Condition Survey

The scope of the report is investigating the building regarding the structural system, materials and decay mechanisms, and possible repairs. The survey is limited to the condition of the building fabric. Other recording sources include examining building fabric phasing since 2008 via Google Street View.

Two site visits took place to inspect the building’s structural system and decay in building fabric. The first site inspection of investigation of external fabric. Systematic observation of the building starting from the top down, the roof, the walls, and the base masonry. A thorough examination of the building functions. Symptoms of building decay and structural problems. A second site visit took place to examine underlying dampness in the external walls with a thermal camera. However, the imaging didn’t accurately detected dampness as the building is not air tight.

The Shrubhill shed drives its character of the combination of built materials sandstone ashlar, and red bricks. Understanding material properties and identifying key characteristics play an important role in concurring decay mechanisms in building materials.

The building suffers from severe dampness observed at different building levels. The base sandstone at the left side of the entrance facade on Dryden Street has a pattern of deterioration. The observed pattern shows signs of soiling and blistering. The base course to the ground is mouldy, and biological growth covers the whole line of stones at that level. Immediate observations of defects in the building fabric are discolouration and staining on the cornerstones and brick walls. Algae colonisation is observed with open joints on a stone cornice that is also heavily eroded. There is corrosion of rainwater goods, and as it stands blocked by vegetation, Salts have built bricks under stone bands and cornice. Most of the window glazing is shattered or gone. Plants are rooted in brick joints. Some cornerstone in parts of the building is dislocated.

Inverkeithing density circa 1755

Decoding Inverkeithing

Inverkeithing, Fife, Scotland

‘‘This project aims to introduce an integrated urban conservation approach and methodology. The focus is to convey an understanding of cultural values within the historic urban environment, and their role for truly sustainable development. This understanding enables the identification, analysis of development, and interpretation of the cultural significance of the many elements, tangible and intangible, that make up the historic urban fabric.’’

The anlaysis of Inverkeithing is a group project and the work highlighted here is the individual contribution to the conservation area appraisal for Urban Conservation Module supervised by Dr. Ruxandra-Iulia Stoica.

Inverkeithing density circa 1840

Inverkeithing is typical of a Scottish medieval burgh architecturally & morphologically. Its layout & architectural elements make it unique in various ways. The traditional form of buildings directly fronting onto the pavement is evident throughout the Conservation Area. Plot widths in Inverkeithing vary according to whether houses face the street or turn at right angles to it; this creates a more picturesque view along streets where the building line varies.

Inverkeithing density present day

Urban Analysi: Street Hierarchy & Circulation

The town of Inverkeithing is situated on a high plateau above Inverkeithing Bay & the Firth of Forth, overlooking a steady slope down to the water.

High Street functions as a retail corridor with mixed-use developments on either side. Commercial development on ground floors & residences above is the dominant development pattern & is economically beneficial. As far as we could view from the street, a majority of the buildings are occupied, withW just a handful of vacant properties. Mostly residential properties can be found along side streets, such as Townhall Street. Buildings predominantly consist of two to three floors. This allows for a balanced human-scale streetscape & unobstructed views across Inverkeithing Bay. The friary and the nursing home are the tallest structures, the former lining High Street and the latter recessed, hidden from the street view. In addition, sidewalks are abundant and easily navigable for pedestrians

Design Guidlines: Shopfronts

Shopfronts contribute to the liveliness of High Street & encourage people to engage with businesses on the street. Although shopfronts need to be up-to-date with modern design, they need to be designed with respect to the area’s historic character. Many shopfronts in Inverkeithing have been altered in a non-sympathetic way.

Overall, shopfronts that occupy listed buildings are in better shape than shopfronts in unlisted buildings. Most of the shops on High Street occupy only the ground floor & are primarily in 19th-century buildings. Although not all historic buildings on High Street are listed, & many have been heavily altered, most of the architectural character comes from 19-century buildings, listed or not. Therefore, designing new or altered shopfronts should consider the historic townscape in the Conservation Area.

78 Signboard design should be viewed in the architectural context of the building. More consistent colors and board proportions are encouraged for all the shopfronts in the Conservation Area. The needs of businesses and the people in Inverkeithing should be balanced.

Some frontages could use stall risers to protect from street-level damage79 & provide a buffer between pavement & display windows. Although using tilted projecting boards & discrete canopies is vital to reduce visual clutter, a side projected sign is advised to alter oversized boards’ visibility from street level.

The predominant building fabric colors in Inverkeithing are beige, brown, & dark grey. Therefore, subtle and neutral colors for shopfronts are appropriate. As some shopfronts use vibrant colors to paint their frontage, a color palette is a helpful tool to create harmonious & aesthetically pleasant shopfronts for all on High Street.

Design Guidlines: Shopfronts

Most properties on High Street are 19-century buildings that are not listed. Their shopfronts have intrusive altered materials & are unsympathetic to the original building fabric.

The frontage board design distracts from the façade character & fabric in other buildings. The Co-op supermarket chain, Mary’s Meals shop, & Gerges are examples of poor, inappropriate shopfronts in the Conservation Area.

Shopfront fascia signs are cluttered and made of inappropriate modern materials, like UPVC & aluminum cladding. Intrusive signs that span the width of the façade cut the elevation into two parts, leaving no space for historical details. This distracts from & obscures the historic building’s façade.

Other issues include fascia boards containing many colors. Furthermore, signage lettering is oversized or undersized and colored with garish boards. All this is considered an unfit design for a Conservation Area.

A Country Estate in the City: Moray House from 1618 to 1752

Canongate, Edinburgh

The project analyses Old Moray House an its garden, its context and historical development and presents a Statement of Cultural Significance, supported by analytical drawings, sketches, selected photographs and archival materials.

The work presented here is a visual excerpt of a group research report for Building Analysis Module supervised by Dr. Ruxandra-Iulia Stoica.

This report aims to analyse the exterior built fabric in combination with a historical and spatial analysis of the purpose, usage, and design of its garden during this residential period to reveal changes to the architecture in reaction to the open space.

Spatial Analysis

From its construction around 1618 until 1752, Moray House served as a residence for its original owners, Mary, Countess of Home, and later her daughters. It remained their principal residence in Edinburgh until the property was leased to the British Linen Bank in 1753. During this time, the home and its extensive gardens reflected the owners’ status and wealth as well as 17th century Renaissance design trends. Therefore, this report is confined to this period when the property was used as originally intended.

Loss of Open Space & Changing Circulation

The study of historic maps also reveals steady encroachment on the garden space from 1753 onwards, when Moray House changed from a residential to commercial space and later to educational facilities. This resulted in changes to the garden design, shape, and accessibility. Both Rothiemay 1647 and Edgar 1742 show the lower terrace as publicly accessible via the gateway leading to the South Back of Canongate, aligned with a central path through the entire garden. This was an important access point since the garden was used as a place for public gatherings, especially the southern terraces near the summer house. Nevertheless, as new developments began and townhouses were erected on St. Johns Street, these encroached upon the garden and demolished the original walls, resulting in changed access points and the creation of new closes.

Progression of development of garden space from 1765 to today. From: NLS: Edgar, 1765; Brown and Watson, 1793; Kirkwood and Son, 1817; Town Plan 1843-55; Town Plan 1898-99; and Digimaps 1960s and contemporary ordnance survey.