later. The museum is an ancient castle for religious art - 2000 years of sycamore culture, as well as for modern installations. This project on first impression seems an extreme example of an intervention project; the new architecture almost smothering the historic ruins of St. Kolumba, almost using it as a piece of ‘spolia’. It is not until you take a closer look that you see the sensitive way in which the architect has detailed the junction between new and historic, and you begin to see the architectural integrity within the scheme. The material choice and finish to the new building’s exterior gives the building an understated presence, respectful, almost shy of its ancient host. The interior of the church is easily read and clearly layered. Light is used to great effect to highlight and soften the impact of the intervention. [Images 10&11]

 Government policy

Conservation policy is a tangled web of strategies, charters, laws, guidance and approaches which fluctuate in many ways according to the country, politics and social interpretation. Over the years, since the world wars, the international community has strived to manage and to give guidance to a number of world conservation issues and has developed 890 world heritage sites. Organisations like the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization [UNESCO] and the International Council on Sites and Monuments [ICOMOS] have gone a long way to develop strategies and policy on an international level. However there are further layers of bureaucracy at a national and local level with regards conservation.

In Scotland there are bewildering amounts of documentation with regards conservation, planning and development of buildings but very little guidance on design. The government has a number of initiatives with regards developments within its world heritage area these include: the City of Edinburgh Council’s, ‘Project Edinburgh: Public Space Public Life’ initiative, which has been much championed by council leaders and planning directors. It outlines strategic themes and opportunities but gives very little indication of how design should be approached – instead relying heavily on a potentially varied architectural input.

At present the developers and architects are frustrated with the duplicity and lack of design orientation, struggling to interpret the many aspects of guidance and documentation listed in a plethora of publications such as: ‘City development planning, development quality handbook, Alterations to listed buildings’, ‘City development planning, development quality handbook, Historic Building Repairs’, ‘Historic Scotland, Historic Environment Policy 2008 superseded by the Scottish Historic Environment Policy [SHEP] series.’ Such was the confusion and frustration, that a heritage summit was arranged to discuss ways to improve development within the city, and eventually the country. The heritage summit, entitled: ‘Edinburgh’s Heritage – A Barrier to Sustainable Economic Development,’ discussed many issues of regulations and design practice. As a member of the summit I began to realise there were no examples of good practice, discussion of methodology and all aspects of the conservation minded group had their own interpretation of the documentation. However all appear to agree on the points outlined in the document NPPG 18, Planning and the Historic Environment,

 

“Sustainable development is an over-arching theme that lies at the heart of Government policy. In pursuit of sustainable development the Government recognises the historic environment as a finite and non-renewable resource and seeks to encourage its preservation and continued use so that it may be enjoyed today and passed on in good order to future generations”.

 

“Although the most appropriate use for an historic building is likely to be the use for which it was designed, new economic uses should be found for historic buildings where they can no longer reasonably be expected to serve their original purpose”.

[NPPG 18, 1999, page5]

 

By acknowledging the best viable use and the advantages of sustainable development within the conservation environment, theoretically then all is required, is the appreciation and application of design strategy and methodologies which comply to the documentation. However it is difficult to engage in a methodology when documentation such as the

‘BS 7913 Guide to the principles of the conservation of historic buildings’, ‘Historic buildings act 1953’, ‘Memorandum of guidance on listed buildings and conservation areas’ and the ‘Scottish guide to conservation areas in Scotland’ provide an excellent technical guidance but fall short of a design discourse. Recently the Orkney Island’s council have produced a promising development guidance [Draft, March 2009] on which I consulted, and it could go some way to defining design approach, an approach that the ‘Conservation of traditional Buildings, Application of the Scottish Building Standards’ may approach in the future.

The need, for a clear method of approach in dealing with architectural alterations within an existing building of cultural significance is important. The academic application of a re-use methodology could give a basic understanding of a design approach and strategy which all could use as a foundation from which to develop a common language, awareness and understanding of the techniques and systems from which to address a difficult challenging problem of re-use with the existing built environment.

 

 

Polarised approach [appendix2]

 

Currently Scotland has a mixed and often contrasting approach to ‘alteration’ and ‘re-use’ in a historic context. Clearly there is an obvious divide between the projects delivered by architects and designers when dealing with the country’s built heritage. In order to try and clarify whether such a polarisation of design approaches exists, I met and consulted a selection of Scotland’s leading professionals. All were keen to express their opinions and to discuss the thesis, feeling that it was an important subject which requires addressing.  

 

“Frazer- many thanks, I’m absolutely convinced the work you are undertaking will be worthwhile to all interested in the creative re-use of our built heritage.

 

Kind regards

Bruce Hare, Duddingston Properties”

 

Those that were consulted are all leaders in their field of expertise, and all are in some way linked to conservation led re-use projects. Richard Murphy, Malcolm Fraser and Karen Anderson are renowned Scottish architects, famous for their abilities in dealing with existing buildings. Adrian Boot is a director of a multi-national architecture practice: RMJM - a practice responsible for the new Scottish parliament building. Suzanne Ewing is director of a well known architectural practice with a speciality in re-use and is a lecturer in Architecture at the renowned University of Edinburgh. The final interviewee was Bruce Hare the owner of Duddingston Properties, a developer renowned for his expertise when developing challenging buildings within Scotland and a passionate believer in sustainable development. The interview précis can be referred too, in appendix 2.

 

It is interesting to note at this point, that after the interviews, it was apparent that most of the recognised professionals when dealing with alteration and re-use were in some way linked to a conservation practice at the outset of their career, and have subsequently been responsible for a small number of the new generation, conservation sensitive professionals. For example Richard Murphy began his career at Simpson and Brown architectural conservation experts, as did Malcolm Fraser, and they in turn employ architects that have inherited their methodologies and approaches before starting successful practices too.

 

The consultations were extremely enlightening with regards their opinions on polarisation but also served to enhance and qualify the methodology proposed in this paper. Many of the aspects were recognised and used by the professionals instinctively.

 

“80% of architecture in Scotland is designed by whom? Who built it? What as the brief? We all have travelled the country and constantly wondered why or who built this building and why like that!” [Adrian Boot, appendix 2]

 

It is important in architectural alteration to tell the story, what happened to the building over its life span – It is very important to me that when finished you are able to stand back and read the architectural intent in both……….

 

……Altering Buildings – in some cases I like the ideology of deliberately ruining the building – conceptualise it as a ruin- then build by contrast – layering which can be delivered in two manners, the first is an additive approach, layering the new materials and the other is a subtractive approach cutting away, revealing, enjoying the idea of fragmenting as long as the brain can reassemble the parts – just as an archaeologist does…….

 

……..We should be concentrating on telling the story rather than infatuated with completing the building. There are only a few buildings which should stand as a set piece for example St. Paul’s Cathedral, hardly touched since Wren completed it. Gloucester Cathedral on the other hand is charming in that it has been characterised by its many alterations. [Richard Murphy appendix 2]

 

During the consultations it became clear that there was a general agreement that Scotland was suffering from a polarised approach to historic buildings and their reuse mainly due to a lack of sensitivity and understanding of appropriate design methodology. The problem doesn’t lie solely with the design practices but with the general appreciation of cultural significance within the legacy we are entrusted to care for and manage.

There seems to be a real need to consolidate an analytical process, develop clear design approaches and execute the design intent using a well understood design toolkit which all associated practices should have as reference.

 

 

Education [the wider implications Policy- planning - public]

 

To help protect the built heritage of a nation, a clear procedure and methodology is required when engaging in the subject of architectural alteration for re-use. The common knowledge of future architects, designers, planners, conversationalists and developers is vital for the continued management and protection of buildings with cultural significance in a modern era.

By creating an educational basis from which to develop a process of analytical behaviour, exploration of methodology and the ability to employ the appropriate design system, whilst acknowledging the practicalities associated with a design toolkit, students will begin to share an understanding of the preliminary approaches required when engaged in a re-use project. They will also be better placed to provide collaborative solutions which are sensitive and productive. This is an approach that will help promote confidence within the general public and professional practices alike, ultimately helping to generate trust needed to engage in a more challenging set of design solutions to be explored and tested.

 

Methodology

 

 

 

The proposed re-use method is based on a seven step principle; the process has been designed with rigorous analytical behaviour at its core. The ‘7 step’ method addresses the process of tackling a building’s re-use whilst remaining sensitive to its cultural and historic significance.

The alteration of this building type should be based on analysis of thought that must be both intelligent and intuitive. Each case elicits an individual approach based on the evaluation of a variety of architectural and social memories woven through time to underpin a profile unique to each project.

An old building read as a ‘Palimpsest’ is a helpful metaphor used by ‘Rodolfo Machado’ which poetically reflects upon old buildings as a stretched piece of suede which was used by Roman couriers in place of paper. The Palimpsest was written on, using a metal stylus. After the message had been received the surface was scraped back in order for a new message to be written. As the suede wore, traces of the previous messages could be read, an interesting analogy, when thinking about how buildings over their lifetime have been written, rewritten in part or erased at times then rewritten again. These ghosts of past interventions can also be read within the buildings’ fabric and used once decoded as an essential part of any redesign or alteration proposal.

 

“the frustrating thing about reading the Historic Scotland’s information on particular buildings is that you don’t get a sense of the building, the description is heavy on the style and historic facts but doesn’t encourage a reading of its personality – in contrast when I have been on site with a member of their staff and they describe the building in their own words, why it was built, when, what happened and who owned it, how this bit had leaked and what the material or craftsmen’s limits were - a profile was quickly achieved and easily related too”  [Suzanne Ewing, Edinburgh University, appendix 2]

 

The building’s profile will not only reflect the cultural significance of the building, or focus on its physical aspects, but endeavour to embody its character, style and condition, whilst attempting to reveal the building’s narrative and future aspirations. Suzanne Ewing, a lecturer in Edinburgh University’s Architecture department, and joint owner of ‘Zone architects’, suggests the importance of really understanding the full picture of a building’s make-up, in order to promote the correct design response. Often architects and designers see their responsibility towards historic buildings in anthropomorphic terms - as performing surgery, breathing new life into and restoring the soul and heart of culturally significant buildings. These are dynamic and dogged acts which require the building to adopt a submissive role, to remain prone while work is visited upon it. Anthropomorphising the building in terms of ‘voice’ and ‘memory’ however, reverses this relationship, if only in the short-term. The act of listening enables the building to become an agent in its own reinvention and the designer has to work hard to hear what is said.

Metaphysical aspects of historical buildings are often over looked. An interesting response to the idea that buildings don’t resonate memory is reflected in the extreme example of murder. Violent crime has the power to completely reinvent a place; where society hears a voice so shrill that only demolition will cause it to stop. In the UK, the homes of two notorious child murders, Ian Huntley and Fred West, were not only demolished but the rubble was taken away in secrecy and pulverised to help erase the memory of the events which took place there.

The ability to clearly identify and assess the attributes which make a place valuable to us or to our society enables the designer to adapt or develop with greater freedom.

 

The conservation plan and report is a vital part of conservation and goes a long way to establishing cultural significance, values and a response to maintenance issues and possible usage, whilst examining documentary and physical evidence. The conservation plan isn’t however a design guide which offers a methodological approach to the building’s adaptation for change in use. The plan predominantly focuses on the management of the site.

 

“A conservation plan sets out what is significant in a place and consequently, what polices are appropriate to enable that significance to be retained in its future use and development. For most places it deals with the management of change” [Kerr, 1996, page1]

 

The proposed method will work in parallel with the conservation plan and the identified values and will develop new and appropriate values attributed to the building’s re-use. The concern of architectural conservation within a re-use and alteration context is the past, present and future of a building and involves making balanced and informed judgements with regards history, present day needs and the site’s future sustainability. The significance and success of any re-use building project can be defined through an assessment of its historic, architectural and cultural importance expressed through a value-based approach.

 

Once the building’s profile is clearly understood and the brief reassessed the next step of selecting a system or a blend of systems to implement each approach listed below has particular merit whilst tackling a historic structure. The circumstance may warrant the use of one or more of the systems and should not be viewed as any sort of dogmatic approach. It is important to keep in mind the individuality of each project and therefore the process should reflect this. To execute the chosen response based on the architect’s analysis requires a core set of durable and relevant tools, collectively known as the toolkit. The toolkit will equip the designer with the necessary elements to layer and reveal architectural elements, stitch or separate new and old, protect and highlight the key cultural significant elements and create a legible alteration, sensitive to the building’s cultural significance whilst supporting the new use and the development of further sustainable values.

 

“It is …not possible to base judgements of value and authenticity on fixed criteria. On the contrary, the respect due to all cultures requires that the heritage properties must be considered and judged within the cultural contexts to which they belong”

[Nara Document 1994]

 

Brief

The opening action is nearly always receiving and understanding the proposed brief; an important part of the process which is often misunderstood or used mistakenly as a method only to generate an accommodation schedule rather than a key participant in the re-use process. It may be, that in some cases the brief is flawed and may need re-developed to suit the original building’s programme, scale, type, location or building material. It is within the best interests of the client and the designer to develop the brief to a workable standard before any consideration of alteration is tackled. A well considered and collaborative brief is a fundamental aspect to a successful re-use design.

Perhaps the brief is ill-considered in its conception and won’t suit the building’s nature. No matter how much an architect squeezes, adjusts and levers the programme into an unsuitable building, it will nearly always look awkward in its relationship.

A building that stubbornly resists alteration with an accommodation brief in mind, for instance, may happily welcome and readily comply with a more community oriented brief and its resulting design intention.

 

Analytical Behaviour

 

The process of analysing the existing structure is divided into four strands; each strand approaches the existing building in a different way and discusses a particular yet significant aspect. This process of clarifying and promoting the building’s profile will underpin the building’s character, which is an essential precursor to any alteration design project. The analytical process will require an exploration of historical evidence such as, photographs, sketches, contextual images, relevant art which may help indicate colour layout and spatial usage, aerial photography, ordinance survey maps, original architectural drawings, surveys, oral descriptions and publications. The physical evidence will require equally rigorous behaviour to establish a full and rich in-depth profile of the host building.

The four analytical strands have been designed to aid a full and balanced assessment of the proposed site whilst identifying past and present values. The analytical strands will also structure and prioritise the design response whilst identifying the key elements, attributable to the building’s cultural significance.

 

“Aesthetic, historic, scientific or spiritual value for past or future generations. Cultural significance is embodied in the place itself, its fabric, setting, use, associations, meanings, records, related place and related objects”. 1999 Burra Charter

 

 

 

Analytical Strands 1 -4

 

Analytical strand 1 [Form & Structure]:

 

The form and structural elements of the existing building are often the easiest aspects to understand and record: the merits of craftsmanship, how the building supports itself, whether it has a distinctive structural rhythm or order and what the relationship between rooms, internal spaces and the exterior represent. In order to appreciate the building’s potential, designers are encouraged initially to analyse the building’s structure by surveying and modelling the building, whether digitally, using the latest computer aided design software [two dimensional and three dimensional methods] or physically, using traditional methods such as card and timber, [preferably both, using both methods].

 

 

These methods enable a designer to explore the building’s exterior and interior dimensions whilst reaffirming the physical nature of the site in relation to the historical evidence researched. The building may have altered over time; many alterations in the past were overlooked or simply weren’t submitted to official records.

 

The column grid spacing, load bearing wall layout, floor and ceiling heights which will establish the spatial capacity and structural flexibility, whilst determining the suitability for mechanical and electrical integration such as lighting, heating, ventilation and plumbing requirements.

 

The location of interior bearing and non-bearing partitions will provide the scope of initial adaptability, (providing these partitions aren’t part of the building’s significance). The location and indeed the validity of these partitions are important to consider. Are they temporary, used only to facilitate the past usage of the space, or are the partitions part of an ongoing characteristic.  

 

It is important to engage with the location and dimensions of exterior and interior openings as they will be the key to any potential floor or ceiling changes and ingress of natural light. How the building and the user relate to their environment, giving a sense of place and how the building is architecturally or historically read from an external and internal prospective, depends on the considered approach to the exterior and interior openings. The openings will also have to relate to current acoustic and energy criteria whilst underpinning more architectural aspects such as scale, void to mass ratios and architectural styling.

 

The composition of structural frame, floor, ceiling, roof systems, exterior walls and interior partitions are particularly important to clearly identify. Once understood, the building’s composition will help deliver a considered approach to the wide-ranging material types, dimensions and detailing found when working with buildings of historic and cultural significance. The right informed approach will ensure the relevant sustainable and sensitive design intent for a building’s re-use and adaptation. Each material will have its own distinctive qualities, limitations and maintenance requirements ranging from using the correct lime mortars to ensuring the correct nails are used for slate fixings, but once established will provide a counterpoint from where to base the re-modelling

 

The survey of roof, capacity of floors and vertical transportation systems will ensure a clear understanding of distribution boundaries and potential. The original building’s capacity for circulation, access and programme without extension and the need to break the structural envelope should be quickly assessed. 

 

The damage, deterioration, longevity and past repairs to a building of cultural significance will unquestionably be some of the most complex and challenging problems to decipher and solve. In many cases the changes are obvious, due to the structural scaring received by buildings which have been part-lost, for whatever reason. Many instances of repair are easily recognised in that a good number have been done with little understanding of the existing material or consequences. Longevity of material is also difficult to establish and will need collaboration with engineers and other specialists to establish the structural life-spans of materials such as sandstone, timber or concrete.

The initially obvious may also be tricky to analyse. Is a ruin really a ruin? Or was it built as an 18^th century romantic gesture reflecting a notion of Scottish-ness? Establishing the reasons for decay is important. Perhaps it was due to stylistic intent, continual water ingress or even fire. But whatever the reason, a philosophy of treatment must be established further to this analytical stage. How far do you think about scraping back past interventions, [if at all], before proposing an alteration to the original? And what materials are best to use - a contrasting material allowing the building to be easily read or a like for like material, [providing it could be sourced of course], which would undoubtedly reinterpret the setting. 

 

 

Analytical strand 2 [Historic & Functional Factors]:

 

“As buildings continue to be occupied, like well worn coat they become more human……which wrap around the visitor and , quite apart from power of raw dimensions and geometries of architecture, conjure the fullest range of emotional and poetic responses” Architectural voices

 

The historical and functional factors are often overlooked, however it is these factors that directly contribute to the building’s initial design and use. Further to establishing who built the building and for what purpose, an exploration of the materials and construction techniques used, can determine how the alteration should be approached, while ensuring it remains sympathetic to the existing architecture. Materials and construction methods are only part of this analytical strand. Equally important to considering the host building’s past is to understand how the building functioned in terms of the circulation, services and spatial hierarchical elements. The evidence which is woven throughout the fabric of the building, requires piecing together to form the historic workings of the building. Equally the reason for the building’s disuse is important to substantiate what may need to be addressed before the proposed alteration.

The building’s soul, in my opinion, derives from a complex mix of architecture, context, intervention and use. The building’s construction material, detailing, acoustic behaviour and scale, blend together with occupation, evolution personality, politics, structural strengths and weaknesses (after enduring many makeovers), which creates character. Indeed, this essence of character is such an essential ingredient that its absence renders any ill-considered further alteration, impotent.

 

“Architecture has its own realm. It has a special physical relationship with life. I do not think of it primarily as either a message or a symbol, but as an envelope and background for life, which goes on, in and around it, a sensitive container for the rhythm of footsteps on the floor, for the concentration of work, for the silence of sleep” [Zumthor, Peter, 1999, page 25]

Aanalytical strand 3 [Context & Environment]:

The structure’s context and environmental aspects play a subtle but important role in the building’s makeup and will continue to play a major part in generating an adaptive solution for any building’s re-use proposal. Considering and questioning the relationship established with adjacent structures, public spaces, the natural elements and landscape helps to establish a clearer representation of the structure to be remodelled. Answering simple yet revealing questions such as; how does the structure engage with the streetscape, the city and the area’s demographic? How has the site, its orientation and climatic aspects influenced the original design? What are the current aspects of the context and environment, which may have changed? The urban and to a certain extent rural context, has a fluid condition reacting both to economic growth and depression, social behaviour and modernisation. A set of conditions that will have conceived the need for the existing structure but may no longer be valid in today’s social context.

The environmental issues require assessment, as very often it is the climatic conditions that will be responsible for the damage and decay. More importantly the environmental aspects, which will play a large part in the design of any alteration project, will be the building’s orientation to sunlight, [in which direction does the sun move over the site], prevailing winds, and geographic location. The environmental issues won’t only relate to the climatic issues but also the built environmental constraints. What surrounds the site: size, mass, construction and type. Is there a relationship which needs addressed? Access to the site may have changed, roads may have bypassed the area, industry may have left. Has the site’s environment changed with regards its demographic and condition. Assessment should be made as to the broader historical significance of the context and environment, whilst considering what positive or negative impact an intervention will have relative to whatever scale of adaptation.

 

 

Analytical strand 4 [Proposal]:

 

“A major amount of architectural practice is in the understanding of the brief, even at times re-writing the brief -in the majority, no one seems to understands the brief they tend to think it’s an accommodation schedule” [Adrian Boot Appendix2]

 

Without a clear understanding of the requirements of the Proposal, it is difficult to appreciate whether a successful relationship with the original building can be established. Further to the three analytical stages mentioned earlier in the text, the brief should be reassessed and reformatted to a considered document for the building’s reuse, addressing the valid and complex challenges when working with buildings of cultural significance. The proposal will underpin the next stage of the process and generate the next set of considerations such as:

 

Is manipulation of the host building’s profile required and at what cost to the building authenticity and integrity. These precious factors to the building are (delete: found) reflected in the original fabric or design. The building’s authenticity and integrity can reside in the built fabric itself: the programmatic layout or design, the craftsmanship or the detailing, and must be acknowledged and protected. The future function intended for the host building clearly has an enormous impact on the building’s ability to remain a culturally significant building with historic aspects clearly legible. Alterations and their relationship with the existing structure, require sensitive and balanced approaches to the pragmatic, building requirements of any new function. The proposal should reflect the extensive project exploration and ensure compatibility with regard to the existing building and its historical context.

The characteristics of a new design proposal will always create challenges and complications that need to be resolved or require a compromise to be found.

The design challenge of how to engage with an existing building’s original spatial hierarchy and the impact of the proposed schedule of accommodation on the historic fabric of the host building requires a clear philosophy of architectural response. This response can offer a solution when realising the depth of work needed to meet the proposal’s intentions and provide a vehicle for what the building wants to tell us. Is the proposal an ‘integral new build’ and has it a history to reveal? How will the proposed design react with the material of the host building?

The proposal is an excellent document that sets challenges, rather than problems, for the conversationalist and architectural intellect. All architects and designers are professional problem solvers and relish the opportunity to apply their three dimensional craft to a set of challenges, whether it’s the spatial challenges posed by a brief, the impact mechanical and electrical services [M&E] will have on the original architectural fabric, or how the new material and light will manipulate the internal and external space, or even how to move between spaces realising the circulation between new and old.

 

 

 

These four analytical strands, which are designed to decipher a culturally significant or historic building, should, in general, engage with the building’s durability, integrity, adaptability and flexibility. The established flexibility and a well considered re-use strategy will extend the life of a building dramatically and is, therefore, equally important to measure and establish a cost-benefit schedule to ensure accurate and valid solutions. This includes the assessment of continued life or function remaining, in comparison with the cost of repair and maintenance. The designer should test and establish the building’s physical condition, model the structural envelope systems, and the character defining elements to be retained ensuring the building is historically significant. The solution should be tested for flexibility to ensure a sustainable future. The designer should consider the practicalities of the working cost requirements as they will be a significant contributor to the continued viability of the project and any sustainable solution.

A synchronised review should be considered and formulated, that includes not only the physical condition of the building, but also essential factors such as the historical significance, authenticity, the regulatory requirements, such as the applicable building regulations and standards. There should also be an effort to evaluate the labour required to repair building systems, which is necessary with regards to understanding the scope of the project. It is also important to evaluate the life-cycle of the existing materials and the methods required to protect them.

 

 

Profile

The methodology continually depends on the developer conversationalist and architect’s analytical ability to make sense of the host building’s structural, historical and contextual information whilst applying it to the proposal.

The resulting analytical information will establish a building profile and will be used to guide and inform the majority of the design intent from proposal through to completion. The building’s profile information, strangely enough, is not dissimilar to nature’s DNA profile template; both profiles will determine a structure’s nature, build, appearance and physical ability, in turn developing character. The ability to decode and understand every strand of a building’s profile encourages a natural development which will relate to each host building’s particular make-up.

 

 “If you can write DNA, you're no longer limited to 'what is' but to what you could make”.

[Drew, MIT.2008]

 

The existing building’s profile will help give indication of the structures endurance or whether it will develop weaknesses in the future. The profile will indicate past attempts of adaptation and re-use, repair and damage. The profile however, not only informs the buildings physical characteristics, but also plays a key role in identifying individual architectural irregularities, which helps create a type of structural and historical personality (externally and internally). Although an obvious metaphorical approach in relating the profiles of humans and building, which may seems at first, strange, it is a useful approach in helping designers in fact all professionals involved, appreciate the buildings from a different perspective. Rather than approaching the building as an inanimate structure of age and style, with a problematic set of conditions, alternatively approach it as a living, or evolving entity with a story to tell and a condition to respect, understand and work with.

 

“even when objects don’t look anything like people, we can find it easy to imagine what kind of human characters they might have, so refined is our skill at detecting parallels in human beings in form, textures and colours that we can interpret a character from the humblest shape”

[de Botten2006,page77]

 

It is this ability to understand a building’s makeup which underpins the architect’s choice of systematic response from which to remodel an existing culturally significant structure for a new use, enhancing existing values and developing new values which compliment and highlight the building significance. The next step is to establish the correct response system. The five types of strategy or system are classified according to the intimacy of the relationship between the old and the new. The profile will help to clarify the correct response, a response that might require the use of one or more systems to successfully execute a valid response to the proposal. The systems are not to be seen as constraining dogma in any way and are flexible and sensitive design guides that are carefully formulated to give clear and a set of considered approach proposals.

 

Systems and Toolkit 

Direction

 

There are five design systems and toolkits to help deliver these approaches. The toolkits are appropriate to all five systems. These systems are titled: Intervention, Complex Intervention, Symbiotic, Prosthetic and Insertion. Each approach is designed to work sympathetically with the sensitive nature of buildings with cultural significance, and together with the project profile and proposal, should be foremost in a designer’s consciousness. The systems rely on an iterative process of design that will require rigorous modelling and examination of design intentions. The profile and proposal will drive and direct the initial choice of approach, which will in turn, reflect the structural merit of a building and determine the extent of the narrative to be revealed.

 

 

 

 

 

Intervention

 

When an existing building is altered in that it can no longer viably exist independently and the nature of the remodelling is such that the old and new are partially intertwined, then the system is an Intervention.

The Stockbridge Pizza Express restaurant by architect Malcolm Fraser, is an example of a relatively early intervention project, in that, by breaking the architectural envelope, the architect was just being to explore a contemporary reuse system where a culturally significant building is concerned.

A former bank located on the edge of the historic intercity village of Stockbridge, Edinburgh, the building began life as a Georgian villa. It was subsequently belligerently altered in the 19th century when a clock tower, bay windows and a wall head balustrade were added. It has a complex character and a dominating and pivotal location looking over the Water of Leith and its bridge connects the city to the heart of the village. The building is a structure of cultural significance in its social, historic and communal values - values that derive from the symbolic nature of the building’s location with relation to Stockbridge, the Water of Leith and the connection to the city of Edinburgh. The architect, fully aware of the significance, replaced the unsightly 1930s extension with a contemporary addition which engaged with the location and gave a sense of place to the user group. The re-use from bank to restaurant enhanced a civic connection and developed an economic value related to tourism and local services. The site has retained its integrity and both intervention and structure are easily read.

There are a number of excellent interventions of note, but perhaps the most successful is Richard Murphy’s Fruit Market Gallery in Edinburgh. The remarkable adaptation of the old city fruit and vegetable market place to a contemporary art venue has created a building of immense cultural value and integrity. The existing building stood neglected for years suffering from restive internal heights, a lack of natural light and poor circulation. Murphy responded by removing the flat roof and replacing it with a winged roof providing north and south top light and layered the intervention. He established an internal street facing café and book shop whilst installing an iconic stair element. By doing so Murphy reintroduced a street presence and an art gallery of high light quality. Murphy’s approach to the façade and its many new openings engages with the city’s architectural historic elements. His use of a long slender aperture captures Edinburgh’s city tenements in their full rectilinear presence, while the horizontal clear stories offer the user a panoramic sense of place. The Intervention can be easily read through Murphy’s layering of new and old architecture; revealing existing structural elements, which has gone a long way to promote redevelopment within this part of the city.

   

17.                                                     18.                                                     19.                                20.

 

 

   

21.                                                                           22.                                                                 23.

 

17. Concept sketch for Stockbridge Pizza Express restaurant by architect Malcolm Fraser

18. Riverside view, Stockbridge Pizza Express

19. South façade, Stockbridge Pizza Express

20. Bridge view, Stockbridge Pizza Express

21. Original fruitmarket building, Edinburgh

22. Fruitmarket intervention by Richard Murphy

23. Fruitmarket Gallery interior, first floor

 

 

Complex intervention

 

When an existing building is altered by a number of systematic approaches that it can no longer viably exist independently and the nature of the remodelling is such that the existing and new architecture are completely interlaced but easily legible as two complementary structural components of new and old architecture, then the system is known as a Complex Intervention. A Complex Intervention can be also a mix of contemporary intervention architecture and a degree of restoration as in the Stirling Tolbooth project.

 

The Stirling Tolbooth project is an example of a ‘complex intervention’ within a building of cultural significance, a quality defined in the ‘Burra Charter [1999] as,

 

 “Aesthetic, historic, scientific or spiritual value for past or future generations. Cultural significance is embodied in the place itself, its fabric, setting, use, associations, meanings, records, related place and related objects”. [Burra Charter 1999]

 

Analytical evidence shows that the historic site has an interesting past, layers of use and architecture [Image 11]. Built on the site of an earlier Tollbooth construction, dating back to the 1470^s [shaded blue on the plan] the old town house designed by Sir William Bruce was built between 1703 and 1705 [shaded purple on the plan] incorporating parts of the earlier building. In 1785 the town house was extended by Gideon Gray [Shaded in brown]. In 1806-1811 [shaded in green], a court house and jail was added by Richard Crichton creating an intriguing group of buildings from a variety of dates known collectively as the Stirling Tolbooth profile. [Image 24 and 25]

 

        

 

                                                24.                                                                                           25.

 

24. Tolbooth’s Intervention history

25. Original Tolbooth Building,

 

The Stirling Tolbooth functioned variously as a town hall, courthouse and jail during the 18^th Century and well into the 19^th Century. Eventually in 1997, and after its original uses where no longer required, Stirling council, conscious of the building’s continuing struggle to adapt and accommodate modern day demands, set an architectural competition.

Architect Richard Murphy’s scheme insured that the key street facing elevations [Images 12 &18] and the existing individual interiors retained their historic integrity whilst hosting the integral spaces of the intervention. The old court room would host the main performance space with a two hundred audience capacity [Image 28], the robing room would host the grand bar [Image 27] and the council chambers would host a high quality restaurant. [Image 26]

 

     

26.                                           27.                                                          28.

 

26. Council chambers

27. Robing room

28. Old court room

 

The major working parts of the intervention such as the circulation and access spaces would be contained behind the host structure within an empty space of the eastern courtyard into which the old tolbooth was extended [Image 30]. The new extension nicknamed the ‘Backpack’ [Image 30] was designed to house services, circulation and the additional practical spaces, key to the building’s reuse.

 

The Tolbooth re-use has had a positive impact on its local environment, re-energising a tired and forgotten historic part of the town which was being used mainly as an access route to Stirling’s medieval castle. The local community have embraced the Stirling Tollbooth as a social focal point and an accessible means to re-engage with their rich and varied local history. The building has drawn national and international tourism back to the area which has triggered an economic and urban regeneration. Cafes, shops and restaurants have begun to appear and the local population has shown a renewed pride in their local area and its history.

 

The Tolbooth project is not purely an intervention project but a hybrid of restoration and intervention techniques which challenges the historic conflict between the theories of ‘SPAB’ Conservation and Violet’s restoration.

The project was a complex blend of conservation and restoration. On one hand the restoration techniques of Edinburgh based, ‘Simpson and Brown’ architects were based on a respect for the original material, authentic documents available and the removal of a superficial layer of minimal cultural significance to reveal one of a greater cultural importance, specifically in the 15^th century parts of the building - [the restoration conforming mainly to the Burra charter 1979 and Venice charter 1964], and on the other, a sophisticated architectural and structural response. The structural additions and interventions were consciously designed as bold statements, adding a new layer of history and architecture to a historic building of cultural significance.

By identifying key values related to the building and its intervention, it is clear to see the current Tolbooth building’s importance as a contemporary conservation project. The Tolbooth has an ‘age and rarity value’ in that the nature of the building predates the 15^th Century and has a variety of layered architectural programmes which have been enhanced by the new layer of architecture and engineering.

 

 

Symbiotic

 

When an existing building hosts a new structure which exists independently and new elements are placed within the boundaries of the building then this approach is called a symbiotic system with which to adapt and re-use a building of cultural significance. The design or the grouping of these elements may be influenced by the building’s profile, but the fit is not exact and should the elements be removed, then the building would revert to its original state. The advantages of a symbiotic approach are many in that they don’t interfere with the existing building’s structural elements and that they are removable at no risk to the historic fabric. An added and equally important advantage to this approach is the ability to contain a separate environment. The symbiotic structure will house all services: lighting, heating and ventilation, and can determine internal temperature and ventilation without having a detrimental effect on the existing building materials. In many cases the re-use of a building can dry out or change the internal conditions creating mould, rot, and weakness in materials used to a particular condition. 

The Symbiotic approach can vary in scale. A relatively humble example of this approach can be seen in the ‘Bed-box’ project by architect Oliver Chapman. This project was a response to an ‘A listed’ building’s spatial challenges when a multi re-use was required. A proposal to change a town house reception room into a guest bedroom and living space combination was met by the architect’s unique approach to develop an oak veneer cube based on the ‘Shetland chair’ principal. This approach reflected the history and nature of the room’s original use whilst using a mix of contemopary construction techniques and traditional materials that strangely come together in a Swiss army knife of architecture that fits its context.

In contrast to the Edinburgh Bed-box project, the St. Frances community centre project by Glasgow’s Page & Park architects and the Tramway by Glasgow’s Zoo architects are more complex with a range of installations varying in scale and number from one three story structure within a church context to a multiple system approach implemented to facilitate the building’s re-use. 

The Tramway arts venue was originally built as a tram depot for trams and their horses. It later had other industrial uses, but eventually fell into disuse before Glasgow city council commissioned Zoo architects to design an arts venue whilst retaining the industrial quality and “gritty” character of the environment. The architects facilitated the ambitious spatial programme by inserting new architectural elements that seem temporary in nature reflecting the ghostly characteristics of the trams once housed. The symbiotic structures house many facilities from toilets to café which can easily be read as new from old.

The St. Frances Church re-use project reflects the key advantages of a symbiotic approach on a larger scale, facilitating a cultural re-use of a church to a community centre. The key internal structure can manage its own environment using light, heat and ventilation without impacting on the existing structure’s environmental conditions, which it was originally built for.  

 

 

 

 

Prosthetic

 

The Prosthetic approach to adapting an existing building for re-use, uses artificial extensions to replace missing parts of the building, thus optimising functionality and durability.

Rehabilitation is based on a set of architectural approaches dealing with the structural props, architectural armature and splint and stents used in the underpinning of the prosthetic design system for the re-use of buildings with cultural significance.  

Enhancements can be made to architecture lost through decay, direct trauma, fire or even poor repair work done in the past. The prosthetic system makes no attempt to fit or conform to the historic past but instead will draw clear separation from what is new and what is original. The protective or enhancing elements are designed in response to the host building’s missing or damaged attributes and will dictate the spatial and programmatic behaviour with regards the structure’s new use.

By fitting to residual architectural elements and exploring the fusion of mechanical or engineering solutions to the existing fabric, the original structure is once again read as a whole, pieced together through contemporary contrasting materials that exaggerate the differences whilst facilitating the building’s alteration.

Architectural stents are modern elements applied within an existing or damaged area of the building to prevent, or counteract further deterioration, or to remedy circulation issues. This aspect of the prosthetic system can also be seen as temporary. The temporary stent may be used to support and protect the existing structure whilst the alterations are taking place.

 

Architectural splints work in the opposite manner from stents and like the medical term suggests, they support and protect broken, partly damaged or week structural or historic elements especially when these elements contribute to the site’s cultural values and significance. The original elements can still be read within the historic fabric of the building and because of the contrasting materials supporting them, aren’t misinterpreted or forgotten.

Exposed armature is a framework around which the new construction is built. This framework provides structure and stability, especially when a plastic material such as concrete is being used as the medium developing character and longevity. The exposed structural elements, although practical, also serve to contrast with the existing building techniques and to create a structural honesty when used to help augment or support existing architectural elements by bracing or propping weekend aspects of the original structure. [36.37.38.39]

 

The key aspect to the system of prosthetics is legibility through the honesty of material choice and contrast. There should be no question as to where the boundaries lie. The additions must be a necessity in the building’s re-use, and the integrity and authenticity of the original building must not be jeopardised.

 

 

Insertion

 

When an existing building has a new autonomous element fitted within the confines of structural envelope, the dimensions of which are completely dictated by those of the surrounding host structure, the design approach is categorised as an Insertion.

As the system title suggests, Insertion is the introduction of a new architectural element into, beside or between an existing structure or structures and is read as independent and more often than not expressed in contrast too the original construction materials. Although independent the new addition should conform to its environment in dimension, scale, mass, and the host buildings physical properties. The contrast and energy created by this system of reuse can have interesting advantages in expressing the historic form, separating special use or introducing circulation route providing a new use but more importantly structuring and clarifying the buildings story. These inserted elements might as simple as an elegant counterparty glass wall or a brutal as a concrete sleeve inserted to facilitate a new use as the example will show later in the text. The majority of insertions have an added benefit in that as they are inserted and follow the form of the existing structure then unsightly and historically difficult service facilitation and interfaces can been overcome. Lighting conduit, ventilation, heating and many other aspects of mechanical and electrical equipment can be discretely concealed in-between the existing and its sleeve of new material or indeed within the construction of the insertion itself. This characterise of alteration goes a long way to keeping the environment clear of distractions and helps prevent confusing the projects legibility allowing the buildings cultural and historical significance to be the focus of attention. As in all the systems expressed in this document clean, considered and well crafted detailing underpins the building’s importance and importance.  

Although I have tried to keep most examples to a Scottish context I feel the Spanish project in Madrid is an excellent example of an insertion approach and goes a long way to explain the systems potential. Aparicio & Fernandez’s Architectural Documentation Centre in Madrid, [40.41.42.43.]

born from a testing proposal and a complicated building profile the architect’s alteration approach confronted the task of housing an architectural documentation centre and a theatre within the arcades of the Nuevos Ministerios on Madrid’s Paseo de la Castellana. There were a number of interactions with the host building and infrastructure which required a creative consideration, the architects, whilst addressing programmatic and contextual challenges, endeavoured to minimise their impact on the existing building whilst creating a simple and fixable space. The theatre space created contrast the existing context but exhibits a pure simplicity reflected in the concrete walls and floors, the interstitial space between the concrete sleeve and existing structure which emphasises the spatial quality. The concrete element provides critical bracing for the existing walls, which is cleverly hidden within the space between new and old structures, a space which is also occupied by mechanical and other services thus allowing the a simplified theatre area which houses only the essential elements such as seating, lighting and sound equipment. By sleeving a difficult but effective starkly contrasting insertion element into the host environment the historic building was given a structure enhancement whist expressing the existing building’s historic characteristics and material and celebrating its architectural narrative.

Scottish Architect, Gareth Hoskins [44.45] proposal for Edinburgh’s Scottish museum and its alteration although yet to be completed shows the interesting use of insertion in the client presentation. The three dimensional representation of the space indicate a subtle and elegant use of a number of semi transparent walls that indicate new circulation routes whilst communicating an array of multimedia information. The wall’s scale and dimensions at respectful to the existing structure and do not detract from the appreciation of the many architectural merits of the host structure or its spatial integrity where light and the environment is concerned. Although Hoskins proposes an alternative entrance at the basement level the he has been careful not to distort the architectural rhythm or spatial hierarchy in fact due to the inserted elements the dram of the space in enhanced as you experience it from a alternative view point, by changing the entrance [and improving access] you are encourage to ascend into the main area from the basement looking up and experiencing the contrast of a relatively dimly lit basement to a lofty and heavily lit space drawing your eye up to the sublime architecture detail of its time.

 

 

The Toolkit

 

 

Understanding, appreciating and utilising the fundamentals of detailed design with regards architectural alteration and re-use is without doubt a highly significant part of a project’s success. It is not until the architectural elements are brought together through sensitive detailed choice in junctions, layers and service interfaces for example, that a design becomes wholly believable and creditable. All the architectural greats, past and present understood the importance of well informed detailing. It is clear therefore that an essential grasp of the host building’s characteristics should be expressed and respected through the considered use and manipulation of a set of design tools. These include: the manipulation of horizontal or vertical planes, architectural furniture, construction materials, circulation methods, and service interface & finishes, all of which will contribute to the integrity of a remodelling project.

The tools available to deliver an adaptation project have particular design advantages and when used to their full potential will facilitate the design intent and develop a sympathetic modern personality which will have the quality of character, to compliment the existing building’s profile and create synergetic energy between both architectural expressions.  

 

The tools will help express the historic narrative of the building whilst addressing what the project will eventually look like, how it will be used and what it feels like from within. The incorrect use of the design tools will result in a confused and uncomfortable architectural response with ill fitting characteristics. The ability to initiate the correct response and manage the resulting conditions which are related to each tool is fundamental to a project. A strategically placed wall can manifest itself in many different ways and facilitate an array of new requirements such as circulation or spatial separation. The materials that it is made from will depend upon its situation, and the expectations of the client, and will be driven by the ambition of the architect and each particular set of contextual parameters. In order to clarify and give general guidance to a set of ‘alteration’ tools, a toolkit has been developed. The toolkit comprises of seven primary design-aid tools or devices.

 

 

Planes:

 

The use of planes is a fundamental design tool, horizontal and vertically used throughout the interior and exterior. Temporary or permanent, this design tool can manipulate acoustics and provide visual and environmental protection whilst linking fragmented parts of an existing context. Vertical planes can enclose areas of particular use or fragility, surround or contain activities, divide spaces and create areas of intimacy and privacy. Used correctly vertical planes can facilitate an additive approach of layering, promoting project legibility as the new materials are layered behind or in front of the existing historic fabric using alternative materials and detailing which will contrast with the existing architectural character of solidity, scale and dimensions whilst facilitating the re-use. Alternatively vertical planes can be used in a more complicated subtractive approach to layering, where planes are used to fragment or cut away parts of the existing fabric, to be reinterpreted as a new mixed architectural narrative. Subtractive layering can be a useful approach, providing the brain is still able to reassemble the individual parts easily, and read both new and historic architecture individually, whilst also as an amalgamation for a new use. This however, is an approach which requires a respectful consideration of the impact on the building’s integrity and authenticity.   Vertical planes are useful tools to manipulate circulation and promote visual orientation on the multiplicity of meaning. Vertical planes can house information, storage, exhibitions, lighting and other services removing the need to interfere with the existing structure.

Vertical planes such as ceilings and floors inform the user’s flow and pace and divides private from public. A change in floor material can enforce special significance. Raised floors and suspended ceilings can house services and protect fragile elements or emphasise scale and architectural rhythm. The use of planes can manipulate the user’s participation in a site’s character by slowly revealing the cultural significance and highlight architectural aspects and spatial qualities of scale, light and material.

 

“a basic argument is that there is no such thing as a building….a building properly conceived is several layers of longevity of built components, six layers site, structure, skin, services, site plan and stuff”. [Brand,1994, page 12]

 

 

Objects:

 

Purposefully placed objects are loaded with meaning, whether a small piece of bespoke furniture or architectural elements such as a contemporary staircase, reception or exhibition, objects establish a cultural and physical relationship with the existing environment. An object will create a focal point to a space or a landmark, reconfiguring orientation and punctuating the project’s historic and contemporary narrative. An object may reflect or underline significant architectural events or elements, through their form, dimension and use. They can facilitate an array of practical and social requirements in or around the site without having a physical impact on the existing fabric. By simply creating bespoke objects which are well considered and which replicate the initial design intention, the alteration for re-use becomes a collective expression easily read - from a large scale architectural approach, to the smaller scaled practicalities, which in turn create a project that is clearly understood and which communicates a coherent design proposition.

Well crafted bespoke objects and their location, help to stitch or blur the boundaries of old and new structures whilst providing a vehicle for information and work within meeting points, viewing points, exhibitions or library areas which all inherit an aesthetic and detailed strategy from the combination of both the building’s profile and design proposal.

 

Light:

 

The articulation of light and the effect of both natural and artificial light can radically transform a building and highlight elements of cultural importance, whilst aiding architectural legibility during an adaptation project. Lighting will play an integral role in creating a successful re-use solution, capable of separating areas, suggesting circulation, manipulating atmosphere and creating hierarchy within a space.

The correct use of light is a complicated process not only in managing the desired effect but also the detailing issues regarding location, fixings and the painstaking practicalities of managing such things as conduit and transformer locations whilst remaining consciously sensitive to the historic context and the fragility of the materials and aesthetic.

Natural light has got to be one of the most important design elements of an alteration and requires a serious level of engagement from the earliest stages of the project’s design process

In many cases the success of an alteration and its relationship with the historic context, the user group requirements and historic legibility relies on the clever and sensitive use of light both artificial and natural.

 

Surface:

 

An excellent and often overlooked design tool is surface, and surface interface. After all it is the surface that receives the most human contact and the correct use of specific materials will confer identity and meaning to the alteration. The character of a wall depends as much upon its textural quality as its location and construction. The character of the entire space depends on the considered approach to the surface interface. The language of interface and surface detailing should reflect that of the main design intent and will dictate whether a light fitting for example is cancelled, surface mounted or flush mounted. The surface will dictate acoustic behaviour and reflective qualities and therefore it is important to select a clear and complimentary pallet of materials which will facilitate the design intent whilst developing a dialogue with those of the host building. The key to a successful pallet of materials is to select a minimal amount so as not to confuse or suffocate the clarity of intervention. A good pallet of materials will create an atmosphere and mood that will not detract from the merits of the host building, but compliment and develop the building’s values and strengthen a perception of cultural significance.

The materials themselves have a vast array of properties that can be used individually or blended to create a number of possibilities with useful effect. There are a number of traditional materials such as timber, stone and brick which can be treated or worked to create a surface quality. Polished, brushed, cast or harled, each material should be given plenty of thought as to their appropriateness within the design intent. The manipulation of transparency and opacity is an important aspect of design when proposing a re-use strategy. The ability to re-use space whilst encouraging the user’s appreciation of the existing structure and its characteristics may rest on the designer’s ability to use glass, plastics and semi-transparent materials such as paper and surprisingly, concrete. That said, it is equally important that modern materials such as composite, rubber or plastic be considered and explored as part of the general design picture. Exploring and understanding a material’s property before it is applied is vital. How will the fixings be housed? Will they easily connect with other material? What is the life span and will it negatively impact on the host’s condition. A simple consideration such as odour could render the project senseless, if whilst inside a monument of cultural significance for example, all you can smell is newly laid rubber flooring, or indeed, if you can’t see past the glare of gratuitous amounts of plasterboard with the acoustic value of cardboard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Movement:

 

Manipulation of circulation and movement can occur in a number of ways whether it is as rudimentary as a corridor from which to access a series of spaces or as dramatic as a series of primary gestures which unite spaces using movement within, below, above or through the existing context.

Circulation devices such as stairs, ramps or bridges connect spaces and facilitate a new use but also helps reveal narrative and separate the architectural systems from the existing fabric. Separating new and old or linking new spaces, the new routes and related movement can be directed by a well thought out combination of material, light, objects and openings. The importance is not just to create a route, but how the designer encourages movement, the techniques to draw people through the space using naturally lit designations, views out or within giving orientation. The movement tool should be used to develop and encourage a connection with the host environment, whether through tantalising views of original materials and structure, allowing for physical contact with the existing building or through expressing scale and character.

The perception of movement as a design tool can liberate an aspect of building design previously perceived as problematic and complicated within a re-use context. A stair or ramp can be used to inform separation and express design intent rather than purely facilitating horizontal and vertical movement. The specification of materials and the extended advantages of journey, connection and story telling can be used to link external elements, reconnect related areas of past importance, reconfigure spatial hierarchy and protect existing more worn circulation routes.

The movement tool dictates circulation flow and speed, orchestrating the experiences of alteration with regards to the existing structure at times giving contrast to areas that may have been originally used for a different purpose. 

Opening:

The design tool with regards to openings helps describe how physical and visual relationships can be established between places, original architecture and new alterations. Openings are critical in providing a sense of place or an idea of context in a considered framing of the old and new narrative. An opening is the key element of significance both externally and internally.

Openings signal physical or visual movement, they aid and guide the circulation and help suggest the extent of the journey. Openings also provide an architectural axis from which to develop programme and spatial relationships from.

However the key importance given to openings within a re-use context is that they storyboard the design intent by capturing aspects of new and old, reinforcing historic ties to the location and the nation. It is similar to seeing the fundamentals through existing openings like the Scottish hills and streets, lochs, a castle, tenements and the sea, which instantly relates to the cultural fabric and gives a sense of place. The openings tool can also manipulate views and capture historic architectural elements giving a sense of time, place and permanence thus re-viewing these past perspectives through new eyes and re-articulating the position of the building relevant to its new values and existing cultural significance.

The openings tool category is an interesting and multi faceted tool which has lead to, and is closely linked with the development of the final design tool of Transitional & Threshold spaces.

 

 

Transitional & Threshold spaces

 

This is a tool much revered and explored by the Dutch structuralists Herman Hertzberger and Aldo van Eyck. The Dutchmen refined their ability in creating and understanding the implications of designing transitional and threshold spaces and helped define this tool which is incredibly relevant today whilst designing an architectural alteration for re-use. A transitional space is the in-between or an area of overlap, or to look at it another way, it is the grey space between white and black neither black, nor white, but a mixture of both. A simple example is a porch. Although it has both interior and exterior qualities such as flooring, seating and protection from the elements, it is open. It is neither, an interior nor exterior space but a combination of the two. These spaces are incredibly useful in creating an architectural intervention in that they facilitate change. A change in architectural craft, material, philosophy and time these spaces can happen anywhere and as many times as necessary and can be used in overlapping the boundaries.

Spaces between rooms and corridors, meeting areas, public spaces and entrances set the scene for a change of experience and aesthetic.

The secret is in knowing where, when and how to use the transitional space. The spaces are everywhere once you become attuned to seeing them. We do it naturally, whether standing at a bus stop, opening an umbrella or walking through the entrance to a shopping mall, there is always a threshold space to identify, whether articulated through light, material or simply an extension of the street surface and colour, they help us move between, or relate to new spaces.

Threshold spaces are similar in that they are a place and non-place respectively. The threshold space is simply an area of entry - any foyer, reception, hallway or entryway is a threshold space.

These transitional and threshold spaces are often the first and most profound communication we make about the new alteration. As the user enters a new space, a psycho-visual 'impression' is formed taking less than 3 seconds for a user to arrive at an opinion about the spatial integrity and its relationship to the original structure.

 

Student case studies

Over the last four years the alteration for re-use method has been refined, tested and developed. The process of remodelling buildings with a cultural significance has been presented and published by myself at the Venice School of Architecture, Barcelona School of Architecture, Delft TU, ADSL Antwerp and a number of British institutes. The Centre for the Re-use of Buildings was established in 2008 with a number of small consultancies and re-use projects. The method and its structure has been tested and refined using student projects over the last three years, which has dramatically improved the students’ ability to deliver sensitive and appropriate responses to buildings with cultural and historic significance. The students were encouraged to respect the varied conservation charters and the heritage values inherent in the buildings, whilst attempting to reveal and develop potential re-use solutions. Whilst conscious of the different conservation approaches, the students have engaged in rigorous analytical behaviour and iterative design processes. There are six student case studies explored in this document, each with its own particular set of circumstances, the students that have used the 7 step method and correctly engaged with the buildings cultural significance, and have produced a set highly convincing and sensitive design solutions over the last three years.

  

 

 

 

 

The 2009 student project, [extra-appendix 4] No.6 Market St. is north facing with a gap site attached to the east side. The site is overshadowed by high-rise tenements to the south side and at the rear. Originally built in the 1930s the building had replaced a tenement block similar to those behind. The structure was purpose built by the local authority to accommodate the police department’s vehicles. The garage has two central car lifts and eventually became redundant in 1989. The site still adheres to the original burgess plot arrangement of medieval Edinburgh with two closes on either side of the site. One close has been blocked for many years and the western side close has continually been in use, mainly to facilitate commuter and tourist foot fall. The site is close to the World Heritage boundaries and is well placed for views and access, and has a duplicity of meaning within the Old town area of Edinburgh with regard to the day and night activities. During the day the area hosts tourist and commuter activities whilst after dark the environment becomes a vibrant area of nightclubs, bars and taxis.

The local context has developed from the main cattle route leading to the Fleshmarket booths at the bottom of Fleshmarket close. In 1827 the area was renamed Market Street where, after a significant increase of population and the introduction of the railway in 1827 the area deteriorated into slum conditions.

Today the area has seen much regeneration – with the Fruitmarket Art Gallery and speculation that No 6. Market Street could be a potential location for a future science museum with a budget of £5million pounds.

 

Once given the brief and location the student started the analytical process of researching, documenting and recording the site and structure. The student assessed the concrete conditions, calculated the area and researched the building’s architects and their brief. The student further analysed the building in close proximity to its material floor heights and massing. The site was then modelled to scale in a combination of timber and card. Once the first analytical strand was completed the other three were addressed with the same rigour. With the history and functional factors, the context and environment, sun paths and the proposal completed, a profile began to emerge.

With the site and building’s profile – i.e. an old reinforced concrete police facility in a very sensitive area with a listed status, it became obvious that the initial brief of a residential nature would need to be re-addressed. The brief was revisited and developed to a social use by creating a hybrid space of security and performance, involving the site’s past history and values previously integral to the site. The key design intent was to reintroduce the closes and develop there use to give a renewed sense of place, linking key historic areas through the re-used site. 

The student then engaged in an iterative design process exploring the Intervention system, altering the building in that it can no longer viably exist independently and the nature of the remodelling is such that the old and new are partially intertwined. Whilst engaging in an intervention lead design process, the student did combine and link the building’s re-use with a new structure located in the gap site next door, so this could be read as a hybrid approach using a number of systems to facilitate the design intent.

The student used the toolkit to great effect, especially the manipulation of light and material to portray safety and security, whilst using the contextual architecture and the massing of the location to form and control other aspects of their architecture. Movement has been used in the reinterpretation of the original closes and the burgess plots between. Transition areas have been located in many areas: from stair to street conditions, from old town close to city panoramic – and with acknowledgment of Patrick Geddes’ concept of “region” in the early 1900s with regards the old town. The largest example of the transitional or threshold space can be seen in the student’s attempt to blur the boundaries between street and courtyard which sets the scene for the building’s re-use. Surface has been used to generate a balanced approach using concrete to contrast with the neighbouring buildings and in the new build’s relationship with the host building, uniting the two expressions as one coherent intervention. Inside the building, timber has been used to soften and attempt acoustic control, whilst the plains have been used to extend areas, layer and to create space of transition. Lastly the student has bravely removed a part of the host structure to extend and elaborate the close entrance giving more effect to the original narrowness further up the route. In fact both closes have been adapted to re-engage with a contemporary re-use solution

The project has successfully engaged with the seven-step methodology for reuse and has delivered an alteration that works well within its context and develops and adds a new and modern set of values to an extremely significant site, whilst dealing with the embodied energy of the 1930s building and the complicated historic fabric of the environment.

 

The Lion Chambers Glasgow

A student project in 2008, [extra-appendix5] The Lion Chambers, Glasgow is a structure that attempted to adapt a primitive vernacular version of classicism to the age of concrete.

This category A Listed building is one of a kind, in that it is one of the earliest concrete buildings in Scotland built in 1904 – 1907 by the architects James Salmon II and John Gaff Gillespie. The building stands in Glasgow’s Hope Street and Bath Lane junction, numbers170-172 and currently lies vacant in what is a conservation area.

The building is an eight storey concrete mixed-use building with 21 continuous structural columns internally. In 1991 there were signs of water ingress and in 1995 the occupants were evacuated for fear of collapse and the building was served with a dangerous buildings’ notice. The building was saved from demolition in 1995, and in 2001 safety and security measures were implemented through scaffolding netting and other rudimentary first aid measures. The building is north-west facing and access is available on both outward facing elevations. The sun path mapping shows limited natural light in the lower parts but shows daylight through the top four or five floors as the building towers above others in the street. The front elevation, although slightly obscured by buildings on the adjacent street, gets most of the sun being south facing.

The student, once given the brief and building location, again engaged the four-strand analytical approach, redefining the building’s unique nature and obvious cultural significance. Whilst analysing the structure, spatial and architectural merits of the building, the student soon discovered a major factor of to the buildings continued disuse. Besides the serious water ingress issues and the structural implications of that, there was also a chronic circulation issue that would render the space inadequate to facilitate a modern use. Immediately the student started an iterative design process using a grand wall and circulation insertion lead exploration, which was to obediently respect the structural envelope and use the original parameters to inform dimensions and scale, but also unite all floors with a clear circulation device which will link the spaces visually and physically, but also be facilitated from within the practicalities of re-use. These practicalities which will need to range from conduit to new structural support of the floors could also be read as a kind of prosthetic approach.

With one clear simple move the student was able to use the toolkit to explore and deliver a multi-faceted device that made no attempt to connect or compliment the existing structure in its use of plain and surface, but respect the building’s structural parameters. Light and transitional spaces indicated location and the use of views to the city and local area gave a sense of place. The project came together well. The original brief withstood the rigours of analytical behaviour and continued to follow a cultural and educational direction with regards to dietary and health issues particularly relevant to this area. The student proposed a scheme to tackle eating disorders and their related heart and obesity issues through exhibition, education in nutrition and medical check up and testing facilities.

To test and prove the move, the student built 3D CAD models of each floor, slipping them over the new architectural elements. The student created a robust solution to the local environment, which suited the building’s profile without piercing the structural envelope and compromising the architectural significance. The project has worked with the specific elements that have given this site A-listed protection, but has added economic, cultural and educational values to the building’s profile.

The project has been a successful exploration of the 7 step method and process, but the student missed an aspect of the building that would have developed the design integrity of the project. This was, that one façade was not listed and was a blank concrete in-fill which could have facilitated an external addition of circulation creating unusual interior and exterior transitional spaces whilst removing the need for internal damage to the existing architectural fabric whilst inserting the new circulation route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

St. Peter’s College Seminary

 

A student project in 2007 and winner of the [AHSS] Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland’s student competition, [appendix6] The St. Peter’s College Seminary, Cardross project reflects the merits of a clear process and approach highlighted within the 7 step methodology

 

The Grade `A` Listed Building near Dumbarton, was designed by the Scotland based architectural practice, Gillespie, Kidd and Coia in the 1960s, a key monument of post-war Scottish architecture. In February 1974, the building was reported to be “no longer proof against wind and water”. In 1979 the decision to abandon Cardross Seminary was taken.

An example of bespoke modernist architecture, the materials used were mainly reinforced concrete and steel rather than a traditional stone construction, but by creating a rough finish to the concrete, similar to a harl finish, the building became recognisably modern in style but Scottish in nature. However the building’s inability to adapt to the Scottish climate was in the end its downfall. The building struggled to remain watertight from the outset and after a 14 year battle against the elements, it closed and currently stands in a ruinous state of decay. However there is a silver lining, in the fact that the building has been bought by “Urban Splash” a very experienced development company which specialises in difficult projects. It has commissioned Scotland’s leading architect Gareth Hoskins to propose an intervention and re-use strategy.

After selecting the building and brief, the student gathered as much documentation as possible, written or drawn, filmed or modelled - eventually accessing Glasgow School of Art’s archive for original drawings and sketches. The student quickly compiled a profile from the extensive analytical behaviour promoted by the four stand approach. By the end the student had an archive of information, physical and digital models from which to reassess the brief. This particular building has had a contentious life with most architects debating its merit and proposing their own solutions. However over a matter of weeks and months this student assembled a profile from which to make a considered and informed attempt to re-use this tricky piece of significant architecture. The key was seen to be the proposal for re-use. What should this space house? The answer was to follow its initial use of educating, and to re-use the building as an institute to promote peace - a place where conflict can be explored, discussed and resolved, a re-use that makes use of the special qualities of light and peacefulness inherent in the cultural fabric.

The student, sympathetic to the host building’s condition and the damage suffered in the last years of neglect, opted for a prosthetic approach to the alteration by replacing elements destroyed with new contemporary aspects linked to the re-use. These elements such as the central staircase and auditorium would be linked in the use of materials and in respect of the existing parameters. The central stair would have a multiplicity of uses and means from social to information spaces which by their very nature create a transitional space between original and new buildings. The Toolkit is used to its fullest in creating simple spatial divisions, using light, ceiling and wall with a simple palette of materials and tactile treatment of surface. All the while constantly aware of the advantages offered through openings and their intended placement. In the informed positioning of an opening to the interior and exterior the student will enhance the sense of place and spatial orientation, allowing for areas of private contemplation whilst remaining transparent and honest which is essential for such a re-use proposal. The student has kept layering to a minimum and has proposed using architectural objects and storage walls to keep the original structure free from interference. Some aspects of the host building will require structural splints where the concrete coverage of the reinforcement has been inadequate. This will be read as part of the design intent of marking clear separation of new and old. The student’s assessment of the location also lead to a due approach of alteration and restoration seen in the student’s attention to the north end of the building where the proposal was to replace the timber beams and copular above the damaged alter, creating a permanent exhibition featuring the building and its architects in a modernist context.

 

 

 

The student cohort 2006/7 was the first group to adopt and explore a 7 step methodology to re-using buildings with cultural significance. The recognition of the AHSS and two other international awards in the same year underpins the method’s integrity and further exploration and development. Students who haven’t received, or failed to follow the design philosophy proposed, showed evidence of an abstract and confused outcome that missed clear opportunities within the brief and building profile subsequently leading to an ill-considered re-use proposal which may have had potential qualities in design but ultimately fails to meet the standards of recognition, sensitivity and respect required when working with buildings of cultural significance. The following examples are of students that neglected particular aspects of the methodology and as a result only partially delivered a viable design solution to a challenging re-use proposal.

 

 

 

85 Buchanan St, Glasgow

 

 

Originally built in 1970 as the BOAC offices on Buchanan St, the Gillespie, Kidd and Coia designed building is a five-storey infill structure with a copper clad frontage which continues into a narrow lane at the side. The Buchanan Street elevation has six arched windows per floor, while there are 16 to the Mitchell Lane facade. Buchanan Street is one of the city's finest thoroughfares, yet this modern design harmonises skilfully and discreetly with its Victorian neighbours and is one of the Gillespie, Kidd and Coia’s lesser-known projects. Recently in 2007 the interior space has been reconfigured by Keppie architects to hopefully encourage re-use, however to date, this building still stands vacant.

In the initial stages of the thesis year, the student was keen to engage with an iconic building of modernist integrity and selected the BOAC building to redevelop using a retail related brief. The student in an eagerness to challenge what was perceived to be a relatively simple building profile neglected to follow the initial rudimentary aspects of the re-use methodology and focused directly on designing the response. Had the student engaged with the analytical package of guidance, the building profile would have shown a building of particular design challenges such as the narrow nature of the space, circulation issues, challenges posed by the large arched openings on each floor and in particular the structural nature of the concrete load-bearing frame. As a result the student was forced into a façade retention approach that could have a detrimental effect on the building’s authenticity and integrity. The student response feels naive and superficial when you consider the design responses available once the original architectural design ethos was clearly understood, allowing a base from which to challenge, compliment or contrast whilst engaging in the building’s cultural and architectural narrative. At the final presentation the student was frustrated that he was forced to break the envelope, loose a level of retail space and engage with only one façade, which left the alteration economically floored. The special integrity was compromised with poor natural light and no visual connection to place and public. What first seduced the student was the idea of a modernist skin and from within, a symbiotic structure would stand separated in form and material which only proved to complicate, stifle and frustrate the designer. However if the student had analysed the building properly perhaps the profile would have suggested an alternative proposal. A proposal better suited to place, building and the cultural significance of the architectural style material and philosophy.

 

 

 

The General Post Office Edinburgh

 

The General Post Office (GPO) building is an impressive structure on the corner of North Bridge and Waterloo Place, at the East End of Princes Street Edinburgh.

Construction began in 1861, and the building opened on May 7, 1866.  The building was extended in 1891-92 and again in 1907-10. Unfortunately, since closing in October 1995, the building remained vacant until 2006 when, after extensive reconstruction to the property, it opened again as high-tech offices with a central atrium and a roof garden, boasting one of the largest façade retention projects in Europe. During the construction period a student took the opportunity to source plans and sections with the intention to re-use the building for her thesis project. Obviously impressed by the architect’s proposals the student explored the opportunities available when engaging in a façade retention project. The brief was to create and retain, with one major retail superstore above a market scenario on the ground floor. This combination would spread the burden of costs and return an aspect of princess street lost due to the urban retail standardisation brought about by multi-national companies’ globalisation. An ambitious and exciting challenge developed which showed potential.

   

 

 

However in the student’s excitement and passion the key element was overlooked. The building had been given no attention; much like the professionals currently engaged in the project, the student had relegated the building to a position of historic skin that was to wrap a modern more versatile structure to facilitate the design intent. From a design point of view the result was existing and dynamic in its use of architectural objects as symbiotic market stalls nestling beneath one large parental symbiotic structure. However without the knowledge and understanding of the building’s cultural significance, values and particular architectural aspects, the scheme could have been replicated in any building, city even country. The building loses integrity and authenticity by neglecting the essential ingredient, the building itself - its architectural fabric, the contextual relationship, cultural meaning and ultimately its future lifespan. A building that posed difficult challenges and awkward characteristics, which if engaged with and used to the designer’s advantage would have culminated in a successful rich and vibrant addition to Edinburgh’s heritage.

 

 

The Infirmary Street Baths

 

 

 

And finally a student project to re-use the Infirmary Swimming Baths in Edinburgh’s old town. As far as the brief is concerned, this is an example of flexibility. The baths were partially destroyed by fire in 1960 and have stood empty and partially open to the elements. Exposure has had a ruinous effect on the stonework with the decorative sandstone columns on the upper part of the facade becoming severely corroded. In 2002 these parts of the building were deemed unsafe, the columns were removed and the windows bricked-up. The Building is a category B listed structure in Edinburgh's Old Town conservation area. Although vacant at the time the student was considering it, Edinburgh’s Malcolm Fraser Architects have recently redeveloped it, now standing as a tapestry exhibit and arts facility. 

The student’s initial brief was to be an urban farm with external retail and residential facilities. However after the initial analytical process it was clear that the type of space, architecture and location weren’t conducive to the brief’s requirements. Although keen to work with the building’s original design intentions to facilitate fitness activities and social interaction, the scale and spatial configuration made it difficult to imagine anything other than the original use. However after extensive investigation the profile began to reveal a connection with physical and mental wellbeing, the natural light materials and special divisions could be seen as on journey or transitional space. It was the building’s character that finally gave the answer to the challenge of finding an appropriate brief. The story of trauma, neglect and partial destruction to an inclusive part of society led the student to explore ways of telling the historic story whilst facilitating a comparative narrative.  

The brief was to provide a facility for injured servicemen to receive treatment, stay and to re-engage with society’s challenges. The building would be left in a part ruinous state, marking the entrance and the first encounter with a visiting soldier, underpinning the process of recovery. Both the structure and the user would develop and facilitate different aspects of their recovery, eventually leaving from a new and rejuvenated part of the site.

With this fragile but workable design intent the student was able to tackle each challenge with a clear and considered agenda, whilst using prosthetic and insertion systems and the full range of design tools to manipulate the environment, revelling, layering and punctuating the building’s story in relation to its new use.

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

The concern of conservation is the past, present and future of a building and involves making balanced judgements with regards history, present day needs and the future sustainability of culturally significance architecture. As a result, architectural alteration has become an extremely important part of conservation strategy. It is a means of reviving and protecting buildings which have become abandoned or misused and therefore susceptible to decay, damage, neglect, left in a state of ruination and potentially facing demolition.

 

Currently there is a worryingly haphazard and polarised approach to the design process when tackling an intervention project within Scotland’s built heritage. Therefore an alteration methodology is required with its primary focus on developing a considered design approach. This would facilitate sustainable development as a means to protect and manage venerable historic buildings with cultural significance. The intent is to devise a new, rationally-organised pedagogical approach to alteration and re-use of historic buildings, as a response to the unpredictable and potentially damaging approach currently used.

 

By providing an education based methodology, the historic built environment will be portrayed as interesting, complex and offering rewarding challenges, rather than difficult and troublesome, with problems which require sorting-out. And in creating a basis from which to develop a common theoretical knowledge and an appreciation of the design process, a new generation of conservation minded professionals will be encouraged to explore the potentials of working with the building’s story, read its past trauma, and listen to the building’s ambitions. The future cohort of designer, planner and architect will instinctively acknowledge the advantages of analytical behaviour and its relationship to a successful re-use project, and realise that by engaging in the rigours of analytical behaviour a building’s profile can be established and used to inform decisions and tactics throughout their project.

 

Today’s culture of conservation, planning, politics, development and architecture is so complex and stifled by an unproductive and un-cooperative blend of professionals with a history of conflicting views, individual agendas, misunderstood bureaucracy and general mistrust, that very little real positive engagement can be made in the short term. However by addressing the long-term and implementing educational aspects with regards the methodology of alteration for re-use, forthcoming professionals will have a particular basis of knowledge and understanding from which to develop new and rich collaborative solutions to challenging projects. Solutions based around a clear methodology of analytical driven design systems that relate to the historic and cultural context inherent to this type of building.  

Scotland is recognised for its heritage, ingenuity, compaction and inventiveness. There’s now an opportunity to be recognised for applying these national strengths to the way we tackle conservation, in order to develop a built environment for generations to come, filled with a rich source of cultural significance promoting history, knowledge and enterprise.

 

“First we shape our buildings, then they shape us, then we shape them again-ad infinitum”

[Stewart Brand, 1994]