Short Course: Architectural and Urban Conservation: Part 2 - Skills Development

Objectives

This course is designed to develop the basic skills of the participants (who should have completed the first introductory course in Architectural and Urban Conservation: Theory and Practice) and to equip them to make applications in terms of the National heritage Resources Act to the heritage resource authorities.

The course aims to develop the participants’ knowledge of the Act and of the authorities’ requirements. On completion of the course participants will be able to:

•  Recognise the circumstances which require or trigger the most frequently-made applications in terms of the National Heritage Resources Act
•  Be able to conduct the historical research necessary for a simple heritage statement
•  Be able to draft a heritage statement
•  Understand the criteria and principles involved in evaluating cultural significance and in assigning or assessing the grading of heritage resources
•  Understand the process of assessing the intrinsic and contextual significance(s) of heritage resources and be able to make applications to demolish or alter building more than sixty years old (Section 34 of the Act)
•  Recognise the most important factors in conservation-oriented design
•  Understand the requirements regarding heritage impact assessments and be able to submit notifications of intent to develop and to draft simple heritage impact assessments (Section 38 of the Act)
•  Adopt and adapt these ideas and principles appropriately in practice

Course Content

The contents of the course will include:

• a detailed description and analysis of the sections of the NHR Act involved in assessing cultural significance, in the grading of heritage resources and in the assessment of applications
• an introduction to the most useful records and sources of information necessary for researching simple applications
• tuition in assessing significance
• tuition in conservation-related architectural design
• tuition in writing heritage statements and making applications to the heritage authorities
• tuition in making notifications of intentions to develop and in writing heritage impact assessments

The course will, in large part, be taught through case studies explored in tutorial sessions and through assignments.

Course Lecturers

The convenor and principal lecturer, Dr Stephen Townsend, graduated in architecture in Cape Town, completed a diploma in conservation studies at the University of Rome (equivalent to a Masters degree) and a PhD at UCT. He has worked as an architect; for nineteen years, as an administrator of land use- and conservation-oriented regulations at the Cape Town City Council and for a year and a half as CEO of Heritage Western Cape; he practises as an architect, planner and heritage practitioner and he teaches part-time at UCT’s School of Architecture and Planning and convenes the M Phil (Conservation of the Built Environment) programme. He has had many papers published and presented at local and international conferences; and has been active in the professional institutes of architecture and heritage practice.

The lectures/seminars will be presented by Dr Townsend and assisted by several experienced specialist heritage practitioners, including Melanie Attwell, Penny Pistorius, Graham Jacobs and Ashley Lillie.

Course Information

Who should attend?

The course will benefit all who are involved in conservation practice and heritage management, including architects, planners, heritage practitioners of all disciplines and heritage managers/administrators. The course is intended very specifically to develop skills in the basics of heritage management and it is designed to satisfy the multi-disciplinary nature of conservation practice and heritage management. Although it is not aimed solely at participants who have completed the first CPD course in Architectural and Urban Conservation: Theory and Practice, certain prospective participants may be advised to complete the first course before participating in this one.

Format

The course will comprise of ten three-hour sessions and will meet once a week.  Most of the sessions will be begin with a single lecture followed by tutorials/seminars in small groups and in design tutorials. All of the sessions will include time for discussion regarding issues raised in the lectures and tutorials.

Cost

The fee for the 30-hour course and exam will be R 5300.  This fee includes a comprehensive set of course notes and refreshments. Discounts for staff and students of UCT and students of other tertiary education institutes are available under certain circumstances.

Certificates

A certificate of attendance will be given to all course members who attend a minimum of eight of the ten sessions. Alternatively, a certificate of successful course completion will be issued to those participants who obtain a minimum of 50% in the optional examination.

CPD Credit Requirements

This course us accredited with The Cape Institute for Architecture for 4.5 CPD points for attendance and an extra 0.4 CPD points for passing the optional 1½  hour examination.  It is also registered with the Engineering Council of South Africa, and is accredited for the award of 3 CPD points The ECSA course code is UCTAUC210

Applications and cancellations

In order to ensure a place on the course applicants should complete and return a signed registration form to the course administrators: Heidi Tait or Sandra Jemaar:

Confirmation of acceptance will be sent on receipt of an application form.

Cancellations must be received one week before the start of a course, or the full course fee will be charged

Venue

Studio 1, Chemical Engineering Building, Cnr Ring Road and South Lane, Upper Campus, UCT

Date and Time

17h00 – 20h00, Mondays 27 September – 29 November 2010

Registration

Foyer Chemical Engineering Building
27 September 2010
16h30 – 17h00

Lecture Programme and Course Content

Mondays, 27 September – 29 November, 5.00 to 8.00pm
Exam: 6 December 2010

Monday, 27 September
Session 1: Introduction
Two lectures, discussion.  Lecturers: Townsend, Attwell

• Welcome and house-keeping
• Introduction to the course
• Introduction to local heritage resource management practice
• Authenticity and significance in local practice and the place/necessity of historical research
• Ethics and the professional heritage practitioner

Monday, 4 October
Session 2: The National Heritage Resources Act and the Applicable Sections
Three lectures.  Lecturers: Townsend, Pistorius

• Cultural significance and grading
• Section 34: Structures more than sixty years old
• Section 38: Notifications on the intention to develop and heritage impact assessments

Monday, 11 October
Session 3: Basic Research I
Two lectures, discussion.  Lecturer: Lillie, Attwell

• Basic research: Sources and practices

Monday, 18 October
Session 4: Basic Research II
Two lectures, discussion.  Lecturer: Pistorius, Townsend

• Basic research and analysis of the environs

Monday, 25 October
Session 5: Heritage Statements
Single lecture, tutorial, discussion.  Lecturers: Townsend, Lillie, Attwell

• Historical research as a basis
• Assessing the significance of the building

Monday, 1 November
Session 6: Conservation-Oriented Design I
Tutorial, discussion.  Lecturers/Tutors: Townsend, Jacobs, Pistorius

• Conservation approaches to design and architectural approaches to design
• Studio tutorials

Monday, 8 November
Session 7: Conservation-Oriented Design II
Tutorial, discussion.  Lecturers/Tutors: Townsend, Jacobs, Pistorius

• Responding to the building and to the environs
• Studio tutorials

Monday, 15 November
Session 8: Section 34 Application for Permit to Demolish a Structure More than Sixty Years Old
Lecture, tutorial, discussion.  Lecturers/Tutors: Townsend; Pistorius, Lillie

• The Annexure A form; heritage statements; additional information; motivations; interested parties
• Tutorials

Monday, 22 November
Session 9: Section 34 Application for Permit to Alter/Add to a Structure More than Sixty Years Old
Lecture, tutorial, discussion. Lecturers/Tutors: Townsend, Pistorius, Lillie

• The information necessary; grading; interested parties; local authority input

Monday, 29 November
Session 10: Simple Applications in terms of Section 38: NIDs and HIAs
Lecture, tutorial, discussion.  Lecturers: Townsend; Attwell, Pistorius

• The NID form, the information necessary for a decision, supporting documentation attached to NIDs including basic archaeological assessment
• Simple HIAs; component studies eg. visual impact assessments, townscape studies

Monday, 6 December
Examination
The examination is optional.  Date and further details will be confirmed in due course.

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