Contemporary Architecture in the Historic Environment

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Design Approaches and Philosophies
tion does not advocate mimicry of the existing urban environment; instead, it
emphasizes an understanding of the evolution of the character of the place prior
to proposing new development. Also included are several Australian urban and
regional case studies where the urban form analysis was applied. (L.M.)
Also relevant for Chapter 4: Case Studies.
Department of Urban Affairs and Planning, New South Wales, and Urban Design
Advisory Service, New South Wales. 2000. Residential Subdivisions: A
Handbook for the Design and Planning of New Neighborhoods. Sydney:
Department of Urban Affairs and Planning.
This handbook provides guidance on the creation of new residential neighborhoods
through a process that involves environment protection initiatives from
the start of the project. Although this document focuses on urban design, its
methodology is sympathetic to preexisting landscape features and historic
structures. In part 3, “Good Neighborhood Design,” the retention of historical
features and landscape characteristics is justified based on the understanding
that they add character to the future neighborhood, therefore contributing to a
higher-quality design. (A.P.A.G.)
Edwards, A. Trystan. 1946. Good and Bad Manners in Architecture. London: J.
Tiranti.
In this book, first published in 1924, Welsh architect and town planner Arthur
Trystan Edwards (1884–1973) critiques architecture as it was practiced in his
time. He adopts an anthropomorphic approach by defining building types as
“selfish” buildings or the “unsociable” skyscraper. He also classifies a building’s
relationship to its neighbors as “polite” or “rude.” Using this approach,
Edwards defines how a new design should respond to its existing context. He
also mentions the importance of human scale, presenting historical context for
development of urbanism and providing examples of Greek, Roman, or Gothic
cities and buildings. By highlighting and criticizing wrong cases, Edwards
focuses mostly on how not to design in existing environments. (M.D.)
English Heritage, Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment
(CABE), and Kent Architecture Centre. 2007. Building in Context Toolkit: New
Development in Historic Areas. London: English Heritage; CABE. http://www.
building-in-context.org/the-bic-toolkit/
This website was developed as a training tool for local planning authorities in
the UK who are responsible for approving new constructions in historic urban
areas. The goal is to promote new development that is sensitive to its historic
setting. The toolkit proposes a set of eight principles to guide appropriate design
solutions. These principles can be used by authorities as criteria for the evaluation
of proposals and also by architects to guide their design approach. One of
the main recommendations is to undertake a value assessment prior to the start
of the design process. The principles advocate for projects that are connected to
the surrounding urban fabric and respect important views, the local scale, and
building material quality. No recommendation is made regarding style, but
Contemporary Architecture in the Historic Environment: An Annotated Bibliography - Getty Conservation Institute - 2015