Forth Bridge view courtesy of Sara Crofts
The IHBC’s 2014 3-day Annual School programme in Edinburgh has concluded successfully with two days of tours and one of detailed thoughts and examination into the challenging topic for the School, on the ‘Art of Conservation’
With nearly 200 delegates from all parts of the UK in attendance, there was a busy round of digital media coverage, while more is yet to come for those lucky delegates heading for the ‘Orkney Opportunity’, another few days of heritage and art investigations hosted by the Orkney Islands Council that begins tomorrow.
The entire event was also made possible – and more accessible and cost-effective – thanks to the School’s main sponsors, CgMS, and critical support from English Heritage, Historic Scotland, as well as a host of exhibitors, sponsors and friends of the School. Details of all are available on the IHBC’s School website, which will be archived once the presentations are posted.
The Day School covered many different aspects of the School’s theme, on the ‘art of conservation’, and many touched on – and were touched by – the recent loss of so much of the fabric of the Glasgow School of Art. Highlights included:
- The keynote address from Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs in the Scottish government, at which she warmly welcomes the IHBC’s contributions to the many innovative developments in conservation and heritage management currently under way in Scotland
- Prof Jukka Jokilehto, who looked at international perspectives in, and approaches to the ‘Art of conservation’
- Dr Deborah Mays, heritage consultant and 2014 School ‘Context’ guest editor, who introduced this year’s innovative exploration of School-related research notes as well as the developing programme of digital media and networks planned for future Schools
- Neil Gillespie, Director, Reiach and Hall Architects, who interrogated both art and conservation in the context of new architectural design
- Angus Farquhar, of arts charity NVA, who explored plans and potential in viable conservation plans at St Peter’s Seminary Cardross and its Kilmahew woodlands
- Mike Galloway, who tied masterplanning thinking at Dundee’s Waterfront to a an agenda for the ‘conservation of place’ in the context of design aesthetics and artistic resources, not least the work on the V&A there
- David McDonald, who looked at the idea of the artist’s studio and its protection & conservation in the 21st century as a paradigm of the conference theme
- William Napier, who explored the National Trust for Scotland’s work on the harl at Mackintosh’s Hill House, a topic especially resonant given the recent tragic fir at the architect’s even more globally resonant creation, the Glasgow School of Art
- Spotlight sessions at the end of the day included Máiréad Nic Craith, on intangible heritage; John Campbell QC on judgement in legal matters, and Andy Millar on creative financing for heritage projects.
- The Day School closed with a personal response to the IHBC’s Day School by Prof. Jokilehto and, after wide-ranging discussions, an introduction to Norwich Annual School 2015.
The day programme also included a chance to network and view the stands and, for those interested in the IHBC’s development, closed with the IHBC’s 2014 AGM.
The evening programme concluded with the 2014 Annual Dinner, at adjacent Arts and cultural venue, Summerhall, at which the prizes for the winner and those commended in IHBC’s Annual Gus Astley Student Awards for 2013.
The IHBC Gus Astley Student Award prizes were presented by the guest judge for this year, architectural historian and writer Jeremy Musson, who selected the prizewinners as follows:
- Student Award winner for 2103: Sebastian Fry, for a thesis presented to the IHBC-recognised conservation course at London’s Architectural Association, a work Musson describes as an ‘impressively wide-ranging study’ into Knight Hospitaller commanderies and associated parish churches.
- Commendation, to Yuk Hong Ian Tan, University of Edinburgh, for his work on bridges in Singapore
- Commendation, to Tim Lewis, Birmingham University, for his case study on post-War social housing, and
- Commendation, to Lauren Ayers, Oxford Brookes University, for her work on the conservation of the Edwardian terrace house.
Reports on all aspects of the School will appear as usual in the September issues of the IHBC’s member journal, Context
For the IHBC’s 2014 School programme and links see http://ihbc.org.uk/edinburgh2014/
For the Gus Astely Awards 2013, presented at the 2014 School, see the IHBC NewsBlog
For the Annual Gus Astley Awards see http://ihbc.org.uk/gasa/
Sample a YouTube film for a digital insight to the 2014 school at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-8kxDT-jIE
For the School on twitter see: https://twitter.com/IHBCtweet
