CA26

Winter 1993/4

Madingley Hall

A QUESTION OF PATRONAGE Historically the University and Colleges have sought out thebest architects in the country: Wren, Gibbs, Wilkins, Waterhouse, and nowa-

days Foster, Hopkins and Cullinan. This is

understandable where thebrief requires genius and exceptional skill. This has made Cambridgea treasury of fine buildings and a

constant source of inspiration and instruction for those architects who come here to learn

and practice.

In the fifties and sixties these local architects were a6Ie to show that their output was ofa comparatively high order and were patronised accordingly. David Roberts, Leslie Martin, Sandy Wilson and Christophe Grillet built

major new buildings.

Criticism by Catherine Cooke

Why is it now that these opportunities go elsewhere? Why doesa leading construction cosr expert state that Cambridge practices are

too small? Why doesa leading academic archi-. tect suggest that theTé are ”no Cambridge prac-

tices good enough fortheCollege.ha advi.s.est “Wh y does

26

College holda competition for

local architects then turn its back on what is produced?

Is the local practitioner ro sit back and allow an inferiority complex tobe inflirted? Must we wait foranother History Library fiasco to make theresearch and academic community realise that there is unrecognised and underemployed reliable architectural skill available locally? Is it really better to employ London whizz-kids for every bitofcollege addition and infill? Does not, at least, our familiarity with the traditions and the true characteristics of the place recommend usmore? Can we expect thata larger slice of the action, impliedbY theextraordinary current burst of fundraising, may come inour direction?

We must be grateful that various local firms by gradual achievement have had their increasing excellence and competence acknowledged, but lets let it be known that generally we feel we should be given more of an opportunity.

A review ofcurrent Architectural and Environmental Issues and

DY

Now that it‘s finishedI suppose this library will start

getting prizes, as Cullinan buildings do.

I am struck by the appositeness of jury comments on hisFountains Abbey Visitors’ Centre, lately shortlist-

ed for Building of the Year as one ofthe National

RIBA Win ners. ’This isa building of which one could

never tire and where there could always be something new and delightful to discover.‘ The St Johns‘ building fails for precisely this reason. Instead of

fosussing attention on the real object for which the people are here assembled, it drowns and distracts them inits own over-detailed ’delights’. These buildings are not thresholds to experiencing the real

objective of ruined abbey orthe line-by-line contents of fascinating books’. They simply adda burden to the process of perception or of pushing the tired young brain that extra mile. And when every detail is so busy being ‘constructive*, all sense of construc

tion in the whole is overwhelmed.

As an organisation of space and the exploitation ofa tight site the building is unarguably successful. It containsa diversity of spaces - public and private, individual and group, embracing and expansive and varied views outward, which will sustain the moods and needs of underg raduates. One can see

it‘s alreadya home-from-home tothem: comfy, full of mutually annihilating nick-nacks, feeling likea

conversion from something else.

To my taste the best space isthe double heig ht

entrance hall. Beneath all its detailing, the gallery

and g reat round informal table for sorting xeroxeso r

waiting for friends make it genuinely redolent of some medieval great hall. From there one can rise on a lift or stairs to three close-packed floors of shelving and seating above.

The basic footprint is simple:a crossbar inthe range

events in the Cambridge area produced by theCambridge Association of Architects. The

This issue of Cambridge Architecture is largely’ devoted tosome current work inand

oftheindividual contributors and not of theAssociation.

completed, by both local and London architects and allied professionals.

views inthis newsletter are those

THE NEW LIBRARY FOR ST JOHN'S COLLEGE

around thecity under construction, or recently

ofold building betweena large, hard, public courtyard and the Master's verdant riverside garden. The shorter protrusion into the sunken public court cre-

ates an entrance witha mix of reading spaces above.

To the right the new

merges imperceptibly into the

old. To the left the old range will reconnect toa

refitted old library viaa new stairtower. This circular link, standing free between two glazed slots, and mercifully simply detailed, was the only formal motif inthe buildingI really enjoyed.

Onto the court standsa g randiose red-and-white portal of strange and unhappy proportions, uncertain of its architectural language, decorated with some tinsel tackiness that proves to be welded steel grilles. The centrally-pivoted door is fine joinery but gives no hint of how to enter, and above ita continuous white beam makesa lumpy, all-dominating ho rizontal. Above that the transparency makes the library seem approachable at night. But approachable across what? Across banal stone landscaping whose central feature isa d rain hole.

Even statuary froma garden centre would have g iven some scale and h umanity here if budgets were tight, and it's no secret they were. But the impressions of meanness derive from an airofindecision not of cash saving. The new venting tower neither dominates nor demurs totheoldlantern alongside.

Amidst the real monumentality around, it feels like the gift from the cornflakes. Or has it popped outof some conceptual cracker which was ’pulled‘ to split the old building7 Hard to say, and hard Iyengaging to ask. Inside, where one m ightexpect to see skimping, special joinery and fittings abound.

The sixties gave us buildings like the nearby New Hall where ’building in Cambridge‘ seemed fated to go to an architect‘s head. Two decades ofthe local professions example, not least under influence of David Roberts, have demonstrated that this hysteria is irrelevant.In this florid venture we are rem inded again of quite how irrelevant.

larly in views from King‘s) and that of the plant room hadtobe carefully considered. The theatre‘s confined site made it impossible to extend thef!v tower and the green rooms atbasement level without going on to the Corpus-owned Eagle Yard. The College was willing if it could havea new residential building as part of the overall development. This scheme is the new Bene't Court by Nicholas Hare Architects. It wraps3 floors of rooms around the extended and raised flytower. There isa new college lecture theatre underneatha first floor terrace between the upper floors and the Bene‘t Street frontage buildings. Also on the ground floor there will be practice rooms anda craft room. The accommodation above includes3 sets,2 study bedrooms forthedisabled, and 15 other study bedrooms.

The original scheme included basement accommodation, which has been omitted due to cost. It also included Fellows' car parking on the rear part of the Eagle Yard. Under pressure from the City Council, the College eventually and most reluctantly agreed to omit the precious car parking spaces.

Although the schemes aredesigned to relate together,with Bene‘t Court masking the sheer sides of the flytower, they are separate developments fordifferent clients (and there was a possibility that only one might proceed inthe immediate future). Fortunately the schemes areproceeding together, witha single contractor (SDC) working on both the Corpus Christi contract and the preliminary Arts Theatre works. The respective job architects are Grahame Jenkins and Jayne Bird. The bricks are Old Ely Cream Multi by the Brick and Stone Co Ltd, with terne coated steel to the Bene‘t Court roofs.

THE ARTS THEATRE EXTENSION AND BENE'T COURT John Preston One of the features of Cambridge is the way in which the Colleges' ownership of central property has made possible some large developments behind street frontages notably Trinity‘s Wolfson Building and Blue Boar Court. This pattern is being continued by the current inter-related Arts Theatre and Bene't Court developments, immediately behind the Architecture Centre at King's Parade. The Arts Theatre development by Bland Brown& Cole is intended to meet the need forimproved backstage accommodation inorder to attract London companies, as well as to provide improved front-of-house and disabled access facilities. These include new level circulation between the Peas Hill and No 7 St Edward‘s Passage entrances, new theatres offices and restaurant accommodation (the Roof Garden is to be glazed in). The roof of David's bookshop will be extended up toa higher ridge, and the adjoining No 7 St Edward‘s Passage will be redeveloped with the existing facade re-erected.

The extended setflying area means that the new fly tower will be higher, and its skyline impact (particu-

The Arts Theatre and City roo fscape. Bland, Brown and Cole

STUDY CENTRE FOR DARWIN COLLEGE Architects description

The site for the Study Centre is unusual both in location and sh.ape. It occupiesa highly sensitive positional in relation to the city of Cambridge. On the other hand it is part of the important route to and from thecity along Silver Street, and it overlooks the Mill Pool forming part of the enclosure to Laundress Green. It is visible down Mill Lane and from Granta Place. The site is long and narrow and presents contrasting conditions and design issues when seen from thestreet or from thewater.

The purpose ofthe building is to provide places for postgraduate students to study within the College. Study means theuseofcomputer as well as conventional reading and writing. The brief therefore is for a number of soundproof rooms forcomputer terminals, in addition to a relaxed open library/study space. This open area should offera variety of kinds of work place. There should be shelves for books butthese can be less formally related to the reading areas than ina college library; the accent is on providing pleasant conditions for study.

The overall layout of Darwin College consists ofa line of buildings joined together overa period of time. The Kitchen Garden site extends this linear arrangement and is itselfa narrow rectangular piece of land that dictates the plan form ofthe new building.

The organisation is best described in section. One the street side of the site, the building is low, and appears to emerge from the existing boundary wall. On the river side there are two storeys of accommodation, and in the middlethe roof raised toa clerestory window. In this section, the computer rooms areplaced at ground floor level along the waterfront and the reading room isa general space extending from ground floor along the street side to fist floor overlooking the water. This gives the opportunity for an interesting variety of study spaces.

Students enter the study centre solely through the ground floor of the adjacent Granary building. Circulation within the building takes place along the inside of the curved wall to the street. Staircases connect the two levels of the reading room.

The character of the interior space derives from the geometry ofthesite. The straight line of the waterside edge ofthesite is set against the curved wall to Silver Street. The inside of this curved wall is lined with books.

The rafters forming the roof reconcile the straight line to the curve and thus generatea gently three-dimensional curved place when seen in perspective.

College Gain -City Loss?

Nicholas Hellawell

Darwin College isa graduate college founded in1964

by Trinity, St John's and Gonville and Caius Colleges.

It occupiesa narrow site on the river adapting early 19th century houses, notably The Old Granary, The Grange and The Hermitage, extended by HKPA witha residential block and dining hall. The college has continued to grow and hasexamined alternative means of providing additional student accommodation. This site at the heart of the college is an area abutting Silver Street bridge to the east of The Old Granary and known tothecollege as the Kitchen Garden.

The new accommodation designed by Jeremy Dixon/Edward Jones providesa library with computer suite together witha Fellow‘s flat and ancillary facilities. Access is through the ground floor of The Old Granary bya single storey glazed link intoa split level library/study centre. This takes its form from theoriginal boundary wall to Silver Street and the views tothe south across the Mill Pit.A two storey pavilion with the flat terminates the group. Materials are brick, slate and lead for the roofs, and limed timber.

The Old Granary was remodelled by J.J. Stevenson in 1695 intoa private residence. When viewed across the river its mixed fenestration and balcony, set ina massive curving wall rising out of the river formsa wonderful and natural termination to the original College.

The restricted site available for the new accommodation has perhaps brought the new Study Centre too

close to The Old Granary and may compromise its curved elevation and picturesque quality. The architects have provided the elevation to the Pit and Laundress Green with large areas of glass framed by a cantilevered timber balcony over the water. For the building users this will be a splendid facility but its scale may prove to be atvariance with the essentially domestic character of adjoining buildings7 And at night will it perhaps take away some oftheintimacy the space currently possesses?

Inthe urban matrix of this part of the City there isa complex and perhaps delicate relationship between open space and built form. Queens’ Green and the Mill Pit may be thought significant elements linked visually across Silver Street between thecurved facades of The Granary and Queens’ Fisher Building. With even this modest new building the link, or green wedge leading to ’The Backs’ becomes more tenuous.

From an architectural point of view we should be delighted to havea building of this evident quality.

However like the Graduate Centre before it,I fear it may further erode the traditional ambience oftheMill Pit and Laundress Green.

THE WILSON CENTRE Fitzwilliam College Cathy Fisher

In November theWomen inArchitecture Group organiseda local site visit with the architect Jo Van Heyningen. The design was the winner ofthe limited competition in 1991, fora building to be used jointly by Fitzwilliam College and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, aided by the major benefaction or Peter Wilson (former chairman ofthe Estates Gazette).

The idea of the visit was to examine therole of women asarchitects, and to speak to someone who hasfulltime involvement in the profession. What became most apparent to us about Jo Van Heyningen as she took us around the site was her energy and enthusiasm and her commitment toherwork. The stage atwhich we visited the building enabled us to see its construction in progress, and merely to imagine the details and finished, as they were described to us.We were given an introduction to the project, and its relationship with the two earlier stages ofthe development on thecollege site. The Wilson Centre observes the scale, treatment and materials of the earlier buildings, yet maintains its own individuality. Briefly, the building is based on the idea ofa square, which is divided into two parts. The L shaped building contains the study bedrooms and associated accommodation and the main conference facilities on the ground floor. The corner block, which makes up thesquare, containsa lecture room, and the conference director‘s suite above.

We began by climbing the scaffolding to the second floor, where we could understand the concept ofthe stair spaces. These have been designed with large areas of glass, to allow as much natural light into the building as possible. The landings are envisaged as important social spaces with the communal kitchenettes positioned opposite each stairway. The accommodation is dual purpose, used by students during the terms and forRICS short intensive courses fornon cognater graduates during the vacation. This required each room to have its own shower and WC and storage space.

Up inthe roof space, we could see how the services will work inthebuilding: specially located holes inthe concrete slabs allow the pipework and ducts to rise vertically up through the building to the roof space, where they will all be connected horizontally. The finishes throughout the building have been designed to givea consistency oftheme - ash for wooden details, facebrick or plaster and painted interiors, and facebrick exteriors.

The latter will be softened by plants which will eventually grow intheplanters situated on each level. These planters have been used to createa stepped and modulated facade, which is enlivened bya pacern of light and dark shadows.

The most valuable part of this site visit was being able to see work inprogress. The construction of this building revealed its solidity and simplicity, yet enabled us to appreciate its relationship with its rather leafy green context.

Illustrations by courtesy of Architecture Today

BURRELL'S FIELD2

Coda It is said that the end of the recession ismarked by an increase in bankruptcies as the merchant banks seize the favourable opportunity to reap the grim harvest. If that isso it is the only encouragement from the sad demise as we go to press of the celebrated L›uilding firm of Johnson& Bailey leaving Burrells Field their main project and clients Trinity College, high and dry part way through construction. But it is not only this contract that will suffer. The larger tragedy is the termination ofa contracting company which brought unusual care& interest to the making of buildings. For this stateo f a flairs the bankersof this world must take full credit,

manner ofspeaking, not -

withstanding the srate of the

economy.

Site plan

Ed.

Trinity College are undertakinga significant residential development inBurrell's Field to the westof their Fellows' Garden and adjacent to the University Library, with architect Richard MacCormac. This description isprovided by project engineers Harris and Sutherland.

New rooms will be provided for70 students. There will also be two fellows' sets with associated teaching rooms, seminar and common rooms, and new facilities for support staff to developa close knit community minutes from the College centre, but witha definite life of its own.

The new residences are separated into thirteen three and four storey blocks with rooms arranged around central staircases and set in relation to two 1970s residential buildings in the gardens of57 and 58 Grange Road. Preservation of the environment of west Cambridge with its fine houses and gardens is a priority* both forthe College, the City and its planners. MacCormac hasaimed to draw together the buildings into close knit clusters enhanced with extensive landscape features. The density of the development leaves the greater part of the site on both sides of the Bin Brook untouched. This mature landscape will be enhanced by further planting. The buildings linked together by substantial garden walls present an elevation to the brooka little likea medieval fortified hill town. Security is of growing significance in the collegiate life of the City.

The construction of the building and associated landscape has presented many challenges for the engineering design. Fortified hill towns arebuild on rock, not Cambridge clay.A strategy had to be developed forfounding the many different structures affording protection against ground movement inthemoisture sensitive clay bordering the Bin Brook. Buildings are founded on reinforced concrete ground beams supported by deep flight auger piles.

Forces exerted on even narrow beams by expanding clay can be substantial, soa buffer of polystyrene has been introduced to absorb any movement. Floor slabs, vulnerable even tothe pressure exerted by crushing of low density polystyrene, were seton corrugated metal formwork tocreatea void for expanding clay,. The formwork can degrade without creating any methane.

The investment in landscape has been high. pavings, retaining walls, planters, pergolas all incorporating high quality precast concrete elements are sensitive to disturbance. Joints at junctions between garden walls and buildings were notacceptable architecturally, and in many instances misalignment ofwalls at joints would be very unsightly. To avoid excessive movement many elements of landscape are supported on piles. Elsewhere, heavy rock is being punched into the clay to stiffen it and traditional footings are then used.

Externally the buildings consist of buff brick, grit blasted precast cills, pilasters and cornices and lead clad steel roofs are in traditional lead.

The College havea great affinity for the stone which has served them sowell over the centuries. They had tobe convinced that durable high quality concrete elements can be produced using today's tech-

nology. White concrete and aggregate were combined ina dense mix.A high cube strength was specified to producea dense concrete, and not for structural reasons. Histon Concrete are the manufacturers of the precast unitsa high proportion of which arespecials. Stainless steel is used forreinforcement and fixings which have been developed infine detail by the design team, so that close control can be exercised over assembly. The floors are 215mm concrete slabs set on load bearing masonry toensure good sound insulation between rooms.

Care was taken with concrete block and brick of high cavity walls to avoid disruption, particularly at window reveals, where expanding brickwork and shrinking blockwork can cause significant problems.

Cambridge Landscape Architects were brought inat an early stage to support MacCormac's team.

Sensitive handling of the existing trees and shrubs was of vital interest to both College and planners.

Plans were drawn up identifying all trees and only immature or poor specimens are being removed.

Prior to gaining approval foundation strategies were developed forstructures close to trees. The use of heavy flight auger piling rigs close to trees has been prohibited. Small tripod rigs operating offtimber platforms set on sand beds are used to protect the roots. Certain structures are set on shallow cantilevers to avoid penetration into root zones and conventional downstand edge beams areavoided in these instances. Frost protection is achieved using polystyrene.

It was necessary to reassure the National Rivers Authority that siting of two buildings on the bank of the Bin Brook would notpresenta flood risk to third parties. We were able to establish that an adequate flood bypass area was available on low lying Trinity land adjacent to Burrell‘s Walk. Levels of the new bridge spanning the brook were negotiated with the N.R.A. Prior to planning approval all Main River Agreements were inplace. “ Only some fine houses. CA 24. Ed

MADINGLEY HALL Richard Brimblecombe

(Cowper Griffith Brimblecombe) Madingley Hall has been extended and modified many ti mes throughout its history, on each occasion allowing the influence of previous generations to remain inevidence. Each elevation of the Hall exhibitsa quite different character together providinga fascinating record or the originalh unting lodge‘s evolution through country mansion into premises fora University department.

The requirements of the University‘s Board of Continuing Education have generally married well with the character and variety of accommodation offered by Madingley Hall. Entrance and reception areas, main function and teaching rooms, kitchens and some staff and administrative accommodation arecontained inthe Main Hall whilst the adjacent, visually subservient, courtyard building contains the majority of student rooms and library.

The conversion of the stable Courtyard to student rooms carried out in the early 1950s was handled witha simple dignity which complements well the earliest south western corner of the Main Hall.

However, standards of accommodation ofthe 50s were no longer adequate forcurrent requirements and it was decided to carry outa substantial refurbish ment including the introduction of en suit bath and shower rooms. The associated loss of existing rooms and theneed to expand the residential accommodation called for the construction ofa new building.

The site chosen forthe new building to the north west ofthe existing courtyard would allow the integ ration of new and refurbished rooms inrelatively close proximity to the Main Hall, without compromising its relationship with the surrounding landscape. Although north facing, the site offered splendid views and its sloping topography suggested an exciting design opportunity in this relatively neglected part of the grounds.

It was decided that the new building should grow as easily as possible out of the existing courtyard the existing roof lines should be respected, alignment ofcorridors should continue into the new accommodation, and the existing building should remain legible once the new one had been added.

OPTION5

English heritage insisted that the building should not extend into the North Walk. An earlier scheme centred the end tower over the North Walk givinga port cochere entrance as its base into the topiary garden.

These constraints and the schedule of accommodation led toa very compact building form inwhich space was ata premium. The building has two upper levels designed as extensions to the ground and first floors of the existing Courtyard building and as the ground falls away tothenorth, two further floors are introduced below the Courtyard level. These lower floors are reached bya stair within the new building and it was important to achievea feeling of generosity in circulation areas to maintaina convincing route down tothese unexpected ‘extra‘ rooms. The stair is positioned at the end of the co rridor with an oriel window and

seating giving spectacular views over the surrounding landscape. This device maintainsa certain momentum tothevertical movement through the building and provides opportunities for casual encounters.

The four storey plan form uses themes oftowers and turrets, taken from the Main Hall, to articulate the buildings overall form. Materials used externally are deliberately restrained and much effort was made toensurea close match with adjacent work.

The detailing of openings adjacent to the Courtyard building closely follows the existing. As the vertical scale increases towards the North Walk details of brick and stonework develop intheir elaboration.

At its northern end the building achieves its greatest height and establishesa dialogue along the North Walk with the Main Hall reflecting the growing importance of the Courtyard buildings as vehicle and storage areas make way forthefeepaying delegates essential for the future upkeep of Madingley Hall.

The Local Government Review into the structure, boundaries and electoral arrangem ents for local govern ment is prem ised on the supposition that local community identity and interests and convenient and effective I ocal govern ment areprejudiced by the current two tier structure of District and Country a uthorities. The Cambridgeshirea uthorities are considering four altern ative, including (unacceptably to central government) the status quo. Not surprisingly the City is in favour of single tier government; the confrontational absurdities between County and City th at area historical feature of the management ofCam bridge (pace not least East Road) point to the inescapable need for change.The Government commission‘s party political eu phem isms ’better reflect local co mm unity interest’ and ’effective local government’ setthe scene and immediately put the damper on any real expectation of radical attention to the anach ronistic space of local authority. Eig hty years ago Patrick Geddes was pointing up the need forregionatplanning. Thirty years ago Jane Jacobs (The Economy ofCities)d rew attention to the dependency ofthe rurala reas on the power and wealth generating capabilities of the m odern city. It is the power bases of the region and the city that the back to basics protagonists recog nise as the real opposition to central dictat, and consequently strive to emasculate.

A reform of local government that on Iy uses service delivery and ’democratic‘ infl uence as generators of locala utho rity struc-

ture, is tarnished with the sin of om ission.

The reality of modern life resides in the physical, economic and operational real ms and networks of city, metropolis and region, not he feudalistic county boundaries which arethe distorting and irrelevant frame of organisation. If we can see a single tier local authority government asa transitional step in the dissolution of the county matrix, then perhaps there is benefit. What is needed isa better definition of the space of city and the space of rural areas. The administrative structures and sentiments will follow in their proper order. ” Colen Lum ley

PLANT BREEDERS Offices& Laboratories talk to CAA The Cambridge Associations Meetingsa re periodically en lightened by local practitioners with cameo presentations on topics that interest them. The Jan uary meeting heard Chris Cowper describe his Regional Award project for Cam bridge Plant Breeders, Thriplow.

CPB specialises in pl ant biology and culture with most ofthefirm's field trial areas in the vill age. The brief was to design and builda new headquarters building and plant breeding station consisting of offices, meeting and conference rooms, administration and two main laboratories.

The site is on the edge ofthevillage conservation area. The building‘s form is in scale with adjacent housing, using traditional materials, witha large handmade cl ay tile roof giving the outward appearance ofa barn.

Approaching the village its building emerges asa series of gently rising roofs defining the edge ofthevillage.

The plan is cruciform with the ma in building run ning east west, and smaller wings projecting so uth and nonh, concealing car parking and a small private garden. The ma in entrance canopy is supported bya truss in symbolic reference to ag ricultural or industrial m ill imagery.

Top lighting from ridge glazing allows sun lig ht into the heart of the building.

The first floor offices get with in the roof are lit by roof lights set in the ma in roof slope.

The g rey stained timber cladding sits on a brick plinth. Recessed joint detailing is used to givea crisp and precise finish. The fire escape stair on the end of the south wing, leads from the first floor offices to the half level of higher ground. The large stone triangular gase ofthe stair replicates the form ofthe building. The stones are visual ancho rs,a symbolic reterence to the earth and the business of the plant breed ing company.

Completed in1990 the 724 sq m buil ding cost £946 m’.

Clearly more promotion is needed than was evident to ensure ana dequate audience forthesep rivileged insights into practice.

Edited fromo man u8cript provided b/ Chris Cow'per.

ACADEMIC ENTERPRISE DavidYandell

REGIONAL ENERGY GROUP TRAVEL AWARDS PRESENTATIONS 1993 The Eastern Region Energy Group made twotravel awards in1993.

Dennis Ho, and M Phil student in environmentaI design at the Martin Centre, and who now works with Ted Cullinan, used hisaward to see atfirst hand examples ofatria design from Helsinki to Sicily and beyond.

His dissertation traces atria through History - how they arose, what forms they have taken, how they worked, and what we should learn for the design of atria for today and fortomorrow.A copy ofthe dissertation is currently held at the Architectural Centre at6 Kings Parade.

Thalia Tassioulou,a student at Cranfield Institute of Technology studying for an MSC in Energy and the Built Environment, used her award to study traditional responses to climatic conditions in various regions of Europe reiated to modern approaches and comparing thermal performance.

The 1994 Awards arenow open to student applicants in the Eastern Region. To find out more and obtain application forms, contact Rex Bowen, Eastern Region Energy Group, c/o Hertfordshire County Council, Property Department, County Hall, Hertford, SG13 8DD. Closing date for applications is the 28th of February 1994 or soon after and a decision on the awards follows quickly enough toallow fortravel arrangements to be made from May onwards.

AC

As the boom expired inthe late 80‘s, and businesses fought to survive and as the government continued to insist on privatisation, decentralisation of funding and financial independence forinstitutions, the University of Cambridge and its colleges launcheda massive search for funds.

At the centre was the target set by the Cambridge Foundation to gathera sum of E250 million to secure the future of teaching, research and facilities and maintain the international pre-eminence of the University, which has become much more ofa ‘business’. It sells its name, image and thechance of immortality and collaboration throughout the world and appeals to the nostalgia and pride of its alumni.

The Vice Chancellor is increasingly the Sales Manager. Concepts such as ‘affinity marketing’ are enlisted to further the cause. Special deals and relationships have been struck throughout the world.

Japanese businesses, Malaysian foundations, Scandinavian philanthropists, American Friends have all contributed massively in particular ways.

Moreover thechanging requirements of Higher Education and research are recognised and met by the perception and generosity of individuals such as Paul Judge and Simon Sainsbury who made possible the foundation of the Institute of Management in theoldAddenbrookes building. Likewise Peter Beck with,a property developer, has largely funded the new building for Biochemistry.

Innovative collaborations between the University and British business have also appeared. Peat Marwick McClintock and the Arup Foundation are examples ofprofessional firms that have given funds to the University for areas of activity of mutual interest. Smith Kline Beecham and Glaxo aretwo major firms who have provided money tofund and accommodate research.

Government withdrawal from funding has been most keenly felt at the lowest level where theordinary student is expected shortly to be borrowing at least half of his/her grant. The Colleges, effectively the ‘homes’ and ‘families’ of those in residence are required to increase their numbers. To provide more accommodation forstudents who cannot afford it, many have entered into special Business Enterprise Schemes which exploiteda loophole (now closed) in a government system forencouraging investment.

People with money buyshares ina college scheme forfive years and obtaina tax bréak on the investment. The college secures the money on thevalue of its property and derives income from the interest on the money. Part of this extraordinary manoeuvre involves mortgaging all the college buildings and emptying them ofstudents for 24 hours.

By this method Trinity intends to raise E8.2 million, Christs has funded its new Lasdun-masking building in King's Street and Caius intends to help pay for its massive residential scheme beyond Harvey Court and the purchase ofthe old Squire library in Senate House Passage.

At least one college has questioned the morality of this process. Jesus and Magdalene areconducting the traditional appeal to each generation with glossy brochures and systems ofcovenanting.

Obviously the local economy must benefit from this influx. It is however justa process of transfer from centralised to private funding i.e., things must change so that they can remain the same, or can local architects, along with other services expect some relief froma bonanza7

Runninga Practice Paul Darlow

Obligatory CPD was launched last year and it‘s importance will grow. As our clients require proof or our professional competence, our insurers will insist upon proof that we are professionally up to date.

In early December, we held our first CPD Seminar at the Regional Centre in Kings parade. The seminar was aimed atthesmaller practice,. The objective was to providea free event where practices could discuss the topic of the day or any other matters concerning them. The topic was runninga business and covered financial management, staff manage-

ment and public relations - three topics which are essential to any business and described by Sarah Nicholson (Arena Ltd), Simon Pratten (Simon Pratten Consultancy) and Richard Blake (an independent consultant). For those who did not attend here are some notes covering the major points covered: Management Accounting Over the last ten years, Sarah Nicholson has developed Arena Software, an administration and cost accounting package aimed primarily at architects but now being adopted more widely. The software covers document issue, accounts, job costing, fee invoicing and quality assurance_This package allows the small practitioner to know how much anyjobis costing and to understand how their accounts work.

There are many business’ where theaccounts are not fully understood and significant quantities of money have gone astray asa result. Every business should have accessible systems which enable those running the business to be aware where all their moneys arecoming from and going to.

Client and Staff Management.

Simon Pratten worked forSavills as the director responsible for their Cambridge Office. In 1992 he left to establish his own firm, specialising in management development, organisational structure and the development of individuals and teams within professional organisations.

Simon believes that people are the heart of any practice and its your clients perception of them that will reflect on your business and ultimately on your marketing. Good staff management cantherefore provide you witha competitive edge. Client and staff management areinterlinked and well motivated and enthusiastic staff are an essential ingredient for well managed and satisfied clients. But what is staff management all about7 Simon described ita providing an environment where your staff accept responsibility, are motivated and havea sense of purpose. Out of this,a sense of involvement and understanding will develop. Job satisfaction is made up ofthese and other things, which will vary from person to person.

How is this achieved?’ The key words aretheWHAT; theHOW; theWHY andtheWHEN. This means that staff must be given the opportunity to question and the implication of the load thrust upon them must be understood by that person. It must be explained how the task fits into the whole strategy and the person must be told when it is needed by.Realistic expectations gain client confidence and if the perception is lower than the expectation then there will be problems. Inessence Satisfaction = Perception - Expectation Finally you must understand your client‘s industry and business. This develops your client‘s confidence inyour ability to provide what they require.

Marketing/PR Richard Blake becamea free-lance communications arYd public relations consultant in 1992. Previously, he spent time with SHELTER as Deputy Director for administration and fundraising and as Chief Executive ofa registered housing association, before becomingthePress and Public relations Director for the Housing Corporation. He maintains his links with social housing asa member o1theCommittee of Management ofHereward Housing Association in Ely. Richard talked about the importance oftwo way communication, the importance of good external perception of your practice and the planning ofa marketing strategy.

He left us with hisTen Marketing Commandments, which are: 1 Acceptance by the person(s) at the top of the company that customersa rethe ultimate determinant of its fail ure or success.

2 Havinga clearly defined mission and set of objectives which are understood and accepted throughout the organisation.

3 havinga deep understanding, as opposed to simplya knowledge, of what influences the environment and markets inwhich the company operates.

4 Assessing honestly the positive and negative assets of the company.

5 Identify the particular areas or niches where real opportunities exit for the company.

6 Knowing thedirect and indirect competition, what makes it tick and how it is likely to act and react.

7 Establishing the competitive edge which will make clients choose your services against those of the competition.

8

Bringing an open-minded perception to interpreting, developing and presenting your services, and the facilities and organisation to support it.

9 Achieving the most appropriate selection, training and motivation of your team.

10 Being dedicated totally to the achievement of corporate success inthe market-place and of overall company objectives.

The evening's presentation covered three aspects of business which areessential to any company. The speakers provided the catalyst, encouraging us to consider the issues in more depth. Allwho attended the session found it successful. We hope that many others will attend our forthcoming events covering Facilities Management and Technical Detailing.

ATTACHMENT THEORY& CHILD CARE

A talk given at the Architecture Centre on 27th January by Dr Hinde to the Women Architects Group Allparents want their children to grow up emotionally well-balanced and socially at ease. Allworking parents are concerned that their children might miss out, especially during the pre-school years; women inparticular can feela nagging sense of guilt that they are not “there” for their children when most needed.

Dr.Joan Hinde‘s message is one of reassurance.

Dr. Hinde has many years' experience of observing child behaviour and interaction with care-givers, both ina laboratory setting and within day-to-day environments she jointly runs the Medical Research Council group inthe development and integration of behaviour, based within the Dept. of Zoology station at Madingley. Her talk to the Women‘s Architecture Group was also attended by several members oftheCambridge working Mothers' Association, and was followed bya lively discussion of issues faced by working mothers ingeneral.

Dr. Hinde introduced us gently to the technical terminology of her discipline, in particular the “attachment theory of John Bowlby”. This emphasises the importance of bonds formed inthefirst New years of life between thechild and one or more adults who area constant feature of his life. The nature of this bond plays an important part in shaping the child‘s view of relationships in general, and will influence his later confidence is going out and forming independent friendships of his own.

Attachment among infants and young children is studied in the lab by putting the child in an unfamiliaror “strange situation”a room inwhich his accompanying parent leaves him playing fora few minutes, or until he begins to show distress. On the parents' return the child‘s reactions are carefully noted by the study team.A calm reaction - eye contact, perhapsa verbal exchange before returning to play - indicates secure attachment.A number of similar studies described by Dr. Hinde have shown remarkable consistency. Around two-thirds of children tested are secure. The remainder, however, show insecurity in one of two ways: either they ignore the returning parent: or they become even more upset, alternately demanding to be picked up and put down, and seeking constant attention.

The tests have been carried out with mother, fathers and others “care-givers” such as nannies and childminders. The overwhelming conclusion is that the formation of secure attachment depends noton the identity of the adult in question - for the sake of argument, whether that person is the child‘s mother ora day-care person - but on the quality of their previous interactions. Children form secure attachments to care-givers who interact ina sensitively responsive manner with them. If the caregiver is unresponsive to the child's needs, - perhaps because of depression, marital stress or recent bereavement the child is likely to display insecure behaviour perhaps constantly demanding attention or even being “care-giving” to the parent.

On the other hand,a care-giver who is over-anxious to stimulate the child, takesa domineering role in his games and seeks to stretch his abilities, may end up with the type of child who shows insecurity bv avoiding emotional exchange.

Another piece of research underlines the message to relax. Mothers were interviewed about the levels

of anxiety they experienced about balancing their maternal role with career investment. Stay-at-home others were compared with those combining parenthood and full-time work. In both groups, secure attachment inthe child was associated witha relaxed attitude on the part of the mother and consequent sensitivity to her child. Problems were likely to arise when themother felt guilty about pursuing her career at the supposed expense of being with her child, or alternatively resented the work opportunities she felt she was missing asa full-time mum.

Dr.Hinde‘s own research has concerned shyness in children from theviewpoint of attachment theory. It seems thata proportion of children have an innate tendency to react excessively to stimuli - they are easily frightened or startled and at an early age seek to avoid alarming situations. This syndrome hasa number ofphysiological characteristics, includinga high and steady heart rate, and may havea genetic component. The behaviour pattern often becomes apparent at around the age 3,perhaps when the child meetsa large group ofpeers forthe first time ata playgroup; he recoils from the rough and tumble and begs to go home.

The reaction of parents and (other care-givers) to this timidity is crucial in enabling the child to develop a successful strategy for coping with his shvness.

A shy child may find contentment on hisown and perhaps make firm friends with one or two other sensitive souls. If the situation is badly handled, however, the result could bea miserable time at school.

It seems that, here again, the child who has formed a secure attachment to one or more care-givers has a better chance ofcoping well - perhaps becausea responsive adult will give him just the right kind of support, neither pushing him to overcome hisshyness nor allowing him to withdraw completely from contact with strangers. One very interesting observation was that although an innate tendency to shyness is equally common inboys and girls, shy boys arefarmore likely to receive negative responses from peers and adults. Timid little boys are more frequently forced to hide their fears and may even react with aggression, while timid little girls are tolerated and even praised for their demureness. Such social pressures may reinforce gender stereotypes which do not match the child‘s own personality: we were left with the question of what problems this may cause as the childg rows into an adult.

Helen Mulligan

STOP PRESS .....

DESIGNING FORA SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FUTURE WORLD 1994 The Eastern Region Energy Group invite Architects and allied building professionals to submit examples of their work furthering the cause of sustainability in the built environment forexhibition at Future World 1994 Initial proposals to be limited to one side of an A1 sheet and to be sent to Philip Nellis, EREG Chairman, RIBA Architecture Centre,6 Kings

Parade, Cambridge CB2 1SJ no later than 31 March 1994. There is no entrance fee and Eastern Electricity are offering prizes to worthy candidates.

CAMBRIDGE WOMEN ARCHITECTS GROUP Thursday 19 May 1994, 2.00pm site visit to the new building at Lucy Cavendish College designed by Van Heyningen and Haward. The site architect Neil Choudhury will be leading the visit. Numbers limited. Details Cathy Fisher on Cambridge 44109. Hard hats and wellies necessary!

DUXFORD

SCHMUXFORD Therecent rejection of the regional shopping centre proposal by the Secretary of State must be hailed asa victory for the well-being of the City centre, not to mention the small scale traders of the surrounding villages. If it signalsa shift in government policy it marks a turning point of national import.

If it could be argued that modern lifestyles depend on easy access for consumers and large scale service delivery, the reality of vehicle ownership and convenience ofthe edge ofcity shopping mail cannot be denied too readily. To that extent John Gummer's decision is not all good news.

The high density centralism of urban centres is the real source of wealth generation, with its cultures and sub cultures of intensive human contact. The retail services in the city centre that underpin the close knit character of city life are under threat from the unequal competition of out-of-town shopping centres, with their price-cutting economies ofscale on top of the advantages ofeast of access.

Neither of these seemingly incompatible requirements is resolved for good by theDuxford decision.

What it suggests is that the city needs the power and theimagination to impose special levies, to redress the economic imbalance, in conjunction with he discounting of business rate for central traders.

That way we might standa chance ofachievinga balanced solution for both worlds. The City cannot afford to avoid interventionist management oftheeconomic forces in the long run, if it wishes to avert the distortions to the city organism and the radical inequities of free market forces that are afflicting cities worldwide with catastrophic consequences.

This issue is an illustration of the need for review of the City boundaries and styles of management which the Local Plan and the Commission on unitary authorities must address more directly.

CL

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