Unit 1 – Introductory lesson continued... Teacher instruction: Most students will respond to the above question by saying ‘an old building’. This is not necessarily true as some old buildings could be a safety hazard or a poor example. Investigate student’s experiences about protected buildings which must be maintained. Perhaps a heritage building was the focal point associated with a recent development. E.g. a heritage building might have obstructed the development of a new building. Builders and investors wanted to demolish the heritage building but organisations such as the heritage council and local residents objected. Whilst discussing the factors with the class instruct students to identify possible heritage buildings in the locality. Provide feedback as required. The following factors should be considered when recognising a heritage building. (These stages are provided on PowerPoint). Often people perceive old buildings to be a significant part of our built heritage. However this perception is incorrect as some old buildings have no history attached. In general there are four factors which determine if a building is part of our built heritage: 1. History 2. Architecture 3. Integrity 4. Environment 1. History: What people/group of people lived in the building and what was their occupation? The more famous or well known the occupants of the building the more potential the building has regarding historical stories or information. If a person is well known within a local community people will always have stories to tell. The likelihood is that these famous people would have influenced the community by perhaps making significant contributions either financially or otherwise. What key historic events are linked with the building? Famous historical buildings often gain their significance due to their association with a particular event. A well known example is the General Post Office in Dublin as it had a direct link with the 1916 Easter rising and it was from her the Proclamation of Independence Exploring the heritage in your locality
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