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AHSSAut13_Layout 1 13/09/2013 10:04 Page 1 THEAHSS MAGAZINE OF THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND www.ahss.org.uk AHSS Founded in 1956 – Over 50 years of Commitment I Autumn 2013 I No. 34 AHSSAut13_Layout 1 13/09/2013 10:04 Page 2 Corporate Members Anderson, Bell Christie Architects Art Institute of Chicago Benjamin Tindall Architects Craigleith Masonry Conservation Ltd Edinburgh City Libraries Gray, Marshall and Associates Historic Scotland Technical Conservation Group Join us! LDN Architects National Gallery of Art, Washington Discover more about Scotland's built heritage and take an active part in its protection Royal Commission on the Ancient and preservation by becoming a member of the Society. and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) We are committed to encouraging public understanding and appreciation of RIBA Library Scotland's historic built environment. Working across Scotland, the Society supports the preservation and restoration of historic buildings, towns and landscapes. The Robert Gordon University The Royal Incorporation of Architects We do this by: in Scotland (RIAS) Casework: The Society has a network of local cases panels which monitor Simpson & Brown Architects applications for planning, listed building, and conservation area consents. T Graham & Son (Builders) Ltd Talks & lectures: A lively programme of architecture-related talks and lectures are Tod & Taylor Architects organised across the Society's regional groups. Visits & tours: A variety of excursions to historic properties, gardens and places of Educational Members architectural interest are regularly organised by the Society's regional groups. Publications: The Society produces an annual Journal with essays on architectural Centre Canadien d'Architecture history and conservation. The Society's magazine, which comes out twice a year, also Edinburgh College of Art provides a round up of current news from within the built environment sector in Glasgow Life Scotland with features from guest contributors. Historic Scotland Library The New Club Library Benefits of membership Paul Mellon Centre Swets Information Services Ltd • You immediately become part of the Society's campaign to protect Scotland's built heritage. Even if you take no active part, your support is vital to the Society. University of Edinburgh, • Participation in the Society's active regional events programme including its National Study Tour. Department of Architecture • Free copies of the Society's magazine and academic journal Architectural Heritage. University of St Andrews New membership rates from January 2013 Approved at Annual General Meeting, October 2012 Single: £35.00 Small charity: £50.00 Family: £50.00 Corporate: £140.00 Student: £15.00 Life: £700.00 Educational body: £70.00 Life 65+: £350.00 Personal benefactor: £85.00 The first year of a student membership is FREE, after which the annual rate of £15 will be applied. For all membership enquiries please contact our Membership Services provider Hall McCartney: T: 01462 896688 F: 01462 896677 E: [email protected] Hall McCartney, Heritage House, PO Box 21, Baldock, Hertfordshire, SG7 5SH Please note, the National Office no longer handles membership enquiries. If you renew your membership by cheque you will already have received notice of the revised rates. For members renewing by Standing Order you will short receive a letter from membership services giving details of the change in your subscription rate along with a new standing order mandate. You can give extra support to the AHSS by completing the Gift Aid section of the form which benefits the society by a further £8.75 on a single membership if you pay income tax at no extra cost to you. AHSSAut13_Layout 1 13/09/2013 10:04 Page 3 WELCOME elcome to the autumn 2013 issue of the AHSS Magazine. If the spring issue took a close look at West Coast projects and places, then this issue extends its gaze far AHSS and wide both geographically and thematically. We travel to Russia (twice), Italy Autumn 2013 l No. 34 and Haiti, and closer to home, to Yorkshire, Edinburgh, Ayr and Dumfriesshire. Anyone with a hunger to explore further should note the dates of the ever- President popularW Spring Study Tour, which will focus on the hidden heritage and buildings of north east Scotland. Simon Green MA, FSA, FSA Scot A series of themes runs through this issue including energy efficiency, stained glass, archival research, Chairman theatres and the contribution of individuals to our collective knowledge. Sadly, Peter Drummond writes Peter Drummond RIAS, RIBA his last ‘View from the Chair’, having completed a full five year term as Chairman. Hon Treasurer Unsurprisingly, many of the articles and reports touch on the planning system, and ask searching Hamish Macbeth MRICS questions about how local and national government manage the process. How much of a voice do Editor local communities have? How will further devolution of planning decisions impact upon our Abigail Daly Ruskin Lane Consulting environment? What does conservation mean to the ‘IKEA generation’? Reviews Editor As ever, there is a hearty round-up of the AHSS’s regional group activities and casework, along with Mark Cousins ARIAS, FRSA some in-depth reports from recent workshops and conferences, as well as previews of forthcoming Design events. Of particular note is our AGM, which will take place 2nd of November. It will include a tour of Pinpoint Scotland Ltd. the newly extended Kirk House, part of the historic Greyfriars site, in Edinburgh. This will be a wonderful opportunity to hear more about the work of the AHSS, meet fellow supporters and explore an exciting new addition to Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site. NATIONAL OFFICE I hope that you enjoy this issue and find plenty to stimulate and inspire you. The Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland Abigail Daly Riddle’s Court 322 Lawnmarket Edinburgh EH1 2PG T 0131 557 0019 We would like to present more views from our members in this magazine. If there are projects, E [email protected] cases, buildings or debates that you feel strongly about, send us a letter to the national office, www.ahss.org.uk preferably, by email marked ‘Magazine Letters’. Please make sure you include your contact © AHSS and contributors, 2013 details. We can’t promise to include them all, but we will try and publish a good selection. The opinions expressed by contributors in this publication are not necessarily those of the AHSS. The Society apologises for any errors or inadvertent infringements of copyright. The Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland is a charity registered in Scotland, No. SC007554. The Society is a registered Company Limited by Guarantee, No. SC356726. The AHSS gratefully acknowledges assistance from Historic Scotland towards the production costs of the contents AHSS Magazine. The AHSS gratefully acknowledges 03 32 assistance from the Royal Commission Editor’s Welcome – Abigail Daly RCAHMS on the Ancient and Historical 35 Monuments of Scotland with archive 04 View from the Chair Book Reviews image reproduction and towards production costs of the AHSS – Peter Drummond 38 Public Consultations Magazine. 05 Newsround 41 Members Area 41 10 Forthcoming Events Spotlight 42 Casework 13 Events Reports 48 Recent Activities 20 Point of View 54 My Favourite Building 22 Projects – John McAslan 29 Historic Scotland Listing and 55 Programme of Events Designed Landscapes Team Update Cover image: The dome of the King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, showing John Byrne’s Mural. © Smith Scott Mullan Associates. AUTUMN 2013 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I 3 AHSSAut13_Layout 1 13/09/2013 10:04 Page 4 EDITORIAL VIEW FROM THE CHAIR View from the Chair conversation, some voices speak louder, casework activities. Surprisingly, several local though not necessarily more wisely, than authorities have also been able to assist us. others. Often it is the reflective and The final piece in the jigsaw came when experienced voice that provides a more Scottish Historic Building Trust took on measured view, albeit not always one which custodianship of the Glasite Meeting Peter is popular. You will rightly identify that I House. This was very much a team effort. Drummond view the Society in the latter role, trying to Members of Council and the Glasite National Chairman, maintain dialogue in the face of capricious Meeting House Trust gave their time and AHSS Mammon. expertise in huge quantities, and for that I I took on the role of National Chairman will be forever grateful. in May 2008, just as recession took hold, A wider assessment of the Society’s t would, perhaps, have been and at a time when pressure on our built accomplishments can be read in the appropriate for my final ‘view from environment, and the Society, has been enclosed AGM papers. However, one is the chair’ to have opened with a greater than for many, many years. worth highlighting in particular. I have been quote from Ruskin, Morris, Lorimer, The challenges were many: to take in continually struck by the dedication shown or one of the other names so hand the structural deficit which was eating by the area groups in their casework and Ifamiliar to us all. Or perhaps passing into our reserves, secure revenue funding, educational activities. Their pursuit of good reference to the compelling preamble in and find a viable long-term future for the planning decisions and efforts to raise NPPG18 regarding the importance of Glasite Meeting House, our home for many awareness of our built heritage are architecture generally, and built heritage in years. important contributions towards the particular, as a cornerstone of our Overcoming these issues took much ongoing protection of our heritage. environment. hard work and many difficult decisions. A final quotation, this time a Gaelic one Instead I find myself reminded of the Expenditure was trimmed back to the bare heard often in my childhood, “B’fhearr a bhi observation by Vincent Scully, Professor of minimum, but at the cost of losing some sàmhach na droch dhàn a ghabhail”.