bi3 Autumn/Winter 2020

design
Covid
How
is changing the way we
design our offices
wellbeing that we have a work life
balance, especially when working from
home. The most obvious solution for
new build housing is to include an
office space, however, this is not as easy
to achieve in an existing building. We
need to be more creative about how
we incorporate a workstation into our
homes. For example, within an open
plan living area there may be a way
to design flush floor-to-ceiling units,
which would allow you to hide your
workspace away behind closed doors
when not working. This is only one of
many creative solutions that could be
considered for your property.
Why use an architect?
An architect will create a
MF home that’s a perfect fit for
your chosen site. They will factor in the
geography – where are the best views,
how does the sun move around the
site, which rooms do you want to be
in when you are getting the evening
sun, what view do you want out of your
kitchen window in the morning.
An architect won’t just drop a standard
house shape onto the site, they
will design a home that’s tailored
to the way you live. For example, I
collaborated with a client who had
an enormous book collection and the
centrepiece of the finished house was
over 100 metres of bespoke shelving.
Our job is to listen to what
LL our clients want and use our
expertise to bring ideas to the table that
they might not have considered. It’s a
collaboration, a two-way conversation
that you have with the client to turn
their dreams into a concrete reality.
Building a house can be a pretty
daunting exercise, from developing a
concept, knowing what consents are
required, to coordinating works on site,
budgeting and ensuring the quality
of the workmanship. An architect can
be by your side from concept through
to completion, guiding you through
the process with their knowledge and
experience within the industry.
When should you engage an
architect?
Once you’ve identified a
MF plot you like, go and see an
architect at that point because they
can give you advice about the potential
costs of developing the site. At Bell
Ingram we can also help you find your
dream location. In fact, a client recently
asked me to carry out a site search for a
suitably remote location for an off-grid
bothy, I identified a site on Harris and
compiled a feasibility study, considering
issues such as access for construction,
ground conditions, water supply etc. It
is always money well spent to bring an
architect in at a very early stage. n
T
he importance of traditional building
skills and craftmanship cannot be
underestimated in a country like
Scotland with its rich social, cultural and
architectural history.
Described by the Scottish
Government as “places of special
architectural or historic interest, the
character or appearance of which it is
desirable to preserve or enhance”, we have
over 600 conservation
areas ranging
from Lerwick in Shetland
to Whithorn in Dumfries
and Galloway. The
conservation of these
areas allows us to
appreciate generations of
technical craftsmanship
and decorative
architectural design.
Despite the advancement
in technology,
development of
innovative materials and
evolving construction
methods changing the
way we design, construct
and maintain our
buildings, a vast quantity
of our existing building
stock is built using
traditional construction
Conservation -The importance
of traditional building skills &
craftsmanship
Lauren Livingston
BSc (Hons) ACIAT
Architectural Technologist
lauren.livingston
@bellingram.co.uk
methods and skilled craftsmanship.
Not only are traditional buildings
constructed in this way but they must also
be maintained and treated with the same
traditional construction methods and
materials.
To many, it may come as a surprise
to learn that research has suggested
that using modern methods of
construction and innovative materials
can actually have adverse effects when
used to repair traditional buildings. In fact,
by changing the aesthetic appearance
and decorative character, we run the
risk of potentially damaging the existing
fabric of a building.
This is concerning as it is becoming
increasingly difficult to find skilled,
traditional tradesmen and women.
With maintenance and repairs to our
traditional buildings accounting for a
large percentage of today’s construction
activity, it is crucial that we retain and
develop our traditional skills to protect,
preserve and repair our built heritage.
Historic Environment Scotland
(HES) and The Prince’s Foundation are two
of a number of organisations that have
recognised the wider need for training and
apprenticeships to prevent precious skills
being lost.
oth organisations should be
congratulated for steering a
Brange of apprenticeship schemes
and informative training courses,
educating and training the next
generation of skilled craftspeople.
It is evident that we must have the
knowledge and training widely available
to prevent future generations losing vital
skills and undertaking maintenance with
contemporary construction methods
which are highly likely to have adverse
effects on our current building stock.
Traditional building skills play a
vital role in protecting our built
heritage while investing in and supporting
our economy. With increasing
concerns about the condition of our
existing building stock, which largely
predates 1919, it is more important than
ever that we have the skill, knowledge and
understanding of our buildings.
If you are looking to undertake any work
to a traditional building, listed building
or a building within the curtilage of a
conservation area, please get in touch
with one of our team and find out how we
can help you with our expertise and key
knowledge within the industry. n
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design