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B+WWhile we mostly think of national heritage made from bricks and
mortar, our growing awareness of the vulnerability of the natural
environment means we will think differently in the future. Wildlife,
woodland and eco trusts are nowadays well established, so see if
there’s an important tract of land or a Site of Special Scientific Interest
to document near where you live. As this example shows, natural
habitats can be also be seasonal and short-lived.
The listed building scheme is a well-known way for rare examples
of architecture and town planning to be preserved for our future
enjoyment, yet often there’s a certain amount of public lobbying to
get important structures considered. SPAB – the Society for the
Protection of Ancient Buildings – is a campaign group that does just
that. Interestingly, listed status is being applied nowadays to much less
grandiose structures and has rescued farm buildings, like this example,
from eventual decline. See if you can find a SPAB project near you.
3 BUILDING SITES
Alongside many official monuments and heritage venues are
additional artefacts and installations created by fans, followers and
visitors rather than curators and museums. Often, these vernacular
examples can be more interesting than the real thing, perhaps more
poignant and more heartfelt, like this example – an unofficial overspill
display next to a remote Christian shrine in Ireland.1 ENVIRONMENTAL HERITAGE 2 UNOFFICIAL HERITAGE
44 FINAL OUTCOME
For my project I’ve explored Portmeirion village and tried to capture
the eclectic mix of architectural styles and symbols.
SECTION 3: ANTICIPATING FUTURE HERITAGE
A different way of approaching the project is to speculate on heritage of the future. Explore the following ideas in your location.1 23‘Our growing awareness of the vulnerability
of the natural environment means we
will think differently in the future.’