Maintenance and change in the historic environment
Peter Rawlings
Caroe Architecture Ltd
peter@caroe.biz
• who I am
• Buildings and life cycles
• Principles of conservation and maintenanceeegimes
• Common features of historic buildings that need
maintenance
• Some common issues for historic buildings
• Statutory constraints
• How to keep on top of things – maintenance plans
and conservation management
OUTLINE OF TALK
This talk
• Architect and Director of Caroe Architecture Ltd
• worked with new and old buildings over a period of
20 years, including houses, churches, range of
institutional buildings
• with Inskip & Jenkins Architects – Battersea Power
Station, Somerset House
• with vHH Architects – Corfield Court, Cambridge, No 1
Smithery, also new buildings – schools & health centres
• with Caroe Architecture Ltd – range of scales from St
Paul’s Cathedral to the Warren House, Kimbolton.
PETER RAWLINGS
Who I am – an architect’s perspective
• Structure: floors, walls, roof structure – generally solid
load bearing, but can be framed: 50 to 100 year (in
some cases almost indefinite if properly maintained)
• Roof covering (and wall coverings – building
envelope): 50 years for a flat roof, perhaps 100 years for
a well detailed lead roof cf 15 years for a felt roof
• Heating, plumbing electrical installations: 15 years
• Finishes and internal decorations, fittings and
furnishings: perhaps 5 years – depends on wear and tear
LIFE CYCLES
Buildings as an assembly of different elements
PRINCIPLES
put Protection in the place of Restoration, William Morris
to stave off decay by daily care, to prop a SPAB Manifesto
perilous wall or mend a leaky roof by such 1877:
means as are obviously meant for support
or covering, and show no pretence of
other art, and otherwise to resist all
tampering with either the fabric or
ornament of the building as it stands; if it
has become inconvenient for its present
use, to raise another building rather than
alter or enlarge the old one; in fine to treat
our ancient buildings as monuments of a
bygone art, created by bygone manners,
that modern art cannot meddle with
without destroying.
Burra Charter 1979 & 1999
International Council on Monuments and Sites
Article 17. Preservation
Preservation is appropriate where the existing fabric or its condition constitutes evidence
of cultural significance, or where insufficient evidence is available to allow other
conservation processes to be carried out.
Article 18. Restoration and reconstruction
Restoration and reconstruction should reveal culturally significant aspects of the place.
Article 19. Restoration
Restoration is appropriate only if there is sufficient evidence of an earlier state of the
fabric.
Article 20. Reconstruction
20.1 Reconstruction is appropriate only where a place is incomplete through damage or
alteration, and only where there is sufficient evidence to reproduce an earlier state of the
fabric. In rare cases, reconstruction may also be appropriate as part of a use or practice
that retains the cultural significance of the place.
20.2 Reconstruction should be identifiable on close inspection or through additional
interpretation.
PRINCIPLES
Article 16. Maintenance
Maintenance is fundamental to conservation and should be undertaken where fabric is of
cultural significance and its maintenance is necessary to retain that cultural significance.
Burra Charter 1979 & 1999
Article 22. New work
22.1 New work such as additions to the place may be acceptable where it does
not distort or obscure the cultural significance of the place, or detract from its
interpretation and appreciation.
22.2 New work should be readily identifiable as such.
Article 23. Conserving use
Continuing, modifying or reinstating a significant use may be appropriate and
preferred forms of conservation.
PRINCIPLES
Article 21. Adaptation
21.1 Adaptation is acceptable only where the adaptation has minimal impact on
the cultural significance of the place.
21.2 Adaptation should involve minimal change to significant fabric, achieved
only after considering alternatives.
• maintenance before repair
• repair rather than replace
• honest but sympathetic repair
• take care not to speculate
• keep the water out
• allow the building to breath
• use appropriate materials
• considered and planned approach
• think detail in context
• avoid loss of character
PRINCIPLES
General maintenance
Principles
General design principles
PRINCIPLES
• maintain current use where
appropriate & possible
• light & deft touch
• reversibility & timescale
(life cycles)
• reuse of existing openings
for circulation and services
• removal of fabric on an
informed basis
• allowing the best of the
building to speak (singing
together)
GOOD MAINTENANCE
Regular maintenance
1. Rainwater goods
2. Roofs
3. Junctions: Holes, splits
4. Walls: Check mortar joints
and render coatings (use
lime)
5. Ground levels:
6. Ventilation:
7. Gullies and drains
8. Plants
9. Services: heating systems
and plumbing, electrics
10. Safety first
TOOLS & HELP
Some tools and help available
• Dampness and infestation investigation
• Asbestos investigation
• Dendrology
• Archaeological investigation
• Paint sampling – stratigraphy
• Thermal imaging & air tightness
• Material analysis
• Conservator trials
• Conservation
accreditation
Difficult questions:
ISSUES
• Should we repair or replace? (life cycles)
• Where does the authenticity of a historic building lie?
(fabric, appearance)
• What is acceptable change for a building? (Chatham.
St Mary’s)
• If change is not acceptable should we leave it to rot?
• What compromises are acceptable to users?
• What improved environmental performance is
achievable in old buildings?
• What is affordable? Depends on time frame, funding
streams etc.
• Should we retain facades?
• Where is the role for creativity?
Difficult questions:
ISSUES
• Should we repair or replace? (life cycles)
Difficult questions:
ISSUES
• What is acceptable
change for a building?
Difficult questions:
ISSUES
Some common challenges for historic buildings to
be addressed in the maintenance period
ISSUES
access
• equality act / building regulations Part M
• strategic planning of access (with access consultant)
• sensitive interventions
Some common challenges for historic buildings to
be addressed in the maintenance period
ISSUES
environmental performance
• environmental agenda (building regulation part L)
• improve thermal performance
• reduce air leakage
• more efficient heating systems
• low carbon systems
Some common challenges for historic buildings to
be addressed in the maintenance period
• careful fire engineering
• low impact products
• can achieve acoustic
upgrade at same time
ISSUES
fire upgrade work
Some common challenges for historic buildings to
be addressed in the maintenance period
• coatings to protect
•against fire
ISSUES
fire upgrade work
• repair that involves change of material or detail may
need listed building approval and/or SAM consent
• it is a criminal offence to carry out unauthorised work
• the whole building is listed! (even the modern ugly
bits!)
• fixtures and fittings are listed if attached to the
building
• for C of E churches there is faculty jurisdiction
LISTINGS
Statutory constraints related to maintenance
• listed buildings – grade 1, 2* and 2
• scheduled ancient monuments
• registered parks
• conservation areas
• buildings of local interest
• ask your conservation officer
• check the English Heritage website
conservation management plans
maintenance plans (including financial planning)
• Continuous maintenance
• Capital maintenance
• Capital enhancement
• Poor maintenance results in higher capital cost
CONSERVATION PLANS
How to keep on top of things – maintenance
plans and conservation management
• SPAB website
•HELM website
•Churchcare website
• Old House Handbook Roger Hunt & Marianne Suhr
• National Trust Manual of Housekeeping
• EH Conservation Principles – policies and guidance
• Conservation of Historic Buildings – Bernard Fielden
• Ask your Local Authority conservation officer
• RIBA conservation architect register
• RICS building conservation register
FURTHER READING
Where can I find our more? (some sources)