CA24

Number 24 April 1993

GAKBRIDGE ARGHITECTURE A revieM of current Architectural and Environmental Issues and events in the Cambridge area produced bq the Cambridge Association of Architects. The views in this newsletter are those of the individual contributors and not of the ASSOCIDtion. NeMsletter co-edited bq Durid Raven and Colen Lumley. ’Cambridge Architecture’ Trumpington Mews, Trumpington, Cambridge. CB2 2LS

CITY PANEL

- new

directions?

The Cambridge Listed Buildings Panel made up ofarchitects, architectural historians,a surveyor, representatives of Amenity Groups and Conservation officers meets monthly to consider schemes involving Listed Buildi^8S. Conservation Areas and major schemes inthe all the subject of plann!^8A pplicatiOHS. average panel member gives 40-50 hours per annum tothis task. The level of debate is good and decisions are arrived at vigorously.

However, there are continuing signs that the opinions distilled and put to the Plann!^8 Case Officers via the Conservation Officers are sold short or undervalued. Last year 15 planning decisions went against the Panel's stated views.

Since 1974 theremit has gradually expanded from solely Listed Buildings, to taking on all developments in Conservation Areas (from 1986/1987) and later all major schemes. The time and ability of the members hasbecome more and more stretched and now there is even talk of the panel advising on planning policy.

As a result of various concerns expressed there are moves afoot to redefine the status, title and purpose ofthepanel.

The director of Planning sees i/ possibly asa Working Party toadvise the Planning Cnmmittee on all aspects of architecture and ’ n design. ... panelfeels it may thus lose it's political impartiality and alsofears being turned on and offby pressure groups. Somep reertoretreat toa specialist position much like its original role. At the same time there isa definite need forallsigni icant projects to be scrutinised and evaluated by an experienced, expert and impartial group, for the common good.

CAMBRIDGE SKYLINE. Drawingby Viren Sahaifeatured in the ’Enclosure and Surprise’ exhibition at Benson Hall, Magdalene College 10-16 May. 10.00 a.m. - 6.00 p.m. other groups and organisations, such as Eastern Electricity and the Energy Group.

The CAA is presently putting togethera CPD programme for1993/1994 which will attempt to covera wide range of subjects. Your assistance is essential. In order that these talks etc, are targeted correctly. Ideas for subjects which people would be interested in or would be willing to talk about (another form of CPD) would be greatly appreciated.

Please contact Paul Darlow CAA, CPD coordinator, c/o Thomson Design Tel: 0223 811744

CPD

URBAN DESIGN WORKSHOP TheRIBA Privy Council has now approved the "THE DELAYED LAUNCH”

by-law change required to introduce obligatory CPD. The promised Guide toContin g Professional Development (CPD) an onal Development Plan (PDP) will be distributed to members with the May issue of the RIBA Journal.

Presently the CAA holds events ona monthly basis (advertised in these pages), while the Region organises regular CPD events, some centred on Cambridge. In addition to local and regional RIBA based events, there are numerous others organised around theregion and in London, by allied professionals and

TheCambridge Urban Design Workshop organised by the Eastern Region RIBA with the CAA in response to the President's pioneering Vision forCities initiative, will commence proceedings with an Opening Gala tobe attended by Anne Campbell MP, and thelocal press, on Friday the 14th of May at 6.30 p.m.

The stage will be set fora weekend of collaborative activity involving architects, allied professions, and the local community in an urban design exercise centred on the station road district of the city the Gateway to Cambridge! Put thedate in your diary

Sponsorship for the event has been canvassed from local organisations and companies and has attracted extensive support. Eastern Electricity, Cambridge City Council, and London Brick Company have all contributed sponsorship. The Cambridge Copy Centre are assisting with the printing; the drawing paper has been donated; and Mott MacDonaId have provided the venue, Murdock House, located opposite the station and central within the selected site.

The generosity and support of the sponsors has allowed the Steering Committee toprepare an ambitious programme fortheevent. The doors open at 8.00 a.m. 9n Saturday the 15th May for briefing and workshop group assignment.

Groups will work insessions interspersed by fifteen minute speaker presentations focused on relevant issues and providing alternative perspectives. The weekends work will be exhibited and reviewed by participants and the press before the doors close on the Jazz finale Sunday evening.

Letters of invitation to participate in the Cambridge Urban Design Workshop along with a preliminary programme and flysheet have been sent to all architects, allied professions and local community groups in the area. If you would like to be involved please register your interest by the 8th of May with Nan Fowler at the Eastern Regional Architecture Centre,6 Kings parade, Cambridge CB2 1SJ. (0223 324157).

Anne Cooper

LEAN AND STREAKY

painted surrounding walls. Residual spaces resulting from thecircular stair inscribed ina square plan are used cleverly to provide vestibules to the lecture theatre and secluded viewing areas. The use of intense colour occurs again where room doorsets are painted brilliant blue in counterpoint to the long sinuous curves of the white painted corridor walls.

The bathroom units were one ofa number of components brought over directly from Denmark; windows, doorsets, fitted and loose furniture, all completely prefinished and installed into prepared locations. The quality of finish on these items was impressive.

The Danes areclearly used toa much higher degree of off-site fabrication that we are. This in turn requires different attitudes towards construction sequence, method and tolerances.

Our local contractors are clearly capable of adopting this process although it will be interesting to see whether theclient comes to terms with the idea of demolishing studwork partitions to gain access to troublesome plumbing.

As we walked around thedining hall and common room above it was frustrating to hear how, differing approaches to fire safety in Denmark andthis country forced the relatively late insertion, of the solid central drum. This contains an alternative means ofescape from theroof top belvedere. Originally the central spiral staircase was to rise asa free standing object allowing views across from one side of the octagonal space to the other. This would have allowed the space to be used asa whole forgatherings. Returning later in daylight to enjoy the fine views from thebelvedereI became aware of theschism between the Moller building and the magnificent entrance concourse and succession of residential courtyards that constitute the original college buildings. Perhaps the latest addition to the College, incorporating the sports pavilion will address this situation, butI fear the sheer difference in scale and grain at close quarters will pose difficult problems.

The bold scale and strong simple forms of Larsen's building havea convincing presence when viewed form long and middle distance, butI wish that the range of space making skills displayed in the building's interior had also been used externally to achievea more sympathetic relationship with the College itself.

Richard Brimblecombe Forme thestrength of the new Moller Building at Churchill College, the donation of Danish benefaction and the Danish architect Henning Larson, is the way in which internal spaces have been animated by the interplay of formal geometries. The disposition of the principle elements in the composition is beguilingly straightforward.A series of simple satellite structures, two cubes,a cylinder and an octagon connected orthogonally back to themain rectilinear block. The arrangement is then brought to life by driving through at an oblique angle, the entrance portico, colonnade and entrance foyer with ground floor connection to dining hall beyond. This oblique angle is then repeated in the huge scoop-out of the south facing wall and in the chamfered gable end of the main block.

Free-standing circular columns areused to heighten the interplay between one geometry and another: the columnar structure of the external entrance colonnade enters the building througha glazed slot, passes through the foyer to combine with the orthogonal geometry of the main building and exits througha second glazed slot containinga glazed corridor terminating in the main octagonal dining room.

Elsewhere free standing circular ducts are used to lend definition and vertical emphasis tothe central ring of the servery within the double height octagonal volume ofboth dining room andcommon room above. The theme of circular vertical movement incounterpoint to the geometry of theplan occurs again in the main staircase where thebrilliant white steel and concrete stair and enclosing glazed screen contrast dramatically with the intensely blue

IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST?

photos and drawingfrom Architecture Today Oct '92

Brian Reeve The Profession cannot argue against the public taking the occasional view on how they are being served, and in recent years there has been considerable press coverage of architectural topics all of which should be seriously listened to by the Profession. However, theWarne Report is ina different category. it is deeply flawed, and it is difficult to see how its conclusions can be considered to be in the public interest. It is not without significance that Mr Warne was formerly Secretary to the Institute of Accountants, and in coming tohis conclusions he asks two questions and answers both in the negative.

1. Is there any evidence that statutory registration has brought added benefit to the public generally, to individual consumers of Architectural services, or to the Architectural Profession itself?

2. If, as with Engineers, Surveyors and other professionals in the Construction Industry Architects had not secured statutory registration in the 1930s, is it likely that uniquely they would be granted it today?

The answer tothefirst question is plainly insulting to the Profession, but it is alsoa reflection of ignorance. It implies there is lit.t1e added value in traininga student in the art of architecture.

The fundamental question which thepublic should address is: does architecture matter any more? It is not an irony that ata time when the Profession is being deliberately weakened by government policy there is an increasing public awareness and concern over the subject.

Protection Societies and pressure groups abound, planning legislation is becoming more onerous. Rather than continuing to weaken the Architects' position the public would be better served by affording it more protection. Ata minimum it should be advising that all work to listed buildings and work inconservation areas should only be carried out by qualified Architects.

The public should be better served by legislation restricting work inthese areas to suitably skilled people, this would being us more inline with the position in Europe.

One can only agree with Mr Warne over the answer tothesecond question, but in citing the Engineer he could not have chosena better example toillustrate the devaluation that has taken place overa once highly skilled and respected group. Could notMr Warne have looked athisprofession in searching for evidence with respect to this first question?

It is surely only logical if Society considers it worthwhile investing in the education ofa ‘Professional’ then it must be worthwhile affording protection to that investment.

Otherwise there will be no career incentive.

What is in the public interest? In simple terms the public surely want unambiguous definitions. It does not want tobe misled and the uninitiated need protection. If skills are not protected they become devalued. The skill base of thebuilding industry in this country has ]Jr severely eroded over the last thirty years,a the professions are now experiencing the same pressures. Would we notall be better off if rather than deregulations we hada tightening of regulations that encourage the development of skills?

THE GREAT RECESSION Therecession came into view intheSpring of 1990. It tooka few months forpeople to realise what it was and what it was likely to do. What it was likely to do was never what it did.

Architects locally, both individually and as firms faced an increasingly grim, uncertain and rapidly diminishing future.

It seemed themore successful you had been the more vulnerable you were. Design Group Cambridge and Forum Architects could not keep pace with the required speed of retreat and sadly and disturbingly went bust. Other firms, faced with similar problems of cash flow, commitments toleases and redundancy costs managed thebackwards descent in the dark and were/are able to regroup ata lower level.

A typical smaller firm reduced staff from9 to 2 and changed premises twice. Another full to

bursting at Christmas ‘89found itself usinga quarter of its space3 years later. Sole proprietors packed up city offices and headed home.

Increasingly as survival became theparamount objective architects’ priorities changed. It became necessary to become highly frugal, to nurse and reduce the overdraft, to search increasingly for scarcer and scarcer work and to face the bitter task of telling staff they had to go.

Some firms, mostly those longer established, with diversified clients and historically cheaper accommodation, felt the onslaught less and were able to defend more readily. These are firms such as RHP, Cowper Griffith Brimblecombe, Ian Steen Architects, Bland Brown andCole and Lyster Grillet and Harding who recently have started to take on staff.

Most practices receive several unsolicited job applicationsa week.A recent national advertisement fora young architect in Cambridge received about 200 replies.

For the individtlal the personal demoralisation can be substantial. One young architect with ’small children, fully employed foronly6 $, !hs in the last 2.5 years was prior to that runninga £12.5 million office project. Now he finds solace on the allotment, worries about debt and feels he may be losing touch.

Other individuals have found ita time to develop alternative talents. James Bourke wrote a play (about an architect) which went outon Radio 4. Renne Taylor moved two steps sideways and now advises on continuing education in industry. David Halford setupa specialist Far East travel service.

Others staying in architecture, toa certain extent, felt liberated and invigorated, experiencinga sense of relief, not trusting their futures any further to employers. Jim Chapman andIanBailey were approached by clients of their former firms wanting toemploy them., This led to whole new chains of opportunities and initiatives. Bailey, Davis, Scally quite against the odds, have become well established.

Jim, on his own, has almost more work than he handle now. .ynow realise: • there is no normality • the construction industry is an economic indicator because it is ultra-sensitive to changes in financial confidence • this isa highly vulnerable profession • fixed salaries or even hourly rates may bea thing of the past • fee bidding only producesa poorer service anda diminished product.

• marketing ina declining market means more time spent on chasing less • management oftime and money areessential skills Despite our eternal optimism may we all exercisea healthier caution in future.

David Yandell (with thanks to those who contributedfrom their experience).

COUNTY PLANS FOR CAMBRIDGE Hilton Wright On the2nd March at Shire Hall the draft Structure Plan forCambridgeshire was presented toa packed hall. There was no

shortage of comments and criticisms. Most concerned theconcentration by the County and theDepartment of Transport planners on massive road works and theapparent lack of proposals or even interest in the improvement of public transport by bus or rail. The suggested re-opening of the railway from Huntingdon and St. Ives into Cambridge was brushed aside by the Chairman as something they might look at but would probably find uneconomic.

There was also much questioning on the Southern by-pass to Cambridge encouraginga further extension of the built-up area of Cambridge totheSouth?

The large area for commercial and industrial development allocated to Cambridge and Cambridge South was questioned, especially as the plan emphasised development at Peterborough, Wisbech and March. It was explained that market forces must dictate where development would take place.

The siting of another super-market on the northern fringe of Cambridge was strongly criticised. With Tesco well established there, why bring in another one?

A new town along the A45 is no longer included in the plan. The new towns areshown - one South of Peterborough and the other midway between Cambridge and Ely tothe West oftheA10. There were no criticisms or comments on thechange not surprisingly as there had already been questions about the ability of the A45 to cope with increasing traffic.

The plan, runs from 1991 to 2006 and may be confirmed early next year.

DISINHERITED? TheEnglish Heritage saga gathers momentum.

InDecember last year Mr Pearcy from English Heritage Midland Region explained the thinking behind Jocelyn Steven's statement of policy “Managing England's Heritage, setting our priorities for the’1990’s”. All seemed set forthedismemberment of an organisation there to protect and conserve our national Heritage.

Mounting opposition from many organisations is being ranged against the extensive changes which Stevens has proposed.

An article in Building Design forMarch 5thby Mira Bar Hillel reports ona meeting between Stevens and hischief executive Jennifer Page, and the London Advisory Committee. At the meeting theLAC refused point blank to approve thetransfer of control over Grade II listed buildings to the London Boroughs. Can Stevens aim of transferring control of all Great II listed buildings outside London totheLocal Authorities also be carried through?

By the time this is read the commons Heritage Select Committee will have interviewed Stevens who is likely to havea hard time.

According toMira Bar-Hillel by February more than 40 amenity groups had voiced opposition to the proposed transfer of powers. If opposition is kept up, particularly by pressure on our MP's, not only can the whole policy be reversed but its author be found somewhere else to exercise his destructive powers perhaps.

Hilton Wright.

LETTERS ...Cambridge Approaches

WOMEN IN ARCHITECTURE GROUP Rosalind Bird At theMarch meeting members presented an interesting variety of work. The first,a practical approach covered the work ofan architect in private practice, both as an employed and selfemployed practitioner, along with raisinga family. By contrast, the next speaker gave an account of the conceptual aspect of the design and the evolution of ideas fora private house in northern France, illustrated with drawings and models.A dissertation subject of exotic designs of Tibetan Buddhists, in England, Scotland and France was thefinal topic featured.

The next meeting ‘Sketch, Think and Drink’ is on 29 April at 8.00pm, The Architecture Centre,6 Kings Parade. Future meetings: 17 June - Visit to Di Haigh's house. 29 July Members’ presentations

One ofthecommonest complaints about Cambridge is that there is too much traffic in its narrow streets causing congestion, atmospheric pollution and danger to pedestrians and cyclists.

Since 1980 theamount oftraffic coming into Cambridge hasincreased by 509c and, if nothing is done, the upward trend will continue. although there has been grandiose talk of Light Rail and Road Pricing other towns have found that the simplest most effective way of diverting travellers from cars to public transport is by Park and Ride coupled to priority bus lanes, so that bus passengers can zip past their fellow commuters stuck in traffic jams.

So farour only large Park and Ride carpark is on Cowley Road. To getthemost benefit form it we needa bus lane on Milton Road. This is, fortunately, considerably wider than the existing carriageway and can be designed to accommodate bus lanes, cycle tracks, footpaths and trees.

In the Spring, the blossom on Milton Road isa joy to see. However, ornamental trees havea relatively short life-span, and already gaps are appearing in the avenue as individual ones die, or need to be severely cut back. Within five years, the majority are likely to have gone, so now isa good time to think about replanting.

Semi-mature specimens can be used so that very quickly there will bea full green avenue which will ensure that Milton Road remains one of the most attractive routes into the city for many years to come.I would like to think that future generations will be as grateful to us as we are to those who planted Trumpington Road andVictoria Avenue.

So despite the heartbreak of cutting down some

much-loved trees,I am sure that all true treelovers will be keen toensure that Cambridge continues to becomea greener place through the planting of new ones, and bya reduction in the pollution that affects both them and us.

Beth Morgan (Chair of theEnvironment Committee, Cambridge City Council)

Douglas Harding - Architect In many ways Douglas Harding, who died so much toosoon, represents the very best of perhaps the last generation of architects to learn the art, science and practice of our profession by the long and thorough route.

Straight from village school he was placed asa pupil with Huges& Bicknell the well

established firm of Carrtbridge Architects by his father,a director of an equally well established firm of builders - Harding& Sons of Duxford.

Douglas was steeped in the town and country society whom heserved with quiet mastery and total dedication. He was a shy man but alsoa strong character. He made important contributions to Lyster & Griller's practice which he joined in 1969, with histalent for simplicity of concept and care for value and function. Among thedistinguished buildings which he created, the Restaurant at the Welding Institute illustrates the clarity arid originality of structure which inspired his clients, his partners and other architects, as can be seen at Stansted.

Chrisophe Grillet Douglas Harding was devoted to architecture.

Beyond that, it is difficult to say anything about it of which he would nothave disapproved. His regard for it as the purest art form was absolute.

His frequent concern was whether clients were good enough forarchitecture, rather than vice versa.

If you are lucky, you can look back at life And count one or two personal supporters: those who have recognised your abilities, and

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championed them. To his younger panners, Douglas was just this.

Despite his own often agonising pursuit of an architectural idea, he was always ready to encourage younger colleagues to take the lead with ideas which he considered to be good. Far from bulldozing over the opinions of others in the way of much architectural arrogance, Douglas was almost dependent upon them, though frequently abrasive to those he felt were likely to vitiate the serious art of architecture.

He often struggled with the anxieties that are the burden of this profession, but his travels, his wonderful family, his home, hisexciting buildings and the buoyant practice that is Lyster Grillet and Harding area testament toa fulfiled life, which ended prematurely.

Douglas Harding died on February 15, 1993.

Richard Pleasants

Jamie Buchanan Landscape Architect 24 Greenside Waterbeach Cambridge CB5 9HP

Tel: (0223) 863253 Fax: (0223) 441001