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Sir Basil Spence's Canongate

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Sir Basil Spence's Canongate SIR BASIL SPENCE’S CANONGATE HOUSING Edinburgh Conservation Statement Simpson & Brown Architects August 2013 Front cover: General view of the rear courtyard showing Block 3, 3 Brown’s Close. (S&B) Contents Page 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2 2.0 INTRODUCTION 5 2.1 Objectives of the Conservation Statement 5 2.2 Study Area 5 2.3 Heritage Designations 6 2.4 Structure of the Report 7 2.5 Adoption & Review 7 2.6 Other Studies 8 2.7 Limitations 8 2.8 Project Team 8 2.9 Acknowledgements 8 2.10 Abbreviations 9 2.11 Architect References 9 3.0 UNDERSTANDING SPENCE’S CANONGATE HOUSING 11 3.1 Introduction 11 3.2 Historical Background 11 3.3 Commissioning & Design 20 3.4 Construction & Completion 25 3.5 Critical Reception 29 3.6 Contemporary Comparators 30 3.7 Architects’ Biographies 35 3.8 Summary Historical Development 37 3.9 Later Alterations 38 3.9 The Canongate Housing Development Today 39 4.0 ASSESSMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE 43 4.1 Introduction 43 4.2 Historical Significance 48 4.3 Aesthetic and Architectural Significance 49 5.0 GRADING OF SIGNIFICANCE 51 5.1 Introduction 51 5.2 Graded Elements 51 6.0 CONSERVATION ISSUES & RECOMMENDATIONS 55 6.1 Conservation Issues 55 6.2 Recommendations 69 7.0 APPENDICES 76 Appendix I: Listed Building Report 76 Appendix II: Conservation Area Boundary Map 79 Appendix II: World Heritage Site Boundary Map 81 Appendix IV: Sir Basil Spence Archive Manuscript Transcriptions 83 Appendix V: Cost Banding 96 Sir Basil Spence’s Canongate Housing – Conservation Statement 1 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Sir Basil Spence’s Canongate Housing development is a category B listed complex of housing blocks located on Canongate in the Old Town of Edinburgh. The development consists of three blocks: two linear blocks that face Canongate and one smaller block set behind on Brown’s Close. In total there are thirty flats – a mix of one and two bedroom flats and some studio apartments, arranged in five communal stairs with two flats on each of the first, second and third floors. The ground floor levels are occupied by a total of three commercial units, a public house and a number of storage areas and open pends that connect Canongate and Brown’s Close to rear courtyard areas – roughly following the pattern of closes that pre- existed the development. Sir Basil Spence is one of Scotland’s, and the UK’s, most famous 20th century architects, famous for major housing, commercial and public commissions across the UK and worldwide, particularly in the 1960s and early 1970s. His roots in the Scottish vernacular modernism of the inter-War and immediate post-War years remained with him throughout his career, despite ever-bolder Brutalist schemes. This apparent dichotomy was a key thread of Spence’s practices – and one that he was often criticised for from both sides of historicist and modernist debates. The Canongate Housing is a particularly interesting example of his attempts to marry both a contextual use of materials – in this case, rubble stone walling - with modern monopitch roofs and distinctive cast in situ concrete elements. The sensitivity of Spence and his Edinburgh practice towards the scale of the Old Town is of note, as is the acknowledgement of historic closes whose tenements had been demolished by the Corporation even before Spence had been appointed. This is matched by his concern shown towards historic buildings of note in the immediate surroundings that survived – particularly in the framing of the Canongate Manse. The overall level of significance of the building is considerable. A number of individual features are of moderate or neutral significance, with the distinctive cast in situ concrete balconies, canopies, vaults and external stair all being of considerable significance – representing as they do a clear link to the wider Spence oeuvre, and to a distinctive period in 20th century architecture. Elements of considerable significance should be retained and respected as part of any future alteration of the building. Elements of moderate significance should be retained wherever possible, whilst areas of neutral or negative significance may provide opportunities for alteration, restoration or enhancement. Where elements of considerable significance have been altered, there is an opportunity to remove later alterations which have diminished the significance of that element – for example later fenestration to the balcony areas, or painted concrete features. With wider concerns relating to modern environment standards and the application of these standards to post-War listed buildings, there is an exceptional opportunity to explore ways in which these popular and well-liked homes can be upgraded whilst maintaining that which is culturally significant. In particular, if ways can be found that both improve the energy efficiency of these buildings and create an opportunity to consistently restore or repair features across the development, then there is the potential for this to serve as an exemplar project to similar listed buildings elsewhere. 2 Sir Basil Spence’s Canongate Housing – Conservation Statement Figure 1 Oblique aerial view from the south showing the Canongate running from west-east (left-right), and the three Canongate Housing blocks at the centre. Bing.com Figure 2 General view showing the rear courtyard and block 3, no.3 Brown’s Close. S&B Sir Basil Spence’s Canongate Housing – Conservation Statement 3 Figure 3 Extract from the Ordnance Survey Explorer series (1:25,000) with location of study area circled. Ordnance Survey © Crown copyright All rights reserved. Licence number 100006772 Figure 4 A vertical satellite view centred on the Canongate Housing. Google 4 Sir Basil Spence’s Canongate Housing – Conservation Statement 2.0 INTRODUCTION 2.1 Objectives of the Conservation Statement This conservation statement has been commissioned by Edinburgh World Heritage, as part of a wider study run in conjunction with the City of Edinburgh Council and Historic Scotland. Although the report has not been commissioned by the various owners of property in the study area, the study is being carried out with their assistance. The aim of this report is to inform the possible future conservation, repair, and energy efficiency enhancement of the housing development. It should inform future proposals for conservation and alteration. The history and significance of the housing development has been analysed. This conservation statement has been prepared as an appraisal of the heritage value of policies and setting, and provides an examination of key conservation related issues and guidelines regarding the site. A conservation statement assesses and sets out in summary what is important about a heritage site. The information gathered is considered in a brief assessment of cultural significance, for the site as a whole and for its various parts. It is summarised in this report in a statement of significance. The purpose of establishing the importance of the site is to identify and assess the attributes which make a place of value to our society. Once the heritage significance of the Canongate Housing development is understood, informed policy decisions can be made which will enable that significance to be retained, revealed, enhanced or, at least, impaired as little as possible in any future decisions for the site. A clear understanding of the nature and degree of the significance of various parts of the study area will not only suggest constrains on future action but it will introduce flexibility by identifying opportunities for adaptation, enhancement and development. From all of this information it is possible to establish a set of policies, or guidelines, that will inform the future conservation, repair, management and alteration of the buildings according to best conservation practice. 2.2 Study Area The Canongate Housing development is located on the north side of Canongate in the Old Town of Edinburgh. The study area of this report comprises the three blocks of housing that were developed by the Edinburgh Corporation in the late 1960s – this includes two blocks facing Canongate and one block on Brown’s Close. ‘Block 1’ as referred to in archival drawings, and in this report, comprises 97-103 Canongate; ‘Block 2’ comprises 67-71 Canongate and what is referred to in this report as numbers 1 and 2 Brown’s Close; and ‘Block 3’ is what is referred to in this report as 3 Brown’s Close. It should be noted that the Royal Mail addressing protocol for closes and wynds in Edinburgh’s Old Town is that they are given a number on the street from which they lead – the properties on Brown’s Close are therefore at 65 Canongate. The report makes occasional references to surrounding buildings closely related to the site – such as the Younger Memorial Hall and the Canongate Manse in Reid’s Sir Basil Spence’s Canongate Housing – Conservation Statement 5 Court – but these should not be considered a focus of the report, nor have they been included in the assessment of significance or recommendation sections. The majority of the residential units are now in private ownership. The study area is shown on Figure 5. Figure 5 c1965 site plan. Blocks 1, 2 & 3 are the focus of this report. RCAHMS SC1015603 2.3 Heritage Designations 2.3.1 Listed Buildings Blocks 1 (97-103 Canongate), 2 (65-71 Canongate & 1-2 Brown’s Close) & 3 (3 Brown’s Close) are listed collectively at category B (HB number: 51172). The three buildings were listed in September 2008. The listed building report is included in Appendix I. A category B listed building is recognised as being of regional, or more than local importance, or a major example of some particular period, style or building type – which may have been altered. 2.3.2 Scheduled Ancient Monuments The site is not recognised as a Scheduled Ancient Monument (SAM), nor is it located in the immediate vicinity of a SAM.
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