2015 Yearbook

36 Y E A R B O O K 2 0 1 5 MAKING HERITAGE ACCESSIBLE While there remain examples where the provision of full physical access would be too difficult or too intrusive (think, for example, of church towers), great progress has been made in providing access wherever and whenever it is reasonably possible. There are, of course, often complexities in attempting to provide access for all. Concern over the retention of historic fabric as well as maintaining the character and setting of a place can present real hurdles. Retention of character encompasses more than just preserving physical fabric – character is also determined by the integrity of how a place is experienced, viewed and understood and whether any kind of change (not just for access) would damage this. Successful accessibility can be achieved using the same key skills necessary for any conservation project: detailed understanding of the site, good design and balance. These methodologies should be standard practice when proposing change within heritage sites and they are also the basic tools in the accessibility toolkit. The first step towards any change is to fully understand the history and significance of a place, thus allowing for an examination of where change is most acceptable. For example, by revealing where considerable change has already occurred or by demonstrating that significance is based more on social and historical contributions than on the physical fabric, an in-depth analysis can highlight how access can be provided while causing the least possible harm. At Grade I listed Elizabethan Wollaton Hall in Nottingham extensive archival research and investigations of built fabric revealed that one of the four corner towers had been altered more than the others, and that the insertion of a lift into this tower would cause the least damage to historic fabric (below). Similarly, a lift has been inserted between Nos 1 (Grade I) and 1a (Grade II) Royal Crescent in Bath, with the position of the lift in an area that has historically undergone successive phases of alteration. It is not always a question of where to inconspicuously ‘hide’ means of access either. At Grade I listed Kew Palace, London for example, a timber clad lift has been boldly placed on the exterior (page 35). This modern addition may seem out of context with the Grade I listed building, but its positioning was based on the site of an 18th-century water closet shaft. Early investigations should also set out to establish how people use a place and where access can be provided to best suit visitor flow, use patterns and general practicality. Finding a balance between the two key elements of significance and viability is where the need for good design arises. It requires the sensitivity to recognise the boundaries of change allowable – in scale, use of materials and style – while also identifying opportunities for access to become a positive contribution to the architectural design or overall experience of a place. This kind of balance can be seen in the recent introduction of a sweeping, curved double ramp at the south transept of York Minster (above right). Previously a temporary timber ramp had served the purpose of providing a zero-step entrance (above left) but this detracted from the overall appreciation of the south transept and its grand Rose Window. Now, a balance has been struck between the use of appropriate materials (in this case stone pavers) and the provision of ramped access to create a positive new addition to the minster precinct. Gone is the feeling of a temporary back entrance, replaced with an attempt to provide public realm space that is beneficial not only to those in wheelchairs or pushing prams, but to all users. This is also a prime example of a permanent solution which, although more physically intrusive to the existing built fabric, setting and context, was a much more attractive and viable option overall than the previous temporary solution. We also have to accept that sometimes physical access for everyone is not possible. Not all historic buildings and sites have the capacity The temporary timber ramp at the south transept of York Minster (Photo: Heather Jermy) The recently introduced stone ramp and redesigned piazza (Photo: Alexander Holton) Plan showing the location of the lift in one of the towers at Wollaton Hall, Nottingham: its position was chosen to cause the least possible damage to significant built fabric. (Photo: Purcell)

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