Visual integrity and sense of place (Genius Loci) ­ A new approach conflict transformation and Belfast's historic urban landscapes

Ref.: 200
Key theme: 03 Visual integrity of historic urban landscapes
Date of reception: 13/11/2008

AUTHORS (*Main author)

BROWN, Sharon * (Ireland) - Institute of Historic Building Conservation

ABSTRACT

The Paper will look at the impact of Northern Ireland's changing political structures on its historic urban landscapes (HUL), and specifically Belfast. Politically, devolution was restored to the Northern Ireland Assembly on 8 May 2007. This included the election of a 4 party (DUP, Sein Fein, SDLP and UUP) Executive of 12 Ministers. But what effect has this had on the visual integrity of Northern Ireland's historic urban landscapes?

The Paper will consider the extent to which urban managers and politicians have been influential in transforming Belfast's Historic Urban Landscapes. It will set out the global framework within which decisions are mediated - the existing legislative and planning policy context for conservation of the visual integrity of Northern Ireland's Historic Urban Landscapes. It will look at how these areas have been documented.

It takes `Sense of Place' (Genius Loci) and shows how this `concept' can be used innovatively as a basis for achieving the visual integrity of Northern Ireland's historic suburbs ­ post conflict.

It will focus on examples from the suburbs of Malone and Stranmillis, reputed for having an epoch of the greatest concentration of buildings from the Victorian and Edwardian periods in the Province. The historic urban suburb is extremely important to the heritage of Belfast, all the more so with the absence of intact streetscapes from earlier periods such as the medieval, early modern or Georgian eras, as would be the case in other cities, for example, Edinburgh with its preserved `old town' and its eighteenth century set-piece `new town'. The suburb of Malone comprises relatively intact Victorian/Edwardian edifices representative of Belfast during this significant period. It displays many examples of the `Arts and Crafts' movement, integral to its sense of place. It is a settlement indicitive of a significant period of human civilization.

It will emphasise the importance of Belfast's Historic Urban Landscapes to the quality of life of communities and to their collective memory and cultural identity. The paper will see how the post-conflict transformation communities have become engaged in shaping the future and conserving the visual integrity of their historic urban environments, and how their elected representatives have engaged with them and reached a consensus across political and sectarian divisions.

The paper considers how identifying sense of place (genius loci) is a critical pre-quisite to undertaking any contemporary architecture project, and to integrating it visually into a historic urban landscape and to the areas integrity. The paper will consider how such an approach is crucial to enabling contemporary development to atune visually and with holistic integrity. It facilitates re-imaging.

The paper emphasises the value of University dynamics in providing inspiration for, and in being a champion for the conservation of the visual integrity of Historic Urban Landscapes and the role of professional accrediation bodies such as the Institute of Historic Building Conservation.

To summarise, emerging from conflict a new approach is essential to securing the visual integrity of historic urban landscapes based on an enriched appreciation of Sense of place - `Genius Loci'.

REFERENCES

Principal documents will include:-

UNESCO and related publications
Including conventions, Guidelines and Recommendations.

Charters
ICOMOS Charters and related documents, in particular - ICOMOS ­ Australia, The Australia ICOMOS Charter for Places of Cultural Significance (the Burra Charter), ICOMOS ­ Australia (November 1999 revision)

Books
Krier, L., The Architectural Tuning of Settlements, The Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment, Beacon Press, London (2008).
Larmour, P., The Architectural Heritage of Malone and Stranmillis, UAHS, Belfast, (1991)
Mynors, C., Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments, Thompson, Sweet and Maxwell, London (2006).
Rodwell, D., Conservation and Sustainability in Historic Cities, Blackwell Publishing, Oxford (2007). .