Search results

Architects and craftspeople work together on complicated built heritage projects as part of a diverse multidisciplinary team. Effective interactions and collaborations between them can lead to a more successful project outcome; however, differing perceptions of each other can cause professional relationship tensions, communicative barriers and disharmony.

Through the analysis of online surveys completed by architects and craftspeople, this study examines the contemporary relationship between the two groups, including the architect's perceptions of the function of traditional building craft within their day-to-day role.

Findings suggest that whilst both groups agree that the craftsperson is an essential specialist on a built heritage scheme, there are contradictory perceptions with regard to the architect's role. Despite these differences, the results suggest that architects are open to accommodating more exposure to craftspeople and traditional building craft within their day-to-day role – believing they would learn more about building materials, make better practical decisions and understand craftspeople better. More importantly, this study proposes that a focus on craft would break down communicative and perceptual barriers, in turn improving relationships and project outcomes.

The study strongly suggests that traditional building craft can form an essential, tangible bond between architects and craftspeople by increasing focus on relationships and learning. The insights offered are relevant not only to those in the fields of architecture and traditional building craft but also to those involved in heritage management, as well as other professional roles, who may benefit from the use of craft as a method to repair professional relationships, as well as historic buildings.

The Gurgaon district in Haryana represents a region that has little-known remains from the past and craft traditions that are under threat because of the rapid pace of urban development and changing demography. The heritage resources of the towns in the district, such as Farrukhnagar and Sohna, are neither integrated in the development agenda nor acknowledged appropriately in formal hospitality and tourism planning. Local knowledge in the form of traditional crafts, food and building techniques has dwindled over the recent decades. Stories about the heritage resources are embedded in public memory and personal histories, though not necessarily explicit. The purpose of this study is to reveal the possible connections between sustenance of the cultural resources and skill development in the context of these small and medium towns.

The skills, stories, knowledge and historic built form are examined as a part of this research to establish existing and potential community connections. The research entails identification of areas where capacity building is required, to enhance visitor experience and to develop heritage tourism, drawing from existing skill sets and traditional knowledge systems rather than looking outwards.

One of the challenges is the discontinuation of use of traditional building techniques for the physical conservation of historic structures/buildings into heritage hotels/bed-and-breakfast locations and tourism visitation spots. Tackling this gap can help development of homestays or heritage hotels, offering a unique experience for visitors who appreciate historic built form. Poor appreciation and interpretation of the heritage resources by the local community is another significant issue, as is the lack of skills that can help increase the appeal of these towns for the visitor interested in heritage tourism. The question is whether these skills are accessible for the residents of these towns and how this gap is being addressed.

These explorations can result in informed approaches to capacity building and community engagement that are the key to establishing heritage-oriented hospitality and tourism in historic small and medium towns.

The paper brings the heritage of small and medium towns into focus and suggests an integrated approach for hospitality and tourism development through skill development, an area that has been neglected and disconnected till now.

Traditional crafts, practised by local communities, contribute significantly towards intangible heritage. The study situates traditional crafts in historic urban areas, establishes its relevance and deliberates on the factors affecting it.

The methodology included questionnaire survey followed by semi-structured interviews. On-site observations were also taken as part of the methodology.

The study contextualizes traditional crafts in historic areas and throws light on the transformation processes in these crafts due to socio-cultural, economic, political and other factors. Through studies at three different historic settlements, it provides a wider understanding of the dynamics of the same craft in different setting.

The study would help in formulating guidelines for heritage management with respect to traditional crafts in historic urban areas.

The study brings out the role of intangible cultural heritage that is inherent to the local communities in historic urban areas.

Traditional crafts have been largely studied in their independent context. This study looks at the context specific to the place of creation of these crafts within the larger ecosystem of raw material-production-sale in historic urban areas. Also, with discussions on intangible heritage in context of the historic urban areas being largely an unexplored territory till recent times, this study will add to the earlier dialogue.

The purpose of this paper is to address an aspect of the innovation process leading to manufactured construction, which is often ignored, namely the organizational changes that necessarily accompany major innovations such as manufactured construction, calling for systemic organizational design.

The information for the case histories was obtained over a number of years by embedded research, where the researcher played an essential role in the projects described, thus allowing access to unpublished information. This observation‐based information was compared to other cases reported in the literature or about which knowledge was obtained though other means, enabling analytical generalizations to be drawn.

Results confirm the initial expectations. In a context of minimum state intervention, e.g. through mechanisms of market aggregation (in UK and the USA for example), namely where the internal forces of the building sector act upon each participant (including manufactured construction innovators), the design of an appropriate organization with its accompanying novel relationships is essential.

This paper makes it possible to show that contemporary manufactured construction innovators should recognize the importance of up front organizational design as a co‐requisite for technical design. This phase is often overlooked, exposing the innovator to unnecessary risks.

It is well understood that maintenance is critical to the survival and in‐service use of any building. Despite recognition that the best way of protecting and maintaining historic buildings is to undertake a combination of proactive and reactive maintenance, it is rarely adopted or implemented, and when it is undertaken it often results in varying degrees of success. Maintenance theory currently exists, but fails to be realised in practical application and implementation. It is the purpose of this paper to ask why this failure is occurring.

The paper is composed of a critical review of existing literature, highlighting some of the major issues affecting maintenance implementation. It also reports the early stages of proposed research ongoing at Heriot‐Watt University.

Despite recognition in the literature of the need to maintain historic buildings, this review suggests that the ways in which maintenance is organised and financed often mitigates against its implementation. In addition, advice to owners of historic buildings could be improved and there is a shortage of skilled operatives.

Unless this situation is improved, much of our culturally significant buildings will be lost to future generations.

The purpose of this paper is to identify, dissect and unravel real-life contextual human capital issues related to George Town’s built heritage from the perspectives of key stakeholders in the heritage arena.

The paper opted for an exploratory study using qualitative techniques like in-depth interviews and focus group discussions to gather insights and to listen to the voices from key stakeholders pertaining to issues related to human capital in built heritage. The data were supplemented and complemented by secondary resources such as technical reports, conservation guidelines, by-laws and case studies from other countries.

The paper provides empirical insights about real-life issues, barriers and challenges pertaining to human capital in George Town’s built heritage. The key findings from this study revealed that the quantity of professionals and builders is still insufficient and their quality of work has room for improvement.

Due to the selected research approach, the research results may lack generalisability. Thus, researchers are encouraged to further test the proposed propositions by enlarging the number of respondents or administering this similar study in another locality/historic city (i.e. Malacca ‒ George Town’s twin historic city).

The paper provides practical implications for the development of the right quantity and quality of human capital for George Town’s built heritage. The findings from this study are also useful for urban managers, policymakers and conservation practitioners.

This paper fulfils an identified need to examine the real-life issues of human capital in built heritage for George Town.

Only recently have historic concrete buildings received attention and the need for their protection has been understood. Their listing as architectural heritage in most countries is ruled by legislations. The research carried out within the framework of the CONSECH20 JPI project on the conservation of historic concrete buildings in the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Italy and the Netherlands has allowed to study the legislations in the four aforementioned countries and how these are brought to practice. This paper aims at the evaluation of these legislations and of their function in practice.

The legislations have been examined focussing on the protection of historic buildings and the guidelines to achieve a correct technical conservation. These were assessed in practical situations. The situations of the four countries were studied and the parameters used allowed comparisons.

Concrete buildings are at risk and the guidelines should be further developed to meet actual conservation needs, including historical and aesthetical compatibility. The re-use of listed concrete buildings often means transforming and adapting these to a variety of modern needs and norms: the complexity of this assignment asks for a multidisciplinary teamwork. The bottom-up Dutch programme for quality in conservation, striving to bring ethical and technological principles to practice, could be a sound basis for developing respectful conservation strategies of heritage concrete buildings.

The research concerns the four countries involved in the CONSECH30 project and could be extended to include more countries.

More stakeholders have to be involved in the process of conservation and transformation of heritage concrete buildings. This should be directed by the legislation.

No direct social implications are foreseen from the outcome of the research. However, the suggestion is made that social involvement is essential in planning concrete building transformations.

The study focussed on the application of theory (the legislation) to practice (thus showing the limits of the legislation), which is an innovative way of contributing to the conservation of historic concrete buildings.

This paper revisits the concept of compatibility between old and new architecture to clarify its meaning.

Document analysis is employed to critically review relevant literature, including Charters and UNESCO Recommendations.

Visual and/or tangible indicators such as forms and materials are often suggested in the literature to determine compatibility and to inform decision makers whether new architectural projects should reproduce, or reinterpret, or rather contrast with, historic buildings in situ. As a consequence, compatible design becomes confined to a visual, object-based, worldview. Yet, architecture transcends the sense of vision.

Examples of architectural projects are given to explain each design option, but are not thoroughly described. Still, this paper provides a useful reference for future dialogue and research that aim at reducing the conservation vs development struggle in historic places, whether urban areas or entire cities, such as World Heritage Cities.

The lessons learned may stimulate reflection on the effectiveness of design criteria and other tools in guiding decision makers in their search for, and assessment of, compatibility.

This paper reveals that compatibility is an evolving concept, associated with human, man-made and natural indicators. Design options are not simply aesthetic categories. The author proposes that the selection of a design option for new architecture should follow the process that guides the selection of a conservation treatment for old architecture.

The New Urban Agenda has catalyzed discussion across academia and practice on how to responsibly position ourselves as key players in the making of the future of our cities. With questions such as what is the right to the city? Who has those rights? What is a city? What is formal and who defines informal? These questions may prompt a need for departure from, or at least a reconsideration of the narrative surrounding formal and informal urbanism. This paper presents a pedagogical approach to addressing these and other questions within the framework of the new agenda. It reviews pedagogical approaches to understanding and learning to design within an informal context. It also foregrounds the process with the theoretical framing of Christopher Alexander's Pattern Language and Timeless way of Building as lenses through which to understand and identify common languages and intersections across the global spectrum of representations of informal urbanism. It then outlines the resultant process and products of a one-week intensive master-class and design charette of international scholars and students focusing on the Informal City.

It reviews pedagogical approaches to understanding and learning to design within an informal context. It also foregrounds the process with the theoretical framing of Christopher Alexander's Pattern Language and Timeless way of Building as lenses through which to understand and identify common languages and intersections across the global spectrum of representations of informal urbanism. It then outlines the resultant process and products of a one-week intensive master-class and design charette of international scholars and students focusing on the Informal City.

The paper conclusively presents new nomenclature for informality that strives to shift the semantic lens from its current negative connotations to more productive, proactive and positive ones. It also presents an Informal City Manifesto, a call to arms of theoretical framing of how we think about the formal informal divide.

The paper, in part, outlines the results of a single studio with a small student number. Although diverse in its composition the student body is small.

This new framing could potentially allow us to best leverage lessons and mitigate challenges of the informal city condition, as our human settlements continue to urbanize.