IHBC Context 144
Context, the Institute of Historic Building Conservation's membership journal and key heritage sector resource offers contents that span the full spectrum of practices and principles, as well as sector updates: reports, reviews, events, briefings and more.
The May 2016 edition is available to read online.
IHBC Director Seán O’Reilly said: ‘We’ll put this issue online immediately, to help extend conservation awareness as far as possible. That said, the most accessible way learn to about conservation principles, practice and thinking is to explore this issue in hard copy, as an IHBC member.’
‘From now on we’ll also be using social media posts to help people focus on CPD and accreditation issues too, so there’s an easier route to the skills covering our Areas of Competence. Already we give pointers like these in our events postings, but now we are extending this service to Context.’
Context144 includes:
- More about local listing, with PlaceCheck, or WHS fires… or pub values.
- Periodically: Distilled heritage periodicals from Bob Kindred IHBC and 2013 Student Awardee Lisa McIntyre on medieval bishops’ palaces in the JAC.
- Aimée Felton, IHBC’s first Associate Member, on Restoring Kew’s Temperate House.
- Scaffolding – ups and downs: Interventions, covering technology competences and more
- HGV vibrations – time for re-assessment, says Champion.
- Conservation in the round with high points of high Streets: ‘Putting shops to viable uses consistent with their conservation should seek to encourage maximum use of the building for modern purposes, while also maximising the heritage value.’
- Richard Bate on conservation services and officers: ‘The paltry savings on modest salaries seems wholly misplaced in relation to the potential benefits of retaining and augmenting conservation staff.
IHBC NewsBlog
Red Tape is Strangling our High Streets
A new paper from the Adam Smith Institute argues that the problem with the High Street has been totally misunderstood, saying that we need to reform restrictive planning rules and reject a policy of managed decline to reinvigorate our town centres.
Calculating the full cost of energy used by buildings
The Whole Life Cost of Energy (WLCoE) calculator – issued by government in BETA form – is intended to help building owners and operators to understand the full financial cost of the energy their buildings use, and welcomes feedback
England’s heritage worth £31Bn: New Historic England report
New research published by Historic England (HE) shows the value of heritage to England’s economy as it contributes to economic prosperity and growth through jobs in the heritage and construction sectors and from tourism.
Part of Roman wall in Chester Collapses
Investigations have begun into what caused part of Chester’s Roman city wall to collapse during construction work.
Audit on new housing in England: Design overwhelmingly ‘mediocre’ or ‘poor’
Though conservation professionals' skills in understanding, defining and explaining local character and architecture can help inform new residential design.
Historic England’s ‘21 Fascinating Places Listed in 2019’
Over 500 historic places have been added to the National Heritage List for England (NHLE) in 2019 and Historic England (HE) has showcased 21 highlights.
UK’s iconic first red public telephone box upgraded to GII*
The K2 prototype telephone box situated outside the Royal Academy in London – built as part of the 1924 competition that gave rise to the iconic design and first listed at Grade II in 1986 – has had its listing upgraded to Grade II*.
Historic England publishes guidance on BIM for Heritage
The second in a series focusses on developing the Asset Information Model (AIM).
High Streets Face a Bleak Future Without Rethinking Regeneration Strategies
Reflecting issues that will be encountered across the IHBC’s June 2020 Brighton School, think tank Centre for Cities argues for High Street success.
Take a look inside the first flat in the iconic Battersea Power Station
City A.M took a tour of the first apartment to be completed within the original grade II*-listed power station with designer Tim Boyd of Michaelis Boyd – which also designed the interiors for Soho House and the Groucho Club – and Battersea Power Station’s UK sales director Georgia Siri.
Retrofit scheme named World Building of the Year at WAF 2019
A conversion of a locomotive hangar into a public library is the first retrofit to win the top prize at the World Architecture Festival (WAF).
Historic England Updates Technical Conservation Guidance and Research Doc
New guidance and research includes: Lightning Protection, Church Roof Replacement using Terne-coated SS, the conservation of Fibrous Plaster, and more.