Background
In May 2005 the Barbican Listed Building Management Guidelines
were approved by Committee. The Working Party which guided the
process agreed that proposals for a Conservation Strategy be
included as part of the
Management Guidelines. The aim of the Conservation Strategy is
to act in conjunction with the Management Guidelines to further
protect and make more accessible the architectural character of the
Barbican Estate. As a result, the Working Party supported the need
for a Conservation Strategy but accepted that this was outside the
scope of the guidelines project. An evaluation has been carried out
in partnership with a focus group of residents, the results of
which were reported to Committee during the summer of 2006.
Committee approved the recommendations and for a residents’
consultation to be carried out.
Read the Committee Report here. The
Conservation Strategy comprises the following elements: Salvage
Store, Archive, Building Recording, Exhibition Space, Heritage
Flats.
Establishment of a Barbican Heritage Charitable
Association
To enable the Conservation Strategy to work, it is proposed that
a Charity called “Barbican Heritage” be established and run by
members of the public. It is hoped that this organisation will
implement certain aspects of the Conservation Strategy. A draft
constitution has been drawn up using a Charities Commission
model.
Download the draft constitution
here (70kb)
Membership of the organisation will be open to Barbican Estate
residents, non-residents and organisations, on payment of an annual
subscription. The Constitution is written in such a way as to
ensure that the interests of the residents and the heritage value
of the estate always remain uppermost. Members will be entitled to
become involved in Conservation Strategy projects, to vote on the
work of the organisation and receive regular information regarding
ongoing work. There may also be regular events and the possibility
of purchasing publications relating to the Barbican Estate. The
advantage of establishing such an organisation is that it should be
eligible to funding from sources not accessible to the City of
London Corporation (CoLC), both public and private. The initial
establishment of the charity will be supported by officers of the
CoLC but ultimately it will be independent and responsible for its
own administration and fundraising.
Salvage store
This project was proposed in order to address the need of
residents and estate staff wanting original fixtures and fittings
to undertake repairs, or to return flats to their original
condition. The aim is to facilitate the re-use of original fixtures
and fittings by passing them on to residents requiring them. The
Salvage Store is already in operation, being run by a small group
of residents. This has been an extremely successful project and
many residents have already benefited from the group’s work. With
the establishment of “Barbican Heritage” the operation of the
Salvage Store will become a part of the Charity, enabling it to
benefit from the organisation’s funding. In addition to the
continued operation of the Salvage Store, it is hoped that
“Barbican Heritage” will produce guidance for residents to finding
suppliers and contractors for fixtures and fittings where the
originals (such as hobs), cannot be re-used, or are not
available.
Archive
As the Estate ages, it will become increasingly important to
have access to drawings and other information to inform repairs and
alterations. A central archive would be invaluable, to all
interested parties. In order to address this, we are currently
negotiating with the London Metropolitan Archive (LMA) to take and
catalogue a variety of materials concerning the Barbican. The aim
is that Barbican Researchers, Residents and City Officers would
have access to this material. There may be opportunities for
members of Barbican Heritage to become involved in a practical way
by sorting material and assisting LMA staff in the cataloguing of
the archive. In addition it is hoped that there is a wealth of
Social History material such as leaflets and flyers still in
residents’ possession. ‘Barbican Heritage’ will carry out a project
to collect this material and liaise with the LMA for its addition
to their archive.
Oral history
A number of people have resided on the Estate since it was first
occupied and there is a wealth of experience lodged in the memories
of long serving estate staff. It would be valuable to record their
stories and experiences for the future as part of an oral history
project. We have explored a partnership with the Museum of London
(subject to funding), which has carried out numerous Oral History
projects and is in favour of strengthening its links with the
Barbican Estate. There will be an opportunity for residents to be
involved in this project as interviewees. The interviews themselves
(with permission) will become a public resource, adding to the
diverse range of material and information available about the
Barbican Estate.
Documentation and survey of selected flat interiors
As fixtures and fittings reach the end of their working life and
flats are altered to meet modern-day living standards some
interesting design elements of the flat interiors will be lost. It
is critical that the Estate is properly recorded whilst many of the
original features can still be found in-situ. This record should
include measured plans and photographs of key flat types with
details. The evaluation of the Conservation Strategy found that
this project would be a wonderful opportunity for residents to
become involved in the practical recording of original flat
interiors and plan forms. This survey will add to the body of
knowledge about the estate and provide reference material for
residents wishing to return their flats to original interiors. If
funding is available, some use of professional recording staff may
be possible, however it is likely that there are numerous
well-qualified individuals living on the Estate and it is hoped
that some of them will volunteer. The project will be best
organised by “Barbican Heritage” with a suitable number of
volunteers, a co-ordinator will liaise with estate office staff to
arrange access to selected flats.
Exhibition space
The exhibition held at the Barbican Centre to commemorate the
20th anniversary of the Centre was successful and popular amongst
residents and interested parties. A permanent exhibition would
provide a focus for the interest in the Estate and provide an
educational facility for schools, university students and adults.
There would be an opportunity to present the historical, social and
economic importance of the Estate as well as its architectural
interest. This aspect of the evaluation also explored the
possibility of including mock-up flat interiors using salvaged
items. We have discussed a Barbican exhibition with the Museum of
London. Whilst it is keen to feature the Barbican within its new
20th century gallery, it has limited space and will be unable to
incorporate replica flat interiors within such a display. Other
museums have responded in a similar way. As a result we are
proposing the creation of a small display at the museum supported
by a web-based resource that will provide access to the Building
Recording Survey and Oral History material. This resource can be
interactive and may include downloadable podcasts that would allow
visitors to undertake walks around the estate (public areas only).
An interactive web-based exhibition will require specialist
expertise to design and build, unless there are sufficiently
experienced residents on the estate who wish to give their time to
the project. If not, funds will be needed for the creation of this
resource and in order to cover the cost of a Barbican display at
the Museum of London. This project is seen as long term, and can be
carried out after the other more urgent projects have been
completed.
Heritage Flats
A ‘Heritage Flat’ is identified as an unaltered flat in nearly
original condition, where repairs and improvements are carried out
on a like-for-like basis. The designation of ‘Heritage Flats’ would
provide additional protection to a small selection of original
flats from across the Estate. A ‘Heritage Flat’ would retain its
original layout, fixtures and fittings including its kitchen and
bathroom. The evaluation has explored the potential for the
designation of ten such flats across the Estate to reflect a
variety of flat types and locations. The recommendation is that
these flats remain in CoLC ownership and that they are let to
corporate clients or occupied by staff. Further work is required in
order to finalise the proposals for ‘Heritage Flats’ and will be
carried out by CoLC Officers. We would like to hear your views
about proposals to create a Conservation Strategy for the Barbican
Estate. Your input at this stage is vital as this will determine
the viability for taking the Conservation Strategy forward.
The closing date for your response is 11 December 2006.
Download the questionnaire
here (318kb)
Please return the completed questionnaire to the
Barbican Estate Office, Lauderdale Place, Barbican, London, EC2Y
8EN or
email your comments.