Number 23 February 1993
A review of current Architectural and Environmental Issues and events in the Cambridge area produced by the Cambridge Association of Archil8Cis. The rices in,thi5 YlPwSletteY are those of the individual COIlIYlbiItOYS Ond not of the Association. Newsletter co-edited by David Raven and Colen Lumley. ‘Cambridge Architecture’ Trumpington Mews, Trumpington, Cambridge. CB2 2LS
CPDADP/orhowto MYOB Paul Darlow From 1st January 1993 all members ofthe RIBA areobliged to carry outa minimum of35 hours' continuing professional development (CPD) peryear. Only members who arefully retired are exempt. Don't panic, it does not mean we all to have return to school. Many oftheactivities we perform ona day-to-day basis, such as recorded on-the-job research, can be included. Paramount totheidea of CPD is your own Personal Development Plan (PDP asit will become known). The intention is that everyone sets their own aims and targets and through structured CPD meet those aims and targets. Our PDP enables us to reflect on our individual needs and assess our progress. The RIBA will shortly be distributinga guide to CPD anda PDP to all members. The message from therecent CPD officers seminar was not to wait for these, but to get on now. In themeantime theArchitects' Journal has published articles (9 December 1992) and advice is available from theCPD regional office.
GATEWAY TO CAMBRIDGE Enclosure and Swprise
Following the RIBA President's pioneering Vision forCities initiative in London in1992, promoting interest in urban design,a series of nationwide urban design workshops has been ated for 1993.A Steering Group of .sects, planners, landscape architects, and a growing numbers ofothers, has been formed to promote and organisea Cambridge project, to take place over the weekend of 15 and 16 May. Meetings toplan and organise the event take place at the Architecture Centre (see Events). Cambridge offersa range of possibilities for this kind of collaborative effort. The site that has been selected for this year's inaugural study is the Station Road and Station forecourt area, which offersa rich combination of conditions and possibilities arounda civic theme. The idea behind theworkshops is to identify run-down inner city areas that could be enhanced by community action, in collaboration with disinterested voluntary professional assistance. Together they can generate ideas and provide the possibilities for improvement, in the wider public interest. The exercise aims to open up toboth thepublic in general and the local community, theprocesses and potential for initiating and influencing environmental improvement, and to demystify the professional and administrative frameworks connected with such opportunities. Members ofthecommunity who participate will witness and be encouraged tocontribute to
the thought and negotiation processes. In so doing, they will obtain insights into the interactive measures necessary for dealing with urban design issues. The professionals will act as their ‘pencils’ in working-up thoughts and ideas and provide guidance on how to read drawings, and how to do basic drawing and modelling for themselves. Support from thelocal media is being canvassed as part of the exercise of stimulating public awareness of the well-being of the built environment. The weekend will commence with the briefing and self-organisation of mixed groups. The groups will then analyse the site and its issues and undertake problem solving and production of ideas for display ata winding-;up celebration, linked witha public review of theresults. It is planned to exhibit the work with that of other regional weekend workshops later at the Architecture Gallery. A temporary studio for the weekend work shop intheheart of the study area is being provided by engineers Mott McDonald. An offer of major sponsorship has been received, but supplementary assistance in cash, kind and resources are needed. Enquiries will be welcomed forfurther information, or from those (public and professional) who wish toregister for participation in all or part of the weekend workshop, and in organising the event. Anthony Doling/Workshop Coordinator (enquiries te1 0462 436304)
Drawings forming part of an illustrated essay on one of the most admired townscapes inthe world aretobe on show at Benson Hall, Magdalene College. The City Mayor will open theexhibition of Cambridge drawings by architect Viren Sahai at 7.00pm on 11 May. Its aim will be to establish in what way we can learn from our environment and what general lessons can be extracted for the contemporary scene. The sketches draw attention to features which contribute to the visual enjoyment of the City, the skyline, intertwining space and streets, in order to raise the level of awareness and debate about the built environment.
Gender Agenda A A RDS
Gail Waldman from Women asRole Models (WARM) attracted our largest and most international turnout to date at our inspiring Jan. 21st meeting. Her group aims toenable members and others to act as role models toschoolgirls, women students, and younger members ofthe construction industry. They areworking to shown, by example, that women canfunction as competently as men in the construction industry. WARMis very active in schools. They have developed, with the help of teachers and construction professionals,a ten week Design and Technology project for 11-14 year olds which simulatesa building project from briefing to completion. WARM provide display boards aimed at 14- 16 year olds which show women at work inthe construction professions. These includea short description of skills needed. The boards can be hired. The group also producea “work shadowing” worksheet forstudents' work experience in the office. CALLING ALL TEACHERS Designer/Modelmaker of theYear Competition WARM is promotinga competition in conjunction with representatives from the building industry anda TV production company. It will be judged on theexcellence of design/model and the ingenuity of the teacher in devisinga D & T project which raises gender issues. For further information contact Gail Waldman at0716076416. Ifyou are interested in simply meeting casually once ina while to discuss your work, how it affects your life and family, and what it means tobea woman inthefield of architecture please come along to our next meeting. For further information contact: Sherry (0223) 833694, Grainne (0954) 211144, Philippa (0763) 208770
CAMBRIDGE APPROACHES Plans for widening Milton Road togive quicker passage forPark-and-Ride buses are strongly opposed by residents. The plans also involve the loss of many trees. county Council planners estimate 70 out of 150 will go. Scandalously little attention is being given to the planned plantings between Arbury Road and theGolden Hind. There arecherries, hawthorns, almonds and purple leaved prunus, givinga succession of blossoms throughout the Spring, but now sadly neglected. In recent years large gaps have been allowed to appear. Planners suggest residents might agree to have trees planted in their front gardens, but many will be reluctant to give up parking space or destroy existing hedges and trees. The proposai ignores the fact that the road is intended to be an avenue, and that the odd new tree here and there will not restore this.A practical alternative may still be found. Meanwhile, tree-lovers should be alert to this threat to one of the finest approach roads to Cambridge City Centre. Ronald Gray
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT?
Ways must be found of gathering in all worthy buildings for consideration by the Shortlisting Panel for the RIBA Awards. There is also some concern over theshortlisting process itself. Schemes getshortlisted by the number ofvotes they receive. This system does not necessarily select the best schemes fora variety of reasons. It will in obvious cases like Stansted Airport but is going to be less reliable in the middle range of good schemes. Each Chapter in the Region is asked to nominate an architect to attend the shortlisting panel. The list is confirmed by theRegion. Whilst in an ideal world all are equally capable of making judgments about thebuildings of othersI suspect that some arebetter at it than others. The choice of appointees needs to be somehow tightened up to achievea greater consistency of view. The Regional Jury consists ofa lay person and architect Chairman both appointed by RIBA HQ together with an architect appointed by the Region. This isa small number butthelay person might feel outnumbered with more architects and two plus two could cause an awkward split. As things stand the lay assessor hasa strong influence on the decision and from my experience the balance works well. RIBA guidance suggests thata decision may be made bya simple majority vote.I think this if it happens would be unsatisfactory. Each award should only be given by common agreement between theJury. This encourages full and frank discussion anda mature and sound decision. It is very unfortunate that the commended category has been abolished. This offereda degree of flexibility which is often needed. Most matters are just not either black or white. Both juriesI have served on felt the loss of this category. The presentation of Regional Awards and selection of National Awards occurs in one meeting of the Awards Panel at the RIBA. A Regional Award canbe theoretically vetoed by the President. The Regional Jury recommendations forNational Awards are ratified or otherwise at this meeting although not announced before the end of the year. This is done on thebasis of displayed photographs and drawings and discussion withouta further visit. RIBA general guidelines for award schemes suggest that buildings should be visited bya ‘reasonable proportion of the assessors before the final decision is made’ and yetat this crucial stage in finalising the National Awardsa scheme can be included or excluded with only one architect on the Awards Panel (usually the Jury Chairman) having
Crescent Wing, Sainsbury Centre. RIBAI 1/93
actually seen it! This year several buildings recommended by theRegional Juries for National Awards including one in East Anglia were rejected by the Awards Panel, perhaps in most cases soundly, but it doesn't seem tome tobe entirely satisfactory. We were left this year with national Awards which areall London based. There seemed tobea feeling amongst some members that anything from the other regions could not be up to quite the same standard unless it was designed by one of the big names. Unless saya minimum of3 Panel members have actually seen and experienced the building thenI feel that another visit should be made ideally before the Awards Panel meet. This of course increases Jury expenses and there is no more money butthis problem must be somehow addressed this year. Whena Regional Jury are makinga recommendation fora National Award they are in effect saying that there are one (or more) schemes which they feel are outstanding and of national (or international) quality. If this is rejected by the Awards Panel then it can upset the sometimes delicate balance between schemes tobe given Regional Awards. This is where theHighly Commended category was so useful in recognising two levels of quality' the awards regionally. Ifa particular scheme recommended for a National Award is rejected then the Regional Jury should be able to reconsider the balance between Regional Awards before their final decision is confirmed. There is no mechanism ofthis to happen at present. On the Awards Presentation it has been suggested that all Regional and National Awards should be combined into one London presentation ‘so that regional winners don't feel left out’. It seems tome appropriate that Regional Awards arecelebrated regionally as we have done inCambridge inthepast and are doing this year in Norwich on 22 March at the Crescent Building. It isa very good way of promoting architects and architecture within the locality and strengthening regional identity. Every region should be helped as necessary by the RIBA todothis properly witha real sense of occasion. National Awards should be presented ona separate occasion - this yep was on at the RIBA itself on 4 February. Regional Awards including the London Regional should perhaps be displayed at this time but not presented. This year it was intended that National Awards would actually be announceda thepresentation event but the RIBA Journal insisted on their traditional right to announce them intheir January issue. The closing date for entry for the 1993/4 Regional Awards is likely to be 31 march 1993 as previous years. (continued from November Issue) David Raven
ARCHITECTS IN SCHOOLS TheCambridgeshire Architecture Workshop hasbeen less active in recent years due to lack of premises anda seconded teacher to keep things organised. This has been frustrating because first GCSE andthen the National Curriculum have opened great possibilities for using the built environment in the curriculum to reach out to future architects, clients, and public. To get things going again,a meeting was held at the Architecture Centre on 19th January. Sylvia Richardson theCounty's Chief Education Inspector was far from encouraging (particularly in the light of John Patten's comments theday before about project work) about the prospects of using the built environment in thecurriculum. This rather doomy picture was belied by the number of interested teachers who came tothemeeting, and the enthusiasm they showed. They took inspiration from Nick Ray's comments “understanding yourself in space” and from !ar projects of Ted Coney's students at Road Sixth Form College last year with Dafydd Griffiths. At least one architect/teacher link has followed directly from themeeting. CAW has suffered in the past from thelack ofa permanent base and contact phone number. This has made it difficult to put teachers in touch with interested architects, and vice versa. This situation will now change, as RIBA Eastern Region has agreed to the use of the Architecture Centre and its phone number (324157) asa contact point. If you can spare the time, to go into school, it can be a very rewarding experience, as architects who have done this have found. CAW is spreading the message as widely as possible. The Arts Council's Architecture Awards offera potential source of support. If you would like to work with schools, or to know more about CAW, please write to me c/o The Architecture Centre,6 Kings Parade, Cambridge, or you can ring me directly on bridge 313486 (answerphone). K .ii Preston (Chairman, CA W)
groundfloor plan
Burrell's Field
Cambridge and its catchment area hasa vintage collection of private houses, originating in the granting of rights of marriage to college dons in 1882 and thesubsequent creation ofa new housing requirement. The patronage from this quarter has spearheadeda collection of domestic architecture by talented architects, representinga breadth and wealth of ideas for this genre and this period, which is growing and which is quite outstanding of its kind. The English School architecture of Baillie Scott, Barry Parkin, the ‘Queen Anne’ houses of Basil Champney andothers has acquireda sufficient legacy of age and familiarity to qualify for popular recognition and its protection as part of a particular heritage of Cambridge. The Cambridge World Day ofArchitecture Tour 1992 focussed on more recent cases or interesting new design for houses forindividual clients. It revealeda very strong public interest (which is curious when measured against the depressing absence of public recognition of need forany kind of authentic design influence on the abysmal mass housing sprawling on the City margins). We do have tobuild on that to extend the interest in protecting our heritage for recent and new architecture, which, in the accelerated pace of today's development, can come under threat before the time lag necessary for popular acceptability. The house constructed for Lord Adrian and hiswife at Burrell's Field in 1962 isa case in point and isa caution in showing that the best patrons of architecture in Cambridge can atthesame time be its worst enemy when it suits. The retiring Master of Trinity College, Lord Adrian and hisacademic wife had spent all their life in college rooms, relieved by escape to their Norfolk cottage. Late in life they decided it would be nice to stoke their own fires back in Cambridge also. Land (for two houses) was provided by the college of Burrell's Field and the building was provided by Lord Adrian, on the basis that it would demise to theCollege. Lord Adrian was largely indifferent to matters of design (so the story goes) and left this in the hands of hiswife, Hester. Brandishinga crumpled envelope with an L-shaped diagram inscribed on it she instructed their architect, Patrick Hodgkinson (orHarvey Court and Brunswick Centre fame) that they wanted the living room there and the dining room there, in an L-shape house; the upstairs they could leave to the architect. Beinga rationally inclined architect (the sine qua non of prodigy from theLeslie Martin stable) Patrick was nonplussed for some time to evolvea house plan from such irrational seeming impulses, and from sucha difficult, but charming client. Eventually he hit upon the Loosian ‘Raumplan’ solution of the twin studies at half level with and at the extremities of, the hall- like living room. Idea and contingency were one. This happy combination reconciled the desires of client and ideology ina unique ensemble of ground and fist floor rooms,
elegantly zoning the guest and the maid's accommodation ina linked sequence, uniting the half levels of the plan form ina compact volumetric (and L-shaped) composition. Later, taking tea on the terrace after the house was built, Patrick asked Hester why she had insisted on an L-shaped house - “Oh you silly boy!I was brought up in one”. The other plot was offered to the Vice Master of the time, whose wife was Bursar of Girton. Patrick duly prepareda scheme and presenteda matching design complete with delicate wood model intheexquisite manner ofthe Architectural Association /She1ford Mill connection. To the architect's horrified bemusement thewife pierced the model with the point of her umbrella and witha sweep, hurled it out of the window - “Patrick, we don't wanta hovel like that; design us something decent” Something like that exhibition of unmerited confidence has dogged thedestiny of the project. The Adrian's occupation was shortlived. Six months after moving inLady Adrian died and Lord Adrian moved back into college. Their house was converted into three apartments for post graduate and junior academic staff. Regretably the same skills and sensibilities of its original design were not employed intheconversion, and the building underwent sad, but not irretrievable transformation. The College now hasa large scale development plan for Burrell's Fields, calling for the demolition of the former house of Lord Adrian, to provide new undergraduate accommodation. The scheme has been prepared by Richard MacCormac, an architect with no slight Cambridge School connections anda background understanding of the value of the Patrick Hodgkinson achievement. Sad indeed that this source is not permitted to exercise its design flexibility by showing theway to sensitively restore and incorporate the house in thedevelopment proposals, to the enrichment o/ both. It isa commentary also on the kind of protection and vision afforded by the colleges and the City's planning authorities, who have sucha worthy record of conservation, in some areas. The fact that the house is from thesame architectural family and design rigour as Harvey Court in West Road, has probably not stood in its favour in assessments of its future. Work with this level of design integrity is too strong -minded fortheAnglo Saxon proclivity and seventy years ahead of general acceptance and appreciation (witness the studied informality of the likely successors to Harvey Court itself (AJ 13.5.92). But it is because of this relationship,a publicly unrecognised sequence of work and architectural thought unfolded through distinct typologies, that we are witnessing the poignant destruction of unique work. The heritage we leave is in that measure regretfully and shamefully impoverished. Colen Lumley
Keith Garbett - architect Those of us who were lucky enough toknow Keith asa colleague also knew him asa friend. Sharing hiswit and energy both in hisyears at David Robert’s office (ah, how well he kneW how to render that famous laugh and the Welsh accent, so well that even DWR recognised and laughed the more) and intheearly years of his private practice was alwaysa stimulating AND very entertaining experience. His special gifts were clarity, vigour and elegance in design, always with economy, efficiency and practicality. He was a hard but straight critic of art and architecture and left his contemporaries as well as his students full of admiration for hisknowledge, rigour and above all for his enthusiasm. Perhaps he delayed too long setting up his own practice but it was to the advantage of may that he did so eventually. His contribution to the lives and work ofother architects, teachers, students, friends and clients will not be well recorded but it will last in their memories and inmany buildings large and small, grand and modest because he wasa fierce self critic and a very talented man. His last years were very sad, we all felt the loss and always will. Christophe Grilled I met Keith almost exactly twenty years ago as a local resident in the then blighted ‘Kite’ area. He becamea very constructive member ofthe residents committee intheProspect Row General Improvement Area. Keith was full of creative ideas and very supportive of the participating nature of the project. In the Autumn he phoned me tosay
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how much heenjoyed walking round thearea, remembering what it had been like before the GIA started. I want topay particular tribute to Keith for the buildings he created in the Kite for his enthusiasm forthe area in which he himself lived, and to share in the sadness at his going. Richard Darlington, (GIA0
icer 1972-82)
Connell Ward andLucas Exhibition ’93 If any members have information, drawings, photos, ephemera orrecollections of meetings withB as,il Ward, Amyas Connell or Colin Lucas would they please contact Dennis Sharp at Dennis Sharp Architects, 35 Alfred Place London WC I 7DP: tels 071 436 1607 or 0707 87253. Any help provided will of course be acknowledged.
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East Anglian Landscape Association A TOUR OF COLLEGE GARDENS Peter Broadbent, the Registrar of the Landscape Institute, will be joining us for an afternoon tour of Cambridge's famous gardens. 2.30pm Wednesday 9thJune 1993 Venue tobe confirmed. Tel.No.(0,279) 647044
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