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Morpeth: 16 January 2008Practical Design Skills Workshop for Design Champions

About the T oolkitThe Building in Context toolkit hasbeen developed by EH, CABE and theKent Architecture Centre. It grew outof the publication Building in Contextpublished by EH and CABE in 2001.The purpose of the publication was tostimulate a high standard of designwhen development takes place inhistorically sensitive contexts. Thefounding principle is that all successfuldesign solutions depend on allowingtime for a thorough site analysis andcharacter appraisal of context. Buildingin Context TOOLKIT training aims toreach effective and balanced designdecisions.

It is proven to be useful incommunicating issues of developmentin complex situations; helping convey

the depth of expertise required inadopting a holistic approach to sitedevelopment and reduced silomentality. Through the analysis of acase study, wide design issues thanhow it looks are explored.

Each workshop consists of apresentation looking at the key issuescovered in Building in Context,followed by a local and regional casestudy, a practical, hands-on drawingactivity, and an opportunity to discussthe complex issues associated with

successfully incorporatingcontemporary design in sensitivelocations.

The Building in Context ToolkitProgramme aims to: Enable wider understanding of the

principles of developing appropriatecontemporary design in historic areas toa range of professional and communitygroups

Enable those involved in makingdecisions affecting historic areas in theirattainment of a more effective, balancedand efficient service resulting in

improvement of those decisions affectingthe quality of the historic environment forfuture generations

Promote sustainable newand re-used developmentthat doesnt sacrifice whatfuture generations will valuefor the sake of short -termand often illusory gains sothat we use alreadydeveloped areas in the mostefficient way, while makingthem more attractive placesin which to live and work andconserving for our cultural

heritage

About the Speakers

Dr. Nigel BarkerEnglish Heritage Officer who hasbeen instrumental nationally informing this Toolkit. He started thisevent by explaining the history andintent of the Toolkit.

Kevin DoonanKevin runs his own small ruralpractice and has many yearsexperience in producing high qualityarchitecture, mainly in sensitive rurallocations. Kevin also acted as aworkshop facilitator at this event.

Tina Gough (main facilitator)Tina is a partner in a small practice,Spence and Dower, which mainlyworks with historic buildings but alsodesigns contemporary andsustainable projects in historic areas.

She also has wide experience ofrunning workshops for communitiesand was asked byAndrew Guest ofNorthern Architectureto run these

events in collaboration with him.Andrew joined in one of theworkshops.

Our other facilitatorsThank you to our facilitators on theday who encouraged, cajoled andgenerally kept the workshopsfocused:

Catherine Dewar

English Heritage NEDavid Farrington

English Heritage NEDavid CarruthersConservation Officer, Middlesbrough

Ten councils were represented, fourfrom the South of the region. Therewere senior planning/conservationofficers, councillors and two others:16 in total. A few more councillorswould have been valued.

Developed by

the architecture centrewww.building-in-context.org

This was the first of two events for localauthority design champions in theNorth East; this one in the North of theregion and one in the South of theregion in Yarm.

The study site is in an extremelyprominent position within the historicmarket town of Morpeth and in close

proximity to some of the regions mostimportant historic structures. On theedge of a Conservation Area, adjacentto the grade II* listed Telford Bridge,grade I listed Chantry, within thesetting of the grade II* listed CourtHouse and scheduled Castle and OldBridge, it is a key riverside site on themain route through town and has thepotential to provide high qualitysustainable residential units.

The case study presented by Kevin is

a completed mixed developmentscheme (including some flats)incorporating new and original listedbuildings in the heart of the markettown of Hexham, Northumberland.Kevin described the setting as it hasdeveloped from mediaeval times andhow key pedestrian routes through thesite have been lost but now reinstated.He talked about slightly differentapproaches from two clients, thescheme as built being smaller thanoriginal intentionsand much betterfor it. The play of new materials

against original stone is one key to thesuccess of the project.