2 10 61 https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/e775f9e6c7d10bbd89245677aa4d74aa.pdf 5075c5f4d28c2765a260be0a6a40c4b5 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Miscellaneous Subject The topic of the resource Miscellaneous issues Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Various Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1976-1980 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Historical Perspective Subject The topic of the resource 9 page historical essay summarising modern architecture viv-a-vis NAM (2 copies) Description An account of the resource INIO4dSH3d ‘IWIIMOLSIH S i HISTORICAL PERSPECLIIVE Hawser Trunnion "The past is not for living in; it is a well of conclusions from which we draw in order to act. " (John Berger) The selected history of modern architecture from which NAN draws its conclusions for action can be told as a ghost story. That is to say, it is the tale of how a once lively modernism lost its social radicalism, became comfortable then senile, and finally died —- but only to transforin itself into a ghost which continues to haunt us the more effectively for this deceptive transformation. Like most good stories, there are several versions with significant differences that shed more light on the narrators than on the story itself. The most recent official version was told by ‘he Architectural Review, that ageing glossy now totally debauched by its own rhetoric, in its Preview Issue of January 1976. The punch-line came first : "that Kiodern Architecture as one has been experiencing it has gone into hiding. Gone (well, nearly gone) are those massive rectilinear packages; the towers, the slabs and (since Burolandschaft) the too big urban footstools. Gone (or nearly gone) are those self-assertive, diagramatic buildings which made a point of having nothing to do with the neighbours. Gone is the will to assert, the will to shock." That the wills to assert or shock have gone is debatable. That the buildings referred to have "gone" should presumably be taken to mean the new commissions for such buildings, not the buildings themselves. But the most disagreeable aspect of the article is the mixture of wise complac-— ency and indulgent penitence. Unfortunately we find our version of the story rather more worrying. The effects of the process of radicalization induced by war could be seen in It has indeed taken almost exactly twenty-five years for the impetus behind the first Modern Movement in this country to be exhausted. The Festival of Britain and European Architectural Heritage Year, 1951 to 1975, might be taken as the official milestones at the inauguration and closure of the period respectively. We appear to stand now at the beginning of a new phase in which the criteria of 'relevant' action will be determined as much by the understanding of this legacy as by our particular political standpoint. 205 1945 in the arrival of the first modern Socialist Government, with longer an imperial power. young man of 30. "When I first came in contact with new architecture in Germany I was struck by two things; the first, this version of a grandly proportioned urbanism taking in everything: dwellings, roads, factories, markets, down to the small paraphernalia at the closest personal context. Here is an architecture, I said to myself, capable of everything. Here is a true resolution, the end of discord. This is it, I wasgwept with a fervour that was the reflection of a release of creative energy which was to spread from Europe to every part of the world and change the character of architecture decisively. its far-reaching social reforms on the domestic scale, and in our modified nation status in NAYO and the realization that we were no In matters of environment the New Towns Movement, the Town & Country Planning Act 1947 etc were the first expression of a new vision and confidence that had already permeated other sectors of society, including for example the health services. One recalls the bright-eyed article by the Smithsons in which they referred to themselves as "The 1947 Generation" denouncing the bygone equipment of the pre-modern architect, the screw pen, the classical grammar, in favour of their own new weapons, the development plan and the C.P.0. The South Bank Exhibition and the associated housing schemes for Lansbury, East London epitomised the mixture of exhuberance and ‘committed concern' while showing that modern architecture was not simply a flat roof or a corner window but a comprehensive urban language. The underlaying had of course been worked out long before, in Germany, Holland, Sweden and most completely in Russia. In this ideas, France, typically slow on the uptake,it was codified visually country, in the 1938 Exhibition of MARS group, which itself derived the parent CIAM movement in Europe. The architecture was first embraced by a radical is best captured by Max Fry's own description few in this country of himself, as a “hen the second thing was added to me when I fell in love with a house by Miss van der Rohe, his Turgendhat Haus, in the Taunus Mountains. I fell in love with this building, which is to say that I gave my heart to it and it entered into my emotional its premises from — spirit in which modern recesses and filled them to overflowing. For me at that time it was as though, my mind cleared, rinsed and invigorated by the noble rationality of the Bauhaus, the breadth and grandeur of the proposition that it and the Modern Movement represented to me, suddenly my heart was taken, by one work, not essentially different, but of a quality of which I had not imagined the movement as yet capable.” The sincerity is exemplary; the combination of rationality and passion the best modern architecture can offer but it now seems incomplete. Wells Coates, Fry's contemporary and fellow traveller put the vision more bluntly. "As creative architects, we are concerned with a future which must be planned, rather than a past which must be patched up". from the thirties But the climate of 1945 was different/ both in degree and in kind. The post-war era for the first time saw the alliance of the ‘new wisdom! hitherto the preoccupation of dissaffected intellectuals and enlightened bourgeous patrons, with all the executive force of government and the major institutions. At the very moment that the pioneers! thesis appeared to be vindicated, so the process of institu#tionalizing its assumptions began in its adoption by a new establishment due to become infinitely more sophisticated and bureaucratic than any hitherto. Naturally it was intelligent enough to absorb the precepts and personalities that would otherwise have been dynamite, and throughout the 50's the professions of architecture and planning were happy to be included in the monolithic drive for reconstruction. (For 20 years it has been considered an unjustified luxury to conceive of L.A. housing as anything but a numbers problen.) The antithesis,which was bound to arise in conflict with this centralist orthodoxy, appeared early in the 1960's in phenomena ranging from the satire movement, to student protest; that is at about the time when on the threefold premise of cheap energy, expansionist economics and enlightened paternalism, 'progressive' architects and planners (now comfortably established in government institutions and well-connected practices) were ready for the big boom. The extent of development, publicly or privately sponsored out afresh". Martin went on to diagnose the failure of modern architecture in the neglect by architects to attend to the 3rd item. But he himself was neglecting another factor infinitely more important, because while concentrating on changes in form and technique he quite ignored the question of changes in patronage - the underlaying governing function which determines the very boundaries of change of the other two. Its the same blind spot as Fry and Coates, but after 30 years of social change - how much less forgiveable! during the 1960's is unlikely to be equalled during the lifetime of any reader over 20,and the housing, new towns, universities, — of this period will somehow or other have to do for the majority of us and our children till the latter are middle-aged. The future which Wells Coates generally wanted to plan is now the past that we will have to patch up. transport infrastructure etc. -- But for the architectural profession, the boundaries of their sphere of action were still essentially the same. Even Leslie Martin, one of the most advanced thinkers of the movement, took stock of the situation in the mid 60's like this:- Referring to the 20's, 30's he wrote in 1966 "However complicated the historical situation may have been, three powerful lines of thought appeared. The first came from the passionately held belief that there had to be some complete and systematic re-examination of human needs and that as a result of this, not only the form of buildings, but the total environment would be changed. The second line of thought interlocking with this was simply that change in the form of buildings or environment would only be achieved completely through the full use of modern technology. These 2 ideas produced a third, which wasthat each architectural problem should be constantly re-assessed and thought whats best for him. S, preside over a process that was already in decline. What could follow now? Obvious with hindsight: a simple coronary case with complications. We ran out of fuel - petro-chemical, financial and most important social. For by now the assumed popular consent on which all this development had been based was solidly organised into community groups, environmentarists, conservation lobbies, spaceship earth economists,etc of increasing expertise. It began to seem once more that the people with the power were less intelligent than the people without it. The complications? Almost as fast as the development boom fever was dying in the establishment the antibodies were being absorbed. Participation, piecemeal planning, rehab and recyling have been hastily substituted in the official policies of national and local authorities and the professional institutions such that the concepts of 'Community Architecture' and 'Neighbourhood Participation! are already barnacled with bogus concern and trendy humbug, without much noticeable advantage to the intended beneficiaries. The courtesy with which Nicholas Harbraken was received at a County Hall lecture, when his whole theme was disposing of the very basis on which the Department operated, was quite astonishing. Thus the wise Authority rejects not with brick wall but with cotton wool. Sociologists call it "Rejection by partial incorporation", and the British Establishment is uniquely gifted at it. Not only is there nothing you can complain m Max Beerbohm had called the 20th Century the "century of the common man", but in architecture and planning, after now more than 50years of modernism, he is still assumed to be less qualified than remote architects and planners to know Meanwhile arteries were hardening. In 1970 the D.0.E. - a concept that would have seemed revolutionary 25 years earlier - established itself in the now familiar tastefully separate from Whitehall, its bland combination of technocracy faulty towers, sited and expressing so precisely about - there's plenty you must be grateful for. shus the host was born. and officialdom, to and to penetrate. aie Salaried architects - the vast majority of the profession - who may be hopeful of more direct and satisfying relatiaships with the users of their products, in view of the changing climate, have little to be optimistic about. Their governing body, the R.I.B.A. in no way representative of their concerns, continues to be dominated by the assumptions of private principals and no other organisation save ARC and ourselves shows any sign of challenging it. Such a state of affairs, when 80% of a profession is misrepresentated by default (or not at all) would be at best unsatisfactory, except that the current economic depression has begun to show that more immediate aspects of employment may be none too cosy either. Government cuts and the Middle East Klondike can only temporarily disguise the fact that large sections of society who can avail themselves easily of the services of doctors and The current climate is pluralistic and diverse to the extent that, given the right form of words, everyone can apparently claim to be progressive — the D.O.E, R.I.B.A, most L.A.'s, the R.T.P.I. etc etc - concealing the fact that major ideological change is occurring with little or no commensurate redistribution of power. Environmental matters continue to be determined on the basis of power, not of need, and the status quo is effectively maintained. It is this situation that N.A.M. was formed to study So much for what amounts to our context in the outside world. Meanwhile, what of our context in the profession? In the same period under review the profession has transformed itself from a craft-orientated elite of aesthetic gourmets supported forelock - tugging draughtsmen, predomminatly private, into an army of professionals dependent on a very different calibre of recruit - a university educated, mainly middle-class mass of aspiring principals whose habit of identifying with employers has blurred their vision of the political reality both within their offices and within the RIBA as a whole. lawyers have no access to architects except through surrogate by is drawn. At the deliberately unlikely venue of Harrogate, rather less than a hundred people met for a weekend in November 1975 at the invitation of the small group named ARC (Architect's Revolutionary Council) which had already for a couple of years been preoccupied with such questions. The outcome was the nucleus of a New Architecture Movement which has since distinguished its own identity from that of ARC and at the same time consolidated its membership and its aims. Of the latter more will be said later, but beforehand the two essential characteristics of the movement that Harrogate established require explanation. First its attitude: it was felt that this must be positive and constructive, no matter whether this involved more work. Nevertheless we must beware of getting bogged down in research. We would guess that it's all on the shelves of College libraries already. What we need are the people who wrote it. The second feature is our structure. If there is a single obvious lesson in the past period it is that the more general the precept the more diverse must be its application. The structure is therefore federal, national. Our object is to seek strength in numbers such that any individuals or groupings that share the basic aims contribute to the consensus for action. Apart from rudimentary liason processes, therefore the resulting character of the movement is its diversity and its localised basis. A centralised power elite dictating policy seemed both alien and unworkable. The N.A.M. is a microcosm of the social structure it foresees revolutionizing architectural patronage. clients whose patronage they can in no way initiate. It is out of this ghostly atmosphere of reality and appearances, wisdom and duplicity that N.A.M. developed and it is mainly from this section of the profession that its current membership lies in the actions of many. ae Individuals and local groups spread throughout the country make up the Movement - all of equal status in so far as they can develop their own programmes in support of the generally agreed aims - any material produced therefore is signed for example "N.A.M., Edinburgh Group", or "N.A.M. North London Group". The essential function of making a sustaining contacts, together with arranging national congresses is carried out by a small Liason Group - which at present happens to be situated in London. This function could of course be transferred to any group who wished to take over it. If you wish to join, the contact list will probably already contain the names of individuals or groups in the area and you can join their meetings or alternatively establish a group of your own. Ideally a network of groups will develop, covering the entire country, with overseas contacts also, each one working on a number of topics, local campaigns etc which it would present at national congress for review. The Congress would also of and tweedledee of form and technique - competence and the course be the place for overall aims and strategy to be reviewed. The key to this decentralised structure is that of local antonomy. If a particular topic or local issue is your interest then you pursue it. We are not a movement with presidents or celebrities and its strength lies not in the words of a few. Its strength Anyway we started telling a ghost story, and want now to tell how it ends. Well,for the A.R. it ends about here, because Moder Architecture they tell us has gone into hiding. Actually they were more honest than they intended when they added: "This disappearance is not caused by any great change in the accommodation asked for: clients are still calling for immodest cubes of space and be given this city bursting character. But, by and large architects are displaying them differently and are putting a more sociable face on them". Well what a surprise. Plus ca change. Still the old tweedledum in the course of our work. Now NAM must measure its strength; dispose of this ghost of moder architecture, and build a social reality in its place. design guide. We leave you to guess whether this preservation of the status quo is because the RIBA is too preoccupied with bread and butter issues, or because it knows all too well which side its bread is buttered on. The ‘questionis now not whether the politics of the profession matters or not, but whether anything else does. A profession which once came near the brink of radical change - donned a mask instead and now its face has grown to fit it. But behind the new sociable face practising its "social art" the architect with integrity (a word much in the news on which we had something to say to Monopolies Commission) knows quite well that his formal windmill-tilting and technical guesswork hardly touch the real forces and desires of the people or groups that literally form the life blood of the environment. The radical question is not "what forms? or "which techniques" but "who are my patrons? for it is this link which draws up the whole chain. Without seeking to answer it, modern architecture can well stay in hiding, while its ghost roams more sinister for its new disguise. It visits most of us daily far and wide; all the Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Hawser Trunnion Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived John Allan Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource c 1976 https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/4488e44d04f822a463a2015b119324e1.pdf ba6d9ca6797dbb03acb1abdc5c575ee5 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Later NAM Congresses, 2-5 Subject The topic of the resource A further 5 NAM Congresses after the initial Harrogate Congress in 1975, plus other documents Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1976-1980 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2nd NAM Congress Blackpool Subject The topic of the resource Assorted papers re 2nd NAM Congress in Blackpool (Several copies) Description An account of the resource Agz aztig 5 =13Ls3 oa BIaSNVA APR UIT RD. is o aC Je ag aoe nl) Warbfe cea RN ROAD Hara aps \ OS markt 42 On the Be ‘Dal€Pp. z BE) SS ces et PO gtvrmono|S ési.0w] +h saz DUNELT jn Cerrar mice 3 Playing field @. North Pier 4 ae 4G, i 2Fpasrvabe|| i brevis! zi peCorrea ~],'ENEEs sain Health (a pe 8yl AM_EPASRADE 35390 hs ies ( SR PARee oes Bga or “COLLINGWOOD SM_’_SFo— SOS LN SS Mar : Mem! (aR ~ uy govceAY teen BY a JAMES Lng AV rm [ee 2 fSO BS x =~ ‘Towa HalClS wa owas unBANKiheae fos wm et ne dnformation Bureau comes es FaLMOUINS eS alt! mC Se SAVILLE AY SARC AY AV a ss ANTRIM. STON =| 2 ‘S| >aary nD=&) , oW£ Ne2 Di S Ss 3 ROSEGALL—_2V. ee Convent Woodtarh Garden ‘Central Pier ba Programme N.A.li. 2ND NATIONAL CONGRESS Friday, 26th November, 1976 18.00 — 19.00 19.00 — 19.30 19.30 — 20.00 20.00 = 20.45 20.45 — 21.15 Clek> ==22.00 Registration of delegates and guests. Registratioant hotels. Opening of the Congress by the Lord Mayor of Blackpool. Saturday, 27th November, 1976 9.30 =— 10.30 10.30 — 11.00 1#600-—:12.15 42 V5. 3. ES 335° - 14.15 T4615. 5615 15.45 = 15.645 15.45 —- 17.00 17.00. =— 18.00 18.00 = 19.30 19.30 = 20.30 Speakers introduce lst Workshop Topics. Morning Coffee Workshops on: Private Practice — Plans for Reform A National Design Service & Local Control Architectural Education The Structure of N.A.Ii. Plenary Session: Reports from Workshops. Break for Lunch. (Lunch not included in fee.) Speakers introduce 2nd Workshop Topics. (Plus any additional Workshop Topics requested by Congress) Afternoon Tea Workshops on Unionisationo.f Architects and Designers The Profession Aesthetics Plenary Session: Reports from Workshops. Buffet Supper and Bar open. Optional period to begin: Area Group discussions. Sunday, 28th November, 1976 9.30 - 10.30 10.330 .—<1 F500 11.00 = 12.00 12,.003=212% 30 Plenary Session: Report from 1975/76 Liason Group Local Area Group Organisation N.AM. Newsletter Next Congress Planning Group Any other issues Morning Coffee Area Group Discussions. Closing Plenary Session. Opening Plenary Sessions Guest Speaker. Buffet Supper and Bar. History of N.A.M. Short Group Reports Aims of the Congress Information NEW ARCHITECTURE MOVEMENT This sheet gives basic information about The New Architecture liovement. If you wish to join N.A.M. or obtain copies of further N.A.M. literature please write to The Secretary, NAM Liason Group, 143 Whitfield Street, London, W.l. ORIGINS N.A.M. was officially founded in November 1975 at the Harrogate National Congress, although several of the constituent members and ideas had been assembled up to two years previously. This Congress achieved a consensus on the essential direction and structure of the movement which was issued as a Press Statement. A Contact List was started, several local groups were established, and a Liason Group was delegated to maintain and extend contacts and to organize the next Congress. AI N.A.M. is working through the collective action of architects and others to alter radically the system of patronage in archi- tecture. We wish to reform the existing power structure in architecture, dominated by corporate or wealthy clients and principals (public or private), with direct relationships between users and designers. The aim is thereby to restore effective control by ordinary people over their environment, and real social responsibility and accountability in the work of architects. Programmes for action are formulated from detailed critiques of the current situation and its background. MEMBERSHIP Members are drawn from all areas of architectural activity in addition to the lay public. In the former category salaried architects in private practice from the majority, though Local Authority officers, teachers and students are also a substantial element. The contact list is growing rapidly. STRUCTURE the Movement's structure, which was established at Harrogate, is a network not a pyramid. It thus consists mainly of locally based groups of up to about a dozen members, who are kept in touch by a small Liason Group. There is no hierarchy, each group pursuing its defined tasks in furtherance of the overall aim. The object is to avoid bureaucracy or celebrities and the Liason Group's role is therefore basically administrative : circulating documents from other groups, making new contacts and arranging the National Congress, when Liason Group members may be redelegated. Local Groups are now working in various parts of the country, and if you wish to become involved the Liason Group will introduce you to the nearest group or alternatively help you to establish a new group. No enrolment fee as such is asked for, membership being based on agreement with and involvement in pursuing the Movement's aim. Individual groups are for the most part self-financing. Contributions are however payable at conferences, and for specific items such as some of the larger reports etc. These funds are lodged in the N.A.M. account, for which three Liason Group members are signatories. Application for grants is currently in hand. The Liason Group operates from 143, ‘hitfield Street, London, W.1l., to which all initial enquiries should be addressed. The local groups make their own arrangements, the normal practice being to meet at the residence of each of the members in turn, the host member acting as chairperson for their meeting. One member agrees to act as postman for the group. in the Movement. FINANCE PREMISES LITURATURE 0—— me REPRESENVATION The Movement's overall aims are refined and endorsed at national and local conferences, which have received fair coverage in the architectural and technical press. Local groups and individual members are free to present their own work or to propose changes Other N.A.M. documents recently produced, all of which are available on recuest, include: "NAM - Historical Perspective", NAM - Brochure, "A National Design Service", "Ihe Case Against Handatory Minimum Fees" - the report of NAM to the Monopolies Commission (£1), "A Short History of the Architectural Profession" (10p). A complete list of all NAM documents, press cuttings etc. is kept up to date by The Liason Group. e e NEW ARCHITECTURE MOVEMENT Invitation 143,WhitfieldStreet, London, W.l. lst November, 1976. Dear As you may know, the New Architecture Movement was established at the Harrogate Congress in November 1975 in broad agreement as to its aims and structure. Since then its activities have developed steadily, and the Liason Group which was deputed at Harrogate to arrange the next Congress now warmly invite you to attend this, The 2nd N.A.M. Congress at Blackpool, 26th — 28th November, 1976. During the year since Harrogate several groups have met regularly and consolidated their programme, and apart from refining NAM's critique of the current situation in architecture, have made press statements, submitted evidence to the Monopolies Commission Inquiry into architects' fees, set up a Community Design Service in Cardiff, become involved with the Birmingham Green Ban Action movement, organised the London: Seminar last spring and significantly increased the Contacts List. Discussions in several of the major areas of NAM's programme have now progressed sufficiently to demand wider canvassing and endorsement by the move-— ment as a whole. At the same time, more active support from sympathizers and new ¢roups is needed to increase firepower and pursue specific plans of action. We therefore hope that you will wish to participate in the 2nd Congress and so contribute to this vital step. Blackpool on the 26th. Yours sincerely, po. NAM, Liason Group. As you can see from the attached papers it will be a very full weekend, and we very much hope that you will be able to be present from the opening on Friday evening. A shorter visit may be booked, however, if you are unable to attend the whole Congress and will also be warmly welcomed. We Look forward to receiving your application as early as possible, and to seeing you at Application NAM. 2ND NATIONAL CONGRESS CONFERENCE FEE ACCOMAODATION Single Bedroom Double Bedroom shared Bedroom Cost per person: £7 Cost per person: &4 Cost per person: £3.25 Cost per persons: £3.75 TOTAL MONEY ENCLOSED: Pri. 26th Sat. 27th Peis 26th Sat. 27th Fri. 26th Sat. 27th Please make cheques payable to New Architecture Movement. hiay we have your telephone no. if possible please ? Could you please indicate how you heard of this Congress, if not by means of this communication. VALG AMD ADDRESS: Please send completed forms to NEV ANCHITECSURE MOVEMENT 143, WHITFIELD S?tREST, LONDON, %:.1. No. of Total persons gsd. If a special coach can be arranged from London, would you be interested ? are able to arrange it, we shall phone or write with the details. l. On receipt of your application the booking will be made as requested. In order to reduce postage, we shall not be sending confirmation letters. Ce If you indicate that you would wish to take the special coach, and we If you are able to, please take a copy of this form and pass it to someone else in your office/ college/ area who may be interested. An early reply would be greatly appreciated, particularly if hotel accommodation is required. = ~ PLEASE DISPLAY ON OFFICE NOTICE BOARD Dear FRIENDS As you may know, the New Architecture Movement was established at the Harrogate Congress in November 1975 in broad agreement as to its aims and structure. Since then its activities have developed steadily, and the Liason Group which was deputed at Harrogate to arrange the next Congress now warmly invite you to attend this, The 2nd N.A.M. Congress at Blackpool, 26th ~— 28th November, 1976. : During the year since Harrogate several groups have met regularly and consolidated their programme, and apart from refining NAM's critique of the current situation in architecture, have made press statements, submitted evidence to the Monopolies Commission Inquiry into architects’ fees, set up a Community Design Service in Cardiff, become involved with the Birmingham Green Ban Action movement, organised the London: Seminar last spring and significantly increased the Contacts List. Discussions in several of the major areas of NAM's programme have now progressed sufficiently to demand wider canvassing and endorsement by the move- ment as a whole. At toe same time, more active support from sympathizers and new groups is needed to increase firepower and pursue specific plans of action. Ye therefore hope that you will wish to participate in the 2nd Congress and so contribute to this vital step. As you can see from the attached papers it will be a very full weekend, and we very much hope that you will be able to be present from the opening on Friday evening. A shorter visit may be booked, however, if you are unable to attend the whole Congress and will also be warmly welcomed. We look forward to receiving your application as early as possible, and to seeing you at Blackpool on the 26th. Yours sincerely, \A ‘doh | \LrGay | \ po. HAN, Liason Group. NEW ARCHITECTURS MOVEMENT 143, Whitfield Street, London, W.l. lst November, 1976. Programme NAM. 2ND NATIONAL CONGRESS Friday, 26th November, 1976 niLyCL Leow) 9 18.00 - 19.00 19.00 ~ 19.30 19.30 = 20.00 20.00 = 20.45 20.45 — 21.15 - 21.15 = 22.00 Registration of delegates and guests. Registration at hotels. Opening of the Congress by the Lord Mayor of Blackpool. Opening Plenary Session: History of N.A.M. Satu2r7tdhaNovyem,ber,1976 9.30 = 10.30 10.30 = 11.00 11.00 = 12.15 12.15 = 13.15 13.15 - 14.15 pert? & ~/@* (Oem 15.15 =— 15.45 15.45 — 17.00 17.00 = 18.00 18.00 = 19.30 *K19.30 = 20.30 Speakers introduce lst Workshop Topics. Morning Coffee Workshops on: Private Practice - Plans for Reform : A National Design Service & Local Control + Architectural Education . PtreStructofutarAceitre Plenary Session: Reports from Workshops. Break for Lunch. (Lunch not included in fee.) Speakers introduce 2nd Workshop Topics. (Plus any additional Workshop Topics requested by Congress) Afternoon Tea Workshops on3 Unionisationo.f Architects and Designers Sunday, 25th November, 1976 9.30 —- 10.30 10.30 ~ 11.00 11.00 = 12,00 12.00 — 12.30 Plenary Session: Report from 1975/76 Liason Cepur LocalAreaGroupOrganisationNUK N.A.M. Newsletter Next Congress am Morning Coffee Area Group Discussions. Closing Plenary Session Able CLAD Berd OL.mA Guest Speaker. Buffet Supper and Bar. The Profession Le Aestheticise, _ Gi DAs Plenary Session: Reports from eeRencee. Buffet Supper and Bar open. Optional period to begin. Area Group discussions.. Hil d \ ° — sci Short Group Reports Aims of the Congress ww 5. 6.8 “a o. 9. wi Os Ht Education and the Profession ArchitecturalWorkers&TradeUnionism STAMP = The Architects' Union ? Architects v The R.I.BeA., 1919-1935. Professionalism ~ Youd |mane lfoix . The Politics of Aesthetics Literature Ni ARCHITECTURE MOVEMENT The following NAM documents are available at the Blackpool Congress. Numbers 1 = 11 are papers included in the conference fee and are issued at Registration. The remainder may be obtained at the 'bookshop'. 1.0Information:NAMeee v2. e Historical Perspective V3.4 Private Practice : Progress Report v4. € A National Design Service (2 parts) Hawser Trunnion North London Group Central London Group Francis Bradshaw David Somervell Andrew Fekete CentralLondonGroup Andrew Fekete Andrew Fekete Anne Delaney Paul Downton Index : List of all NAM documents, references etc., (not including Blackpool papers.) a Se ee V 12. The Monopolies Commission Report (£1) vac Report to the Birmingham Green Ban Action Central London Group Central London Group VY14. Doe 15. VY16. 17. Committee (50p) (10p). Interior Perspective North London Group North London Group Asbestos : Information Leafl A Short History of the Architectural Profession Adam Purser paicgeys teeust come ACRE Bhrol on »Hobao sarin80 = Se Wor’ mohaed fectaeo or nebnedSentness sonetetece Say @i- BSSrank #3605 Meccod* edt ta henisigo of yam tobriames sat =44i ary - We £elteod MAT: xctiemectal «. , &- eeltosqets imaistovere »SV er s ~*, ¥ WOH SHSTGQCTT i SDEISALT abavisd «..f W/ (attée S$)soiree? mgtaad fanortet Aas ¥ noieestext 2 basnoivaeuse «22° nobetabst oehatsEau:coupigoias i ‘ivedtisorw eae = Sante seeenesLEEedsfa A9Be stootissoh paivanzeek toyaokt8t0% »‘oil eto evanseres etaanpoet§Anite30,tei::Rebel tee a * 27 .(re) reozelxere ao ae eee of.44 Gortergelwesed.abaROT BaF6?J26gem+ / (aoe) eadibemot quest nobnod Bes0K ex. aobao.t ideou Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Liaison Group Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived JA Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Nov 1976 https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/8c68ab87d630790349838e8cbb28f9d3.pdf 89303eb08babecb583bc859bc6256044 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Liaison Group Including London Group Subject The topic of the resource Liaison Groups: NAM was initially structured as local groups. There was also a Liaison Group whose role was to coordinate the different groups, deal with correspondence and arrange the next annual conference. NAM campaign groups, which were largely autonomous, worked across local groups to develop their ideas. They arranged their own conferences and reported through SLATE and annually to the NAM Congress. The seven different campaign groups listed had members from a variety of local groups. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Various Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1976-1979 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Report Subject The topic of the resource Report of the North London Group of NAM 3 pp (2 copies) Description An account of the resource REPORT OF THE NORTH LONDON GROUP OF THR NEW ARCHITECTURE MOVEMENT Giles Pebody So, from meetings to the first meeting: we left Harrogate with this much common ground: a shared disgust at the part the architect plays in the brutalisation of the physical and social environment and at the power that seduces or forces him to play that role, and also a shared- commitment to find collective ways of building a humane architecture It is, I hope, quite unecessary here to start to list the questions begged by such sentiments. We made an early decision to concentrate our work on private practice, at least at the start, as all North London membérdare employed in private practice and have most experience there we acknowledged that we neede to find a new understanding of the social economic and political role of the architect, different, that ts, from the one promoted by the RIBA, the schools, and the principals in private or public practice. But there was algo an urgency for action to provide ways in which frustrated working architects and assistants could direct their energies. Action itself could take two forms: the mah e of propaganda, and the setting up of alternative structures both in the profession and in the organisation of practice itself. A combinationrof theorevical and action projects would support each other: the theory wculdinform the action and thes action the theory. For all this, it is now necessary to divide this report into two parts: I will deal first with our theoretical work, and. then with the ' Interior Perspective 'project. I think that-it-is fair to say, at “least 'in retrospect, that we set out to investigate two of the central myths on which the architectural profession iis based: firstly, that the profession was set up in order to ensure that the public was well served by its architects; and secondly that every practising architect works ag an individual, bearing the torch of architecture, and enjoying its priviledges himself as the peer of evry other architect ( poetically christened ' the Brass Plate Syndrome !). Firstly, before telling you about the results of our work, let me describe how the group works: we meet fortnightly, at the home of each member in turn. The actual work of researching, writing, making posters and so forth, is done outside the meetings so that the meetings thems‘earlerveseersvedfordiscussion.Inthiswaythemaximumbenefit is mace of the exchange of views and ideas, and the group has time to learn and maintain its coherenve. The 'host' takes minutes and writes the agenda for the next meeting. this process gives continuity, but does not inhibit the raising of new topics as they occur. The subsequent meeting is generally arranged on the pavement outsids the nearest pub ( we rarely have time to get further than that ) at about 11 15pm, and at 11 20pm “bhe host for next time heads home to count the coffee cups. Ts deal briefly with the first: the established arbiter between the archotect and the interests of the public is the RIBA, through its code of conduct The Interior Perspective project was first suggested at the Harrogate Conference: employees in private practice would send in information on the offices in which they worked, which would then be made available to job applicants. This way the sort of information to light at interviews would be made available, and so strengthenthe position of the applicant at the interview itselfA.s’we discussed the idea it became clear that its implications could be broader than this. Firstly, the information, if siutebly collected, could be used by other parties with an interest in a parvicular practices prospective clients wishing to use a practice with high standarda and, on the other: hand action groups fighting schemes in-which architectasre involved. It could also form a vehicle for pressing for of employment, and of a mors sensitive approach to design. The most Significant aspect of the Sore, however, is that it would be sét up which rarely comes the adoption of -better sonditions and its supervision of education. The title architect is also controlled by law under the Architects Registration Acts. We looked first at the origins of the RIBA in the C19th, and then at the registration acts themselves and concluded that the RIBA, far from being founded on altruistic principals, was set up to ensure that the profession could run its own affairs, free from interference, especially from government, who, if anyone’ one would, would represent the interests of” the public:at large ‘throvgh the democratic process. Thi8 was achieved in the early C19th during a period. of’ éénfusion and corruption in practice by offering a’ code of conduct to regulate the behaiviour of architects, in return for which the RIBA was granted the autonomy it enjoys. This was further reinforced by the virtual monoply granted under the Architects ' Registration Act, whose adminstering body, ARCUK, rapidly came under its control. The second topic, the ' Brass Plate Syndrome ' is closer to the daily working lives of architects, and is best. considered in- that context. 80 percent of architects axe calaried, and, clearly their autonomy as architects is heavily circvmscribed by thee duties as employees. The argument -has often been advanced that the outlook of the RIBA, and the ethic underlying the codes of conduct are based on the ideal of the architect as an individual practitioner, and they do not therefore represent the interests fo the salaried architects. Further this contradiction increases the frustration of salaried architects who are justifiably angr: that their considerable talents are wasted on unwanted or even destructive projects when the need for sensitive and useful:-architccturec is so painfully evident. Wetre looking at the possibilities for the reform cf practice: Collective decision- -making over design policy or working conditions is extremely rare, in either public’ or private practice, This situation is.aggravated by the difficultoyf finding asiutablelegal form for the institution of cooperative or employee controlled practices. The processes invclced in partnership law are extremely cumbersome, while the limited liability company would provide = siutable for m weve architects not forbiden from forming. them, for other reasons, by the code of conduct. The setting up of a national design service, by which the architects! services would be freely available, much ag a doctors are, could perhaps provide a framework for new forms of nvactice, REPORT FROM THE CARDIFF GROUP OF THE NEW ARCHITECTURE MOVEMENT Anne Delaney A small group of architects, technicians, students and planners has been meeting irregularly in Cardiff since February. Initial meetings concerned themselves with discussion as to the most effective form of proceeding as a group of radicals in the environmental field. We decided initially to familiarise ourselves with relevent work which had already been done locally.The South Wales Housing Action group is perhaps best described as a federation of local community action groups inCardiff, Swansea,and the South Wales mining valleys.The people involved in this group had put up a strong opposition to a scheme for comprehensive redevelopment of Cardiff city centre. Centreplan, the P.R's sell-name for the scheme,was set up as a partnership between Cardiff City Council and Ravenseft,a firm of property deveclopers.Come the economic recession,Ravenseft pulled out of the deal,leaving the centre of Cardiff pitted with vacant or blighted nites in searck of a developer. At the suggestion of .the Ss W. Housing Action Group, Cardiff NAM are looking into the feasibility of alternative schemes for the centre,At the moment we're attempting to tackle this in two ways:firstly by preparing a general report on inner © city development in whichwe hope to discuss a few alternatives to office and large scale store development;sesondly by attempting to apply the theories contained in ou report to one particular site in the centre of Cardiff.It's early days so there's nothing to show as yet. One spin off from this work is that we've been asked to contribute to an exhibition running concurrently with this year's RTPI conference which is being held in Cardiff next month. Community action groups in Cardiff were allocated a few metres' space in the official RIPI exhibition at the conferencebu,t decided they had more to say to planners than could be contained in the space offered them,so they decided to run their own exhibition concurrently in a vacant shop in the city centre. The emphasis on this sort of action seems to set the Cardiff group apart from other NAM groups.There are obvious dangers in diving headlong into action of this sort - the old debate as to whether theory can or should precede action or whether it should arise from experience of action.Hopefully by being awake to the dangers our theory and action will develop side by side,one reinforcing the other. and run by employed architects to serve their interests and those of the users of. buildings. It has the potential to open up a direct. channel of communication between these two groups in a way which would enable then to suppurt each other. It is interesting to compare the Inteficr Perspective proposal with the RIBA Directory, which is its 'Official-! counterparts the latter is, in essence, a form of controlled adverertising for private practiceisn competition with each other, and for the profession as a-whole. As such it provide.sin formation of use unly to principleisn private practice and. their clients. It is of little or no use to the public at large, or architectural employees. Our future plang include an extension of this work on radical professional dccuments to include a new code of conduct and conditions of engegement, .based on ‘our growing ctitique of current ways of practice. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Giles Pebody Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived John Allan Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Undated https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/ad91918965a00855974aeb5e63e759b6.pdf fcf3e98c4e49e59e4b73f06bb0932a7b https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/65e08e38745b8afaebfbdfdb9a80fc0c.pdf 611cb7b2cfce9dc2d969421b54257ba0 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Brian Anson/ARC pre and post Harrogate Subject The topic of the resource Various documents describing ARC ideas and activities See below Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource ARC Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1975-1976 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource From Radical to Revolutionary Subject The topic of the resource 6 page essay (2 copies) Description An account of the resource FROM RADICAL TO REVOLUTION,,aY Brian Anson The new breed of'Conceptualist'architects seem blind to the fact that in Britain thousands are still forced to live in ugly and poverty stricken environments. The architects of the authoritarian Left frequently act as though such people'live by bread alone'and have no capacity for dreaming of beautiful things outside the sphere of their existence, The radical architect who is searching for a new vision is labelled ultra political by the Conceptualists because he ignores ‘art for art's sake',Because he has the courage to'dream from -the earth up! ,the doctrinaire Left wieuere “"bourgeoise’ behind his bask. Well to hell with both factions, For me he.is the truly revolutionery architect and it is the purpose of this short essay to describe him and how he came about. Until recently we had to go back toMorris to hear an architect speak of his work in sovial terms:'...what architecture unless all can share it.We must not preduce it only for the swinish luxury of the rich.'This great gap of a hundred years;it is this lack of concern for the social side of architecture that is so largely responsible for the dilemma in which we as architects find ourselvesswhy is this so?Pevsner gives us a clue: "Ingland's activity in the preparation of the Modern Movement came to an end immediately after Morris'death,...English writers have not failed to acknowledge this,but hardly anyone has tried to explain it.One reason may be this:so been a matter which in practice concerned class England could foot the bill.As soon as the problem began to embrace the people as a whole other nations that cid not accept or did not know Ingland's EDUCATION AND SOCIAL CONTRASTS BETWSEN THE PRIVILEGED CLASSES AND THOSE IN THE SUBURBS ANS THE SLUMS. ‘(my emphasis). So the Beveridge Report of 1919 to combat the five evils of ‘Want,Disease,IgnoraSQnUAcLOeR,,andIDLENESS'(myemphasis) was acted upon.Slum clearance got under way;British Town Planning busimess have we with: long as the new style had only the wealthier nations took the lead, British architecture, for all its apologists and theorists has always been Secenmia ie, in the control of the privileged and powerful,and has had no relationship with the mass of common people except as an oppressive force to crush them in the path of grandiose civic projects.The recent property toom with its resulting physical destruction and rape of poor communities, proves that nothing has really changed since Morris's death, While the Modern Movement was blossoming on the Continent the UK had nothing to compare with the pamphlet‘ Arbeitsrat flr Kunst' of 1919:'...architecture shall no longer be the luxury ofthefew...'ThesignatBrounro’iTaeut,sA,dolfBehre,andothers, all of them in the spitbit of the age,declaring that architecture must spring from the people and be of them.But not Britain- past master at containing revobutionary ideals and expert at chanelling them into innocuous reforms,she could afford to look smugly upon such wild calls for architectural revolution.The myth of British Supremacy was not yet to-be dislodged,Britain's attempts to ° democratise the environmental process were well timed,subtle,| and above all paternalistiacs befitted an imperial power, ean tin Hogg summed it up when he told Parliament in 1918: '..eif you don't give the people social reform they are going to give you social revolution,..' 2. became'the bast in the world'.But behind all the social activity was the age old imperialistic ideaskeep the workers healthy and occupied and they will have no wish to rock the boat and alter the power structure.British architecture torfowed the forms of the Modern Movement; but ignored the'communistic'ideals of the modernists.It was cleverly worked out and beautifully simple, so much so that,as late as 1961,Kidder Smith,in his'The New Architecture of Europe',while admitting that'...for almost half a century Great Britain saw little of architectural significance ee+'could also declare that'...now intellectually the contemporary architectural situation in Britain is on one of the highest planes in Europe...'and go on to eulogise about the high rise housing and slum clearance projects which were so much a feature of architectural journals in the early 60's.The incestuous back slapping amongst architects and politicians over the'successes? of post war British architecture (the work of the LCC, the schools programmet,he new towms) may well have led Kidder Smith to proclaim of Britain Modern architecture has arrived, True to form the architectural profession was blind to what was happening around it,yet during the 50's warnings had been coming through from other sectors of society. Just as the artists and poets cleared the way for Morris and the. first modern movement,so the novelists, playwrights and thinkers of the'Angry Decade'punctured the upper class,paternalistic membrane engulfing cosy Britain and,in my view,paved the way for the post- modern movement in architecture;a movement with which we are still trying to come to grips. Yet it was to be a mere handful of years later that the British public especially those poorer communities forced to inhabit the new'visions'were to proclaim with great ferocity 'We don't like it and what's more you never asked our opinion. '! Osborne, Sillitoe,Wesker, Barstow, Shelagh Delaney, Alan Owen; the ‘Angry Young Men'(and women) of the 50's,who through their novels and plays,showed that Britain, beneath its paternalistic welfare statism and slum clearance philosophy,was still riddled by class consciousness and ruled by privilege. Parallel with the'kitchen sink'dramatists,a number of important Sociological studies emergRe“cdha.rd Hogarth's massive study of the northern working class in'Uses of Literacy'; Townsend's ‘Family Life of Old People';and Wilmott and Young's classic study of the disastrous effects of urban renewal on East End communities.All these works spelt out clearly the immense danger of architects and planners ignoring the age old community linkages, now so fragile after the destruction of war and the pulverising effects of a consumer growth economy.Yet architecture was deaf to the warnings and the hizh rise housing went up in Bethnal Green, Golden Lane,Pimlico,Park Hill,and throughout alll the local authority areas in the Britisn Isles,And the philistine architects had a field day;the Shell empire began to sprawl like a cancer over London's South Bank;the Pivadilly Circus farce began, and city centres throughout the country were being restructured in all their awful sameness. The severe problems we now face in architecture,of people's elementary right to participate in environmental decisions, were all vividly outlined by the writers of the 50's and ARCHITECTURE IGNORED THEM, 36 * In the few short years of the mad 60's British architecture laid the foundations of the hate which is now directed at it by the public and it is diffi-«lt to summ - up sympathy for the profession, Then in 1968 Community Action arrived on the scene and for the next few years appearce to offer a way forward to the radical architect, The movement was just one element in a mac larger process for change which suddenly erusted in the western world, Empires’were <: . suddenly seen to be fragmenting: students in America, France, Germany and eventually Britain,were rioting over civil liberties and the protests were put dom with police brutality (with the significant exception of Britain where the establishment was far too clever to do that}.Workers in Prance joined the popular struggle for human rights.Tho foundations for a new'Gestalt! were laid.0n the environmental front the commimities of North Kensington blocked Westway and their banners read 'Get us out of this hell'ssquatters in iclington barricaded a street and proclaimed it a ‘NO Go Area',echoing the struggle building up in Ireland.The people in Covent Garden rose up against a multi million pound plan being forced on them by the unholy alliance of an-impersonal GLC and the tycoons of the property world (with their erchitects in tow.) By 1972 the community movement had spread throughout the country 3Glasgow, Leeds, Sunderland, Liverpool, Cardiff, until virtually every hamlet in Britain had its protest group. The term'the unacceptable face of capitalism'was coined, and speculators, bureaucrats,and planners became the villains of society.Finally,as evidence of wholesale corruption was exposed in the architectural field,architecture was seen as just another link in the chain of power which viewed the environment as merely a commercial commodity to he exploited at will. The'Angry Young Men'were burnt out cases by the early 60's, Macmillan told us'we had never had it so good'; the'war Babies! had grown up with money in their pockets.A cultural vacuum was created.To those sensitive enough to discern it we were at the 'wake'of the British Empire,and like all’ good wakes it was a feast,The Pop revolution was upon us and,as one commentator put it:!...suddenly the North moved South grinning broadly~~ and cocking a snoop at every form of discrimination it Saweee! Had it been ten years earlier it could have been dramatiz, but society had had enouch of social realism for a while, In architecture the more! imaginative! (or opportunist)went into fantasy (plug-in walk-in cities) consumer graphics and the King's Road, Carnaby Street culture,while perhaps the more astute one climbed aboard the proper<y world bandwaggon which was just getting wreder way.Almost alone in the 60's Cedric Price stood out in trying to link his imagination to the realities in provincial social life (Potteries Thinkbelt). Small groups of disaffected professional archatects and students joined the movement “n preparing alternative schemes and setting up workshoptso educate the communities in the power of architecture and planning.The concept of!guerilla'architects was born and those worked within the system (until discovered and sacked ) filching confidential documents and plans to be used as weapons by the communities in their struggle against the system.Perhaps most important of all, the community profassionals came to reject their own institutions (RIBA) as not only had it rerused to come out 4e publicly on the side of the communities but on the contrary had aidcdand abetted the developers by doing their design work, During these years three times as much investment went into property development as into British industry,and the architectural profession made a bonanza,proving where its allegiance lay. Yet as a revolutionary force the community movement fizzled out’ by 1973.True most of the large destructive plans had been defeated, but this was due as much to gathering inflation and the excessive greed of the speculators (killing the goose that lays the o golden egz) as to the'power to the people , In any case,in time honoured fashion, the establishment had - effectively defused an explosive situation by establishing complicated frameworks for nominal participatiotnh,us disarming the communiti¢s which could never hope to compete with it in terms of time,money,and expertise, But the real problem,and the most radical of the community architects realised it socn after the’ movement began,was spelled out by an American advocacy architect,Robert Goodman:'...You cannot graft pluralist mechanisms, such as advocacy planning, onto existing relationships to colve problems of democratic control if the existing re. vionships are so unbalanced as to discount the. effects of the proposed reform.In order to gain acceptan”.e any reform is made to fit the status quo. and’ as a- result is disarmed as an effective mechanism for chenge...! The projects and plans against which the radical architect had fought alongcide the communities were only a manifestation of a far deeper malaise;the political and’ economc system which had spammed tne project in’the first place,It was the system which needed changing (Land, Money, Privilege) and ironically while working within the powerless’ communities might prove rewarding for the radical professional,it effectively mimimised the nesessi*y for the rules of the game to be changed to include the communities themselves, Perhaps Beatle John Lennon. summed up the tragedy when hn said in ; 1972:'.,.we all dressed up and went’ onto the streets shouting "Power to the People!.We had a ball,;but nothing changed, the same bastards are still in control.,.! So having,at least temporarily,abandoned community action,where dor does the radical architect go? Back into the system? Would it have him. back? : Into the fantasy world of the unreadable Conceptualists (Venturi, Kisenmann and latter day Cook)? Fantasy soon degenerates into total boredom, Reject architecture sltogether?Put Why should he? There is another way- Through the work which he knows best,he can join the struggle to ouild a decent architecture committed to neither Corporate Statism nor State Socialismb,ut which is part of the decentralised, community based society that many are straggling to bring about.A society in which architecture will no longer be controlled by the rith and powerful,nor out of the economic reach of most people,but which is gehorally carried out on a small scale local basis with lay people cooperating fully with the architect.Such a Society could have a locally controlled National Design Service on the lines of the NHS, oy learning from its successes and failures,Ways would need to be found to prevent the growth of architectural monopolies, but: there is no reason why this could not’ be controlledby law, as it is ih Yugoslavia where private officed cannot employ more’ than five people.Larger schemes could be handled by the amalgamation of small enterprises. solely for the duration of the project. (Evidence shows that, under our present system,as practices become more successfuli,n monetary terms,and therefore larger, the standard of design-drops as management techniques override sensitivity).In such a society all practices would be on a self-managemént basis with:all members of the firm sharing both in responsibility and decision making.Most important the - schools of architecture would become major resource centres for the local communitiesi’n which they are situated.The present system,where students work to hypothetical and increasingly «°° esoteric briefs and merely provide'fodder'for the status quo, is ‘ludicroaunsd very wasteful of resources.There are problems enough on the very doorstep of the schools to tax both the knowledge and creativity of the studonts.If the local people were éncouraged to become part of the school;and even in some cases, take. up teaching posts, then eventually, the entire architectural training system could become the major link between society and the profession, oO og : a pat How that job is to be done is outside the scope of this essay, but in the process the radical architect becomes the REVOLUTIONARY architect. Apart from the National Design Service,none of the ideas mentioned are new;they have all happened in one form or another during the past twenty years.But they are the exception not the rule.Our first job as radical architects,is to get our own’ profession to pledge itself to this new society.If,as I believe, the RIBA has too much a vested interest in th status quo to make any such pledg. chen our task is to overthrow the Institute and build a new profession dedicated to a socially responsible architecture, Some will. :rgue that before such a community architecture can be establishedth,e necessary fundamental changes will need to occur in our political system,.Taken to its logical conclusion this arguhent says that nothing can ever be done;by workers, by nurses,by miners.We might ask,how did the'revolution'in medicine ever occur if a small group of idealistic doctors didn't agitate for it first?The revolutionary architect will acknowledge that fundamental changes will be necessary to make community architecture the norm in our society,but we can at least work to START the process. There is ample evidence that the general public and many polit? ans would support such an ain. And finally,we can all work as individuals3;as teachers we can make sure we instruct our students in the social responsibility of architecturesas assistants in offices we can condem projects which are socially harmful and refuse to work on themsand in local authority offices we can tell our bureaucratic masters that we are paid as'Public Servants',and not merely there to do their bidding and that of monopoly capital, And the end result of all this could well be unemployment and a great sense of tragedy.But the struggle to build a decent architecture hav always been a tragic one.As Stephen Kurtz says ie in his beautifully poetic'WastelandTh.e Buildinogf the American Dream':'Ontlhye revolutionary transcends and escapes the tragic dilemma. In a’ terrifying even to himself and ultimate defiance of authority,he gives up hope of someday recieving what he has always been denied: and decides, cither alone or with others, to provide for himself.In this way then, revolutionaries are thé world's only adults.As Long as the primary form’ of getting what one needs is begging, cajoling, or persuadingf,or so long is the childish status preserved.Against this final impoverishment a battle is being waged, spearheaded by those who are tired of being denied and joined by those who are tired of being given. It is a’battle in which the members of the race will perhaps forever,decide whether or not they shall be called men, Can it be then, that the greatest architects of’ our age are hot those selebrated in the histories - Le Corbusier, Mies, Gropius, those oftheBauhthaeuCIAsM,theengineersandtheformgivers-but rather the architects of Algiers,who created holes where buildings had been and terror in the heart of complacency?! ns In the same spirit I draw my conclusions.I don't do so with an sense of frivolity.There jusy seems no other way. _ In my search for @ community architecture I stood one day in 1972 in the middle of free Derry.The streets all around were barricaded,some with great sophistication and ingenuity.Down the road was a machine gun post guarded with sandbags stolen from the British Army.Qutside the post stood a placard saying "You can kill a revolutionary but you can't kill the revolution'. Into this area came no specul tors,no bureaucrats;no silver tongued professionals ,nor forked tongued community activists.One of the people from the area showed me a dirty scrap of paper on which a local woman had drawn a crude plan for a community centre and some houses with gardens.'How do we build this! he said in desparation.'We've taken the land but we've no money nor materials',I couldn't answer him,but I knew my vision of the new architesture began there, Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Brian Anson Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived John Allan Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Undated https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/7842940760d83486fef39b449f7b1545.pdf 311796437b1bdad2165d5291d2f27468 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Miscellaneous Subject The topic of the resource Miscellaneous issues Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Various Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1976-1980 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Draft Presentation Subject The topic of the resource Hand-written draft presentation examining the reasons why NAM appeared now Description An account of the resource N.AM. is a movement of architects and laymen committed to radical change in the relationship of the profession to the public, and within the pro- fession itself. N.A.M. believes that architecture is a public service which should be available equally and directly to all sectors of society. Therefore we are working to redistribute power in architecture among the 80% of the population who at present have no say in the design or use of their environment. The following pages give a synopsis of our background, structure, aims and programme of action. If you wish to find out more or join us, contact :— Nex. Aiden70K MOU ERT Bia Reeatibinee/LDBac Ghana) 4 40, Bla Ahurre aie etek, faye gf te rmMtr AsLiiiol ® firlx Jb her. MPUOMAQ UL! baOw &£9&4OnRol &Bek9GrQa: VS1 Qo Beads OPS mghe|62MAW Q!heYoh ? |frteOe7Ks Gey ge. JAsrivel “AumreAyey ANP I<h— 7 miley Qe Ax wWQreurQde Quo Couire Ky Hes agHyArocesFDBachan!Olocse CQ Arik 27%, fis Sax asclen WSoudtwe Onan, AME nk iG -OLAS Vereot AS ou Ae Aemitc OQ Guo WOon ASG fr20k Kjhen hebeeZmab'eGobet| Q moe GIR Ga Swe Cuentue” pmhlrad WOmabamict JL. Ths.Ps boQeCOfr&fakCor QuAs QUDMnAg 2 £2 Phra, CH GH “Any ween KO Qeomtrrs fos 5AERhoe PreeSOOLand Procsuey, NEG Aa G Denon, SayQu bse 4 Bote tom a, QAQ)LQ &&, CO Ching tKcr faeprel, anna depevlsOtee Quer Cunradurati “Qn Ashgbee , MVE Ka, A wsQ, wOK ee LC 6 Bbrtersg Gas A Out |Qrrol Arngtsuxe 4O%og, a PASE ING [RC -gon ah Oem 4aGar ado, e hs. PRESALS ALG 50tae » XEPawioek Qee bwkigcenekPEERQN 4 ma’ “ee (45% ConrfnO46 Bihho US FORD VELL, Crack oth - Cee Ane tgl rock Ar.grnQ. 2|; mk “—e = Le PT—QL ke Y[rvod anh Votstssay oy oC, Qn ' SLDPres7 GH 6lQrk OrQ0QbK,.J uF° Ane ; . bok Qh Arclriisit : Qi Carlet Se Ussus Asst) bip Core +|/ a ADDY Qurrol mek Qe ria ARIK AGA Cenodtoten | | SPrurncas Asw Ky KS OCrnalon Osrnemntée VAG IN ae Mroeen wa ing af . Serer Ene, Bs Jor JPswrtr Adan Tks. Ceri ]GurlSficBiel,,fPrenetaCrayQretire Swe Ss Prot Hk woaar, PepPra Qeunork 42. Kil rep BA LeouminG ssg, VeGole, Guo OLS rQtimrg x Raat ok — [Avtrs- AguccQ 26 » ink ARQ. 2 Abae aw Mes NK Sen. ey euOL AU - orsQurirol |)CMeCb. @becs4 7 Qe oa Anbhixzadh Act unCO % 4a WRG Tks Crnrente COMO PwWwOly,be Cro olives AS.Qt KOK Fin &UM om9arvet, te we ou Cow, GP Aetinkbg CHK &Qo JOY rg ~— keyYon, KR MAO OR Net PRL ENG “4 oC : : . ni CE res ;. wa toncte & af poy wlOoke AuowwrG f& ow Cece wow eh 77BuSEn wehae Ow Contix — Ere frrnnsick ohLY/ Soom Qo OBE onentacttCGhI Ele x Ante Oobroneat ann Gok SsSoriGc — “99 ey SolesAnan PrsoleriaeQed Pree uvte Orrey J PEfrra hs CEAle .A ms. Q Ly SEYfart QeaEng WRCROSE LQ anora LALKCQCa be A OGRA ane, ENS S88 7d PINAL PMR MeSik NPS | Ka R8A, RS ednmmotos, NE hea”Onn AOLy Sy GQrck aa chy wo oe,eon@Ve,Of ohPod ZLhbete TA,seer, Qyp2 Ov Ques At he ela tet wntrkale 7 a Qn 4M, LonelyA20h, aR Qo tame » Oa VAGLR Corneie) ae Anol BasKO GAArecctnsch Eyal Alonwow Ga. Ensen PS De £ wiésr greys Pat. ALE. (Ao Acer, Aveslbers opars AQ WOW Are yate ) CBA ret foe KOA See oh Je @ =< =) A920. irre ; Tho ‘Enktsre Wee & rrnetorre Q Alan GHmslembieoeAe ARCQruolOKKevOug Cin2 Cerrehole G now hig Qucl if Ques, Of Ks. Btn reno onll 2 VQ COLD, A909 LR £0OLhenkeof MP5ane Gn foe.. Rat ksfoneAO af Rebun Gust Cont TTMacine 40 H.QtQR Oak the UMDbrsol Amr2 Work, Alnth,OnAictrek, MSA lak ERAIO QLLARSryou0l ueShee|Qinck g Ra Leg QPreyCom Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource John Murray Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived John Murray Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1977? https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/a234ae6da1f81339dda9034565e9bb87.pdf a9fda7b20fa542b8d81c86589663bad1 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Later NAM Congresses, 2-5 Subject The topic of the resource A further 5 NAM Congresses after the initial Harrogate Congress in 1975, plus other documents Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1976-1980 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource NAM Reports Subject The topic of the resource Reports available at Blackpool Congress (18). Hardcopies In File 2 above Description An account of the resource Ngd The following NAM documents are available at the Blackpool Congress. Numbers 1 - II are papers included in the oonferenoe fee and are issued at Registration. The remainder may be obtained at the "bookshop'. 1.11/1nformation NAM Leaflet 2. Historical Perspective 3. vi Private Practice : Progress Report 4."A National Design Service (2 parts) 5. "Education and the Profession 6. 'F'Architeatural Workers & Trade Unionism 7. a. Architects v The 1919-1935. 9. %/Professionalism 10.v/The Politics of Aesthetics 11. Index : List of all NA N documents, references (not including Blaokpool papers.) 12.V.The Monopolies Commission Report (U) IV/Report to the Birmingham Green Ban. Action Committee (50p) STAMP - The Architects' Union ? Hawser Trunnion North London Group Central London Group ftanois Bradshaw David Somervel Andrew Pekete Central London Group Andrew Fekete Andrew ftkete Anne Delaney Paul Dot on etc., 14. Interior Perspective 15. New Architecture Calendar (50p) 16. Asbestos : Information Leaflet 17/A Short History of the Architectural Profession (100, Central London Group Central London. Group North London Group North London Group Adam Purser V Do lief -kew-; VIA-444* -40. (Arndt- ettr4,11144$11 ciO484. 10.444- Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Liaison Group Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived John Murray Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Nov 1976 https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/1df71babf783c8ca5d146e280c33aa59.pdf b46d0f0773fe6e826f9f16ed174d6da0 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Harrogate Founding Congress Subject The topic of the resource The Harrogate Congress was the founding of NAM. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Various Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 21-23 November 1975 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource People Attending Harrogate Congress Subject The topic of the resource List of people who attended first NAM Congress at Harrogate Description An account of the resource 49)6 -0cp4 Yir-3 2 /4 HARaOGATE CONGRESS, NOVEMBER 1975 ATTENDANCE LIST ALLLN John, 67 Rom- lly Road, London N 4 01 359 0491 ---GUS David, ArcTlitectural 1,scociation, Bedford Square, London W01 ANSON Brian, 16 Claremont Gardens, Su72biton, Surrey 01 636 0974 P J 18a Melbury RDad, London W 14 b-.21cG John, 36 Elm Gro,,c, Hor4Qy, London N 8 01 348 7669 eki L:1-,1-3.ELL Andy, Architectural Association, Bedford Square, London -,,IJANEY Anne, Geulan Feler!, Pentre Court, Llandysul, Dyfed. _Uandysul 3407 * ME 211RRY David, Beech Lodge, Beech Woodcote, Reading RG8 OPX Dr',.en, 34 Stainb=n Drive, LcQds 17 0532 687386 %.•±1-1;111=G Eariy. 82 Road, I-..ndon NW5 01 722 6048 1'31= 0ii7e, 73uildini; D2c4;n C.27.1')ON Hark, _L-2ctitectural AE:9celatJon, 71-eaford Square, London -1_1,,Jr3S holms v 9 Grilo 5 1.dARTVZI lc), John P 9 Fullerton C2escfJnt, Troon KAI() 6LL Ayrshire home OL92 313'236 office 041 424 3625 Jennift,r, Old Windy Mains, Huiloie, E. Lothian. _ Humbie 647 01 607 2536, Aar,:arut AT!ehitectural AsF;ocimtion, Bedford Square, London WC1 ,L7cLIWS0N Peter, 3 lio:51:e Street London SW3 01 584 1 398 Wilt 20 Stock-ton Road, Chorton Cum Hardy, Manchester M21 lED 061 28i 7859 L_;1.1JI :13n. 1.6 Yo:c],: '±cdding7..on, 01 997 9879 Peter, Tiedford Square London WC1 01 7 r7.r hJqJ UjIiis-ps;r 2';1560 :_Ducy). 56 1'l.litecl;a7,,1 Aia.7.=)Gr:v. Iiianchcster 061 434 4067 Canterb-Li2y oZ Ar, Canterbury. Bill :Irenitechc,r-1 :.-2ociation, Bedford Square, London Maga7;_ic lvhitley Bay, NE26 1DZ L- ohitecti, Iedford ST-are, London 01 63:-, 14 2u 60 71Deuoh Slree.t, :.Luddersfield. Huddersfield 36553 6C Paddock,Haf,dcrsfield. Huddersfield 36553 :ohn., 5 .London 6 01 348 8713 C Cl 548 8713 fyge,4141 17 Lolidon NV6 01 794 930 di 73 43a Tec/i'clouse J-Jf,n,= -Je-(11 2 t'L2-2 2L1a7_1, 50 -Lart-,at„; EA)a0_, Belper, Dellpyshire. 01 636 0974 ext. 14 n. Howard -2.-arc. 22 Tittle Portland Street, MT)c--1 52J.? rri_OP2;RIZS 37 qreenhara luad, TJo,ador I 10 Hore 883 9246 work 359 549 David, 0/0 Glyr Ha=rsix_iTh Road, London W 14 602 3462 Jon, YiamJ_ Exchange St1 dent, kfchitk2ctural Association. David Lept of Arch, Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh 711:_hlan) 031 229 9311 jt7iKS 11S CL:fol-d Gi 602 2270 0 , r 2 t1)7: Eisnophill, York W11,0? Lichttec'6u-al _ii3ociation, Bedford Square, London WC1 T.PT__T J, 27 CrusrIC,or Close, Whitwick, Leics. Coalville 37809 1=_7' ''E T, 1C9 Cado,zan Tei-race, London E 9 01 985 2676 to _1017) Roaa, :Feuds C 0532 785907 & Hull, 0482 25938 raul, 37 1:-J-7411c RJ.:±1. lorbituA, Kinuiton on T1-..2es 01 546 0614 ,;,ITERS Wayn, E;:changc Student, Architectural Association. WT3';-2 iTiek, 63 1;i72ohnlonc T.7._q3t, London WO1 WITON 12 -7=cli=re ?Thco, Edinburgh EH3 9JJ 03-: 226 6991 W 11 ftori W 5 1101T D E 166 Walton St2eet Oxford. Oxford 52876 _v NikJA:i, 23 Kin3scote Road, Ciliswick, London W 4 995 5504 Jonathan, :1.1-chitect=al Society, 35 ,Tarylebone Road, W 1 % ;..32RIN,1 Brian, 43,1, Wood:LDI„se acne, Leeds 2 ThYJLD Elaine, 35 Ea-,:yleto:n„; Roata, London W 1 997 4884 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource JA Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived JA Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 21-23 November 1975 https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/cc8b1ab9d50d3db5e0c6bb9aa1c7231e.pdf 9825b4c750514a575affe22a6991784b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Brian Anson/ARC pre and post Harrogate Subject The topic of the resource Various documents describing ARC ideas and activities See below Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource ARC Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1975-1976 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Untitled Subject The topic of the resource 8 page paper including analysis of profession and 'Rules for Radicals' Description An account of the resource This is a rough draft of a peper which I'd like to have circulated generally. INTRODUCTION My whole approach, both analysis of problems and outline of tactics, is based upon the following: The profession of architecture is an integral part of our social and political system and thus any real change to the profession must make some alteration in the social and political system. There are two basic ways to look at the problem; either we can wait for the political Changes to occur that will have the desired effect on the profession, in which case we can'do our best' within the existing profession and put most of our energy into conventional politics, playing our part in speeding up the change. Or we can, as it were, look at the problem "the other way round': by seeing that the profession, like other group- ings, influence the society. In a strict philosophical sense you cannot have one without the other, its a type of ‘chicken and egg’ situation. I rejcct the first approach because taken to its logical conclusion, it’ says that no group, no individual can ever redg¢grect society and that instead we must all wait until the political system (whatever that mysterious force is) directs us. This is absurd, and history is our evidence. I came to the decision some time ago, that I would take the second approach, and the ramifications to me as an architect, were momentous; at once the problem was clarified and the solution, though difficult, at least presented itself, and I could build a reasonably solid foundation for my beliefs. My struggle as an erchitect was thereby much simplified. First of all I was able to be quite precise about my aim. I could consider a segment in society (my own profession) through the eyes of an expert; thus, to repeat, I could be more precise: did I want bits ef reform in this seqment? Did I want very radical change? or did I consider more was necessary? One of the natural aims in life is to get closer and closer to the truth of things. As regards society, unless you are a mature political theoretician, this can be very confusing especially in a society as comolex and subtle as ours. This has always been the dilemma of the citizen (and possibly explains why democraciys more often a word than a reality: "Suffrage gives you the right to vote but not the power". Lenin). But the citizen has another personality he is an ‘expert in his work. He spends most of his life at doing his work, and as he gets more and more experience he can become quite precise about what should, or should not, be done to improve the situation. And, taking this position, another opportunity presents itself: he can view his work role as being part of a society within a society. His profession, his trade, his job is like a miniature society reflecting in many ways the larger socicty of which he is a citizen. This is exactly the way I have come to view the profession of architect~- ure, while at all times realising that it is an analogy. Having done that, the similarities are striking: we have a government (RIBA). We have a community (20.000 registered architects and 8000 students) We have an educational system (38 schools of architecture) we have a system of laws and codes (registration and the code of conduct) we have a tradition and a history. So we have the striking similarities with our larger society, with one major difference which I shall come to shortly. But the analogy is with the worst aspects of our larger system: the ultra capitalism of the Tories and the extreme bureaucracy of Labour. Our educational system (with a single exception is state (RIBA) controlled. Our laws are | b ~Vfoinee topasi wae aziw Bors its‘Limde @MrEALIZ2 ai vp: ad2 tof .yisrode o3 figics: somoys a = % Signo SYgig <oCs me: a 49FO at0ace6 Madeye GefILoubS 2G. .iHOdst 3 ne ME ERA MSHS KS 995 ewei two .bslic wo £ ATS ai soiESsOcSqesxc hetsinorio evant of eAlll 6°T dotde zeegr se Yo 32: MpuCT & £L eBiat »vilatansp yoTRoudOR THI .82ig083 20 enilave Bor amaidotq Io cisvisns djod ,dosoteds efonw yi saqiwollot ort aoa boead et bas feiooe 1y0o to 31ag latpssai «cs zi stapsostiricous Io avieastorg odT else Jaum molsasiota oft o3 epasdo {sox vas enmid bas moteya [entsilog a2a ows SYS SieiT ,metey fax¢ Ome istooe e's ai noitstotis amos iszisziiog efit xot tisv aso ow wmoidozg efit ts dool oF aeyew olesd ,fOLeectiorg od¢ moO inotto Serteeh oft oved Lliw tad’ auoo0 oF espasio has aoiecsieiq patielxe ofd atrdiw ‘teed syo ob'as. ow saso dotdy at ni o2aqg ivo eniveta ,enisifod faaoitmevane osnit ypreite m0O to seom Jug maidoyd ofa jn doo] ,exsw Jf 6 .n69 ow 1D «+opmerin ofa gu epniboode “GROED 3— ouil .moksestorea off tedt oniseae yi :'bapoxr yaw tedto ofz’ tonuso yoy samoe isoldqoeolidg tolage s aI .ydslooe sda oomoullai ,apnat 2 "pepo 5n& qedoirio’ jo sqysy # esi ,terito ont suonsiw seao oved aoe? tsotpol a3i oF Gadtsd ocysood dosotags serit ais sootex Tt Jo2908 tpetebest x6 > f60 Leunbivibat on ,.cuorp of 2502 eyse =4 +SORSGRAVS Snosee ody ot63 Sirow I tadd ,ors omit amore solietosh of3 of oma 1 ,ayosmomom Stow ,Footinetws an eA om ot eaottroitiapy saz Bras ,fosorqgs s2iUoIIITIG deuods ,moitpioe aft Sas Bettiusio eaw aaideae aft some 36 oLssbawol Sifoe yidsnoes 2 2 bliscd Sivoo I bra ,}isett besnescuq tesef 35 »ootitiqnie foun ydotcHt? eew Jootl.o1s ap ee olppuqte ys .etctiad ya 12 Hbivoo I. .wis ym dyods eticste situn od of sids eaw I fis to Janda 20 @eyo od dpboudds (moisestor: mo ym) vtciovoe ai aAaompoe 5 sobienco esid gace I &r5 soaisure ose od Bios I yIsoqs4 ot ,aurs :;s3eguS as % bib xo fopasdo isoihss view tage I SiG ‘tanompoe cof st wr0etsy Io top oF ai otif ak amis isavgen ait te on $yxseeagosn os stom sasbicenos sesing yvtotooe a2buape1 24 ~sepatds to dturt eft of tozofs bas tosols onieuyInod yrov ad meso side ,asioidezosls Isoltifed oxetsa 6 ste vor avewic esd eid? .@xyo es oltdye bas xelemeo es ytiotvee 6s ai yilinioegrs ef yoriupoce, ydw enicioxe vidierod Ons) assitio sdf Io smmielib afd asod . azov a3 gapia ofg woy eovip spsxtine siydiisou s asd? Brow5 saetio stom vitisaeeton iteddoun and nesttic oy spa viniaod .*xowoy sdt gon tod eid patobh $5 o%if eitl to teo7 evrecs of .atoW atin omopod nso of GOMOEE GRO o¥om GAA ox ea9 ovyotdwmi of ond6b ed ,jon biivoie IO iD 8DOf:tLonstSo Yosansteg7o “2H .wisitooe «4 — "a sF9D2 aitoosacy 3Jood thos to “HO paige pao Pe etet vraektio fm, et at yin £ sd sre $i 4 t +1 g0rK is ei on ep of eb bas ,#tow tedw gyoda selosoite sHOLSansfe leer 2 O85 sabe Pialdute iS fpoe 000.98) yiiowemoo ¢ “eteaye Innoljysoubo as 3 ag ftetsatesy) 2 mo Bas awet Fo yuoteid 5 Sas aelsissz2 as -,CASIS}) taompusavon s eved cw } (@¢nobete COCe har esgostinor toteyea BR svi. ow iors To a VE ow f > aboo off Ss atid th are MOG oo, Uh oe a 4 pe ter i € 3 aR < vs a Che th at feu tacSensemogevefeoltsiinoyongItanutiswlisJeuqowSessent mo el yiogelr bas .GSaveds af eiaT .sy afoestib (ef sp4pt evroltseseyn BRIAN ANSON ARC The political power structure with the silent support of his own profession, persecutes him and throws him out. The monopoly blacklists not based upon the right to work but devised to perpetuate the government (RIBA) The general principle of our government is excessive free enterprise. Our privilege. The one major difference in the analogy is that our larger society, with all its imperfections, at least has an organised OPPOSITION. In our architectural society we do not and that is why at Harrogate, I described our profession as a one-party, Migtalitarian” State. The description is not inaccurate. The RIBA Nas Virtually supreme power over British architecture and it controls the most history is based solely upon important element of all, the schools. If it did not many of the schools would question its moral right to assess them. As it is they meekly submit to its decisions. Having taken the analogy this far, I can now look at change in the same manner. What have people done throughout history when faced with totalitarian regimes? I begin to suggest answers to this question in the section on tactics, but brief- ly the historic answer has been to form a tight-knit guerrilla group Then eventually initiate a mass movement, then the revolution is begun. This is exactly what ARC has done so far. We have the situation where all the outward statements concerning intention and the general aims of education point to a ‘creative’ art - in fact to THE creative art, but where the reality is a jungle which is controlled by a monopoly. We, like the rest of society, are forced to live within the physical environment which (1) we often detest, (11) which we have been trained to look at differently, (111) but which we are powerless to alter, even though we are the holders of a ‘certificate’, given to us by the public, which proclaims us an expert in the matter. It is this'monopolistic' situation which is at the root of our dilemma, and to which we should give our attention. It is as if, being trained as doctors we are then let loose in society to be driven mad by the sight of people being neglected and left to die, or being butchered by our own professional colleagues (the few who gained the power to practice) who quite frequently perform such butchery for money alone. There we stand, with knowledge of the disease and sound idea of how to treat it but everything prevents us acting. Yet some of us can't stand idly by and though lacking equipment and money we try to act: out of our efforts come some new answers and again we are beaten as our privileged colleagues take the fruits of our labour and use them to further strengthen their monopolistic position. There are many examples ©f this situation in our field. An experienced architect planner helps to design a project which out- wardly is progressive and for the social exterior it is the usual butchery. good. Beneath its glamourous He revolts against his own work and using it as a reference point begins to build up a power base amongst the local community. HOW THE PRESENT SYSTEM IN THE ARCHITECTURAL PROFESSION IS ABSURD At very great expense the state (through public taxes) trains us to become architects, then throw us into the system lacking the power to practice. ae vee $89pt 54 oid” 2 “Be 5. £5; i i alo gnedroget -binow aLlooros ger dive yLuoom $.#00L woa aso d tueodpyordt fe:aieoe PRSoeeee ‘ ve OF aU anisits (eoxuns cee ee e es : = : ‘ | wit ans peecapeen os ‘ oaks ea! se |. | } 7 entoed Iniog somoteIsy s es $2 gaden bast dsow fie tek qi are oF * stEris: aIOD pa root ot ‘Stdnoc 8 a ton -{ASER) Fnomesovop Sons priaaco%: fT. -epeiier= oe futo5d frioan He r+ixa ue own amo rgue GNF Staute-: i Sut] coatJ3oTae | ie oe olidue .Apunt) ‘aside a4 ay t or Yiov 3A HO 2. 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Things are worse,not better. will-thia bring into the organisation? Still he continues and a great people's movement emerges to struggle against the political and professional power base. This power base fights savagely for several years against the people's movement until it has to admit defeat. The power-base submits to this defeat and uses all it's iniative to find ways to still keep essential control. The architect is by now worn out with the struggle and forgotten. Both the political and professicnal power-base now useS, 45 a foundation for their respective philosophies, the very concepts for which the architect was pilloried in the first place. The end result is threefold: The people's movement has been given a ‘sedative’ a sleeping-pill to calm it down. The powerbase is still there, much strengthened and with it's individuals holding higher office. The avehitect is still blacklisted, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ARC AND NAM SHOULD BE BASICALLY IN NAME ONLY - AND IN CERTAIN MINOR VARIATIONS IN TERMINOLOGY. Bs The aim is to build a mass power base ~- to provide an alternative | to the status quo - at this stage there can be no other aim and everything must be subordinated to that end. Until we have developed that base we can confront no major issues in architecture we have nothing with which to confront anything. Until we have constructed that base our tactics will be quite different tc power 2 tactics . Thus every decision at this stage must be subcrdinated 3 to one point: how may recruits from the offices, the schools, etc., We are not spending our time here, in order to create an escteric ‘club' to discuss the malaise of architecture. We will not produce change in that manner: No, I repeat, we are here to build an ALTERNATIVE POWER BASE in architecture. Zs What prevents us having that base? Of course the RIBA - The only effective power base - (though we should pay attention to the fact that the ACA is moving up pretty fast - it was surely a master tactic on ACA's part to get one of it's past presidents elected "Chief-of-Staff" at Portland Place) We have a far greater need to 'capture’ the minds and hearts of the architectural body than have RIBA or ACA. Both these bodies have need of the mass support, but both also have tremendous (to us at this moment seemingly unshakeable) backing from the establish- ment, from historical precedent and from those who control the schools. SO WE ARE NOT HERE TO PLAY GAMES. The task is massive - but difficulty of task can, ironically, force us to think ef our strategy in the right manner. Remember that a handful cf people (ARC) faced this task - and the results are us here now. Tactics without 2 FPARGET are pointless - and a target which is mere idealism and scme woclly vision of the future - will not draw in the recruits necessary to form the POWER BASE. (opuyse eet ARES Lint OF ASttaGies ££ ee a262 2nwW agit oicoabsd“En i ae ae} %VROT SOU. i 2 ee ‘ehtmokad td astt tisiw tyo mtdw ~ ¥dHoO aM Au BHi YEIAOISAS SG escic -“YSOcOuIMISTureaeae“iM7 ASDWIaus Mise a t<atees er St: ioF @£ mis ed? ~ o8p eussde os oF over oy ifetre shivestq of 2. si JRBM- prt: aytave eonearaa.ontnox3aenar5D.owoeadtaedabeaolevss ti6 .enintyas tuoxines oF datdy Ags eatiup ed iLiw aottos ‘ge. rm oerte stat $= note toc 2a0l2to OCF Moai atic: Sao igreiaspzo: ereseb gw dake. White oven ow mtt33e5 iaof + fisy as 36 opision| ou Sone $543 me OBHEaD soubor ao ke i aIqHe 3 ain ‘Sag a ;' ithaacge: ton s1s..98 aonorie Sead ATI0F GVITAVAR dA fe g5woq sid? Psa thomevon bas tsstsh +LORSHOD coe vira HEAPS eg. ‘duis’ ‘+ab Wootsise eins ne eed (BSA) <298u won sesd-19 wor lshiabessto: a bas isot#ifoa ods soa 202 stqo> aon yitev. 6dt (soinggeen: aa avitosdest tisht 102 SAT 208% tetit oft at. itoliiea esw tSootidors ». 08 4£be~pe: geole f ‘ovisEioa' &foviy assd earl Ms : @'glqesgq sit es <iwobFialo eispbsarthrk ‘i ctiw bas bemordtonoiste. doum-.orscts [Lisa cs >f bt Bee a boseLL: J ei Amadtouog Sit isin’ onkblod jootidozs sit S Serpe i we. ig mM & re ie uw * ~se Action comes from REACTION and so the process starts until we have the existing powerbase (RIBA} actually working at PROVING to it's mass base, The Profession, that it is dedicated to the right things in architecture - As soon as this happens then we really are in business for creating an alternative ~ an opposition. The point is that the RIPA has never felt it NECESSARY to prove it4s existence - it has been so supreme it could literally take it for granted. To take the political analogy further: if the RIBA actually did represent the totalitarian government of a complete state (and in the narrow confines cf cur 'professional' society - that is exactly what it is). Then all ARC members would be arrested and incarcerated; some NAM members would be treated in a similar fashion and the rest would be watched. Both ARC and NAM would be proscribed organisations. The logic is that we have the freedom to create an architectural opposition - yet there has been no Overt reaction from the establishment (RIBA) because it realises that NAM has not yet devised the MEANS to elicit such a REACTION - In short we only TALK about our alternative =< «se do nothing. I have always accepted the fact, (though it worries me, as it implies a fear of our own language) That ARC's title and openly declared aims, might prove a stumbling block to the building cf a MASS movement. That is why ARC initiated NAM (which incidentally is not the same as controliing it or manipulating 1) but, to repeat, . ARC and NAM should be different in name only - the FUTURE VISION of the two movements may well be quite different, but their IMMEDIATE aims must be identical - otherwise why collaborate. It is my considered opinion that ARC has the right approach and further that the RIBA is more concerned about the Revolutionary Council than about The New Movement. This brings me to a final point before laying out some tactics for achieving AIMS: I would be frankly dead against our next Congress becoming a platform for discussing the actual work we do - What I mean by this is that I don't want to waste my time (nor, I believe, the Congress's) by relating what I have learnt from my community work in Donegal, Covent Garden, Bootle, Ealing or the Yorkshire Mill Valleys, nor the work any group has done on Scottish Olt, On Community Health, or the nation-wide research study on Local Authorities Power in Planning (LAPP) I DO NOT RELATE THIS GREAT VOLUME OF WORK TO IMPRESS YOU BUT TO HAMMER HOME at this stage that what we have done is NOT TEE POINT For neither do I wish to hear at the Congress (except of course in passing) what Rob Shelton has done in Leicester, what ASSIST has done in GOVAN or indeed what any of our community architect colleagues has done. Of course I wish to hear what they have leernt and to exchange notes with them but in a different context : perhaps reading their books or papers or over a drink with them. To organise the next Congress on these lines would turn it into a conference on Professional Community Activism. And that is not the problem - nor would we be anywhere near the first to organise Such an event. That is why I am also against inviting speakers, except from our own ranks or from those on our own contact list. t re-emphasise; at the next Congress I see myself as pert of 4 group trying to organise an ARMY to WAGE a STRUGGLE against an ENEMY. So I want to see us combining our vast joint experiences - x.. vnpia.-z i 7.* r ieee apes Bay .= ‘:.ag , .re¥2*.:s : 3as s> we; 5 “i é “ © . f or Gate ’ 3 etsy2 ; oe ot - . , f: sh -4. e,~.-“se2 ts oe < vs2r:é:fy,te3 ¥ qed ‘ a * eyaeee «; iito ‘.i ’ , 3 e s :=i2 <ie aoe> t f. = . sapbik :a irT:&. a:SchOMG, _wedgsm on rawMESS:yA 4f‘2: .; *< met bas. Solita o ee ea cWAR,By: i '. {eg : Roni ia 3 i273 . 4 &a, 5 - + =ae3 31 . P: peal f4 ‘je.,z- : e ialal ' j‘i: ce 2.7 ems odw' a2 Voge’ asdit~2patiscomta,spend0128235 :‘ xa "39f 3 ‘ i; a a od du = »x&t* eS * i <: 5 s‘ * - . si Frets ve ie as 2 cooy: a ‘ ye yak. £ . <<. ome <5: P voae ;=¢ . ‘9 2 : L * e " m8 : a c& : 4 ‘ os :x5a5 . f t as . 3 3;: ec eer oe asoe «= , -e =~ 5 « I have studied the nature cf struggle and been involved in community struggle for toc long, not to realise the far, far greater value of these qualities than something called ‘expertise’. Rule 2 ‘Power is not what you have, but what the enemy thinks you_have' When I was a war-time child in Boctle, we had one anti-aircraft gun in the town. This was mounted on a lorry, which was then @riven at high speed up and down the main road, giving = greater image of strength. Alinksy says, take the gyes, ears and nose. If you have a lot of people parade them before the enemy: if not, work on the and make a lot of noise: if you have neither then ‘stink the place up’. In the early ARC campaigns, though we weren't brilliant, we did have a certain boastful verve and the RIBA certainly thought we were much stronger than we were: it was this, I feel, that made Eric Lyons whom I had never met before, literally rush across a room at a functicn to speak (in most friendly terms) to me. I can think of no: other reason than that I was a member of ARC. We must devise ways to make our voice heard and to publicly to discuss TACTICS and STRATEGY. Now this would be a unique gathering. A body of professionals (and others) joining together; some with experience in the field, some without but wanting to act in the community fashicn. I feel a greater respect for and confidence in, 211 those who came to Harrogate and who I have met at the subsequent meetings, than for any ‘expert’ community activist, no matter how publicised they have been. And this is because the former hav e SINCERITY? DEDICATION & COMMITMENT, and it was these qualities that brought them to Harrogate, and which brings them still tc London £or the Committee meetings. I assure you that these are not emotive sentiments of mine, but highly rational. Just think for a while when it is that a struggle really is alive: when the 'people' begin to move. In this revolutionary struggle for a new architecture WE ARE TRE PEOPLE. SOME NOTES ON SAUL ALINE R¥Y'S 13 RULES FOR RADICALS WITH REFERENCE TO OUR OWN STRUGGLE Rute 1 'Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, polarize it’. I have outlined that, at this stage, our target must be the profession and specifically the RIBA. Doing this we will escape any woolly thinking regarding the political system of our society at large, though make reference to that society, Quite rightly we will not avoid this issue as cur overriding community architecture’. But moment is our detestation of places obstacles in cur way Again, as I have stressed, aim is to conceive a system what holds us together at the can collaborate in mcre expert we terms, and thus be far more precise about our struggle political system. This will, ‘professional’, in contrast waged in the larger political to the many ‘amateur’ campaigns arena. certainly we will continually the fact that our own profession to achieving community architecture. choosing to fight the RIBA, than if we were discussing literally make our struggle of an overall :o ‘”ay e oS: fwh76 JE : 1: ja,; .;- - ; 5 bei gen f pa ( ‘ io:. '; i " F ss oe~ es .ce 4 aig 3 _ ‘wi43 x:ce 3 }io : : : : -& ‘ i‘1‘4;f es ; 7 oe i:;F;eae. + :ne+: : ‘ bie2 F 5s a7oe } ae : 2) tow is ce ; et “ } wid . . : - . ’ a a id <:‘: hiss : ‘ +n i°a :aie : : tO oeee3 — ‘ aad : ‘ 33 | :4oe ‘ef ,- :. or Rule 3 Rule 4 Rule 5 Rule 6 -§= professional establishment. John Allen's reply to Clive Fleury's article in BD was partly right and partly disastrous. Right because it was to the point and humourous, disastrous because a letter containing over a dozen signature was slipped in at the bottom of a page and, I'm sure, hardly read by anyone. At this stage (our infancy) we must ba brash, bold, vulgar, petulant and angry. We must also be defiant, destructive and anarchistic. We know that many of these things we are not: on the contrary we are unified and rational. Don't be worried that this approach will be counter-productive: at this stage, and so long as the outsider thinks we are many, then on the contrary it will be a most productive strategy. One of the truths about our architectural community is that many of them yearn for something to brighten their dull lives....I can see that I am now leading into the third rule. I have already stated that our people (at this stage anyway: should we ever get close to a community architecture - our people would then include the public) and the architects and students who make up the profession. We must. not force our major political views on our fellows - though we should in no way deny them. If our aim is to get the salaried architects On our side then we should at all times, appeal to them through their position as assistants in offices: we must talk about things which they will recognise in their everyday work. Similarly, with students, we must spell cut their future, or lack cf it, under the present system. We can bring individuals to our side by appealing to-a sense of idealism, but we would be foolish to try to build a mass movement on that basis. "Never go outside the experience of your people’ sAlways_ try to go outside the experience of your enemy ' ‘Make the enemy live up to it's own book of rules! In every way this rule is the opposite of rule 3. Here we must use the principle of idealism at all times. It is some- thing which the power holders cannot handle. We know that, aS a generality. to have become a successful architect context of the monopclistic RIBR, means that idoalism (if they ever had any) has been ‘ditched! along the way by the Simply because it has been an obstacle to success. trying to do is mobilise the latent potential idealism existing even within the power-hase of the RIBA. In fact tc confuse the establishment, which knows only too well that we who oppose them always have the pessibility of exploiting the idealism existing within the general society. This rule is connected with the next. The RIBA can no more live up to it's own public statements (no matter how bland they are) than the christian church can live up to the inessage of Christianity - or, if you wish, the general run of British Marxists can live up to the message of Karl Marx. Alinksy states that ‘you can crucify tge enemy with this fuie', Ridicule is man's most potent weapon’ The enemy cannot stand ridicule especially if its developed to a high standard (The British Government's curtaig£ing of the early satirical TV shows is an example cf this). This in the successful, What we are - JT- rule has ‘spun-off' advantages - in that it also makes the struggle a little easier through laughter and convinces the public that we revolutionaries are ‘human’ and see the lighter “Side of lite, . Rule 7 "A tactic that drags on too long becomes a drag‘ This is pure common sense - Our struggle against a powerful historically based professional monopely is really so massive, that unless we keep our senses ‘alive’ we will be worn out in no time at all. Any psychologist will tell us that we need such variety in our strategy. Furthermore an added advantage of a variety cf tactics, is that we will have a kind cf 'thermometer' to test our ‘health' from time to time. We cannot accept degrees of success and failure in our operations, and say.... all right we did that wrong; now on this next job we'll operate differently’, Rule & ‘A Good tactic is one that your people enjoy' This is a common sense rule again. Rule 9 "Keep the pressure on’ This rule relates to rule 7. We must create a situation where the RIBA just doesn't know what were going to do next - (or where we're going to do it). Keep them guessing and, most important of all, keep them ‘stretched’ in reacting to events. A basic tenet of radicalism is that action springs from re-action weees and SO -On;, Rule 10 The threat is usually more errifying than the action itself’ Alinsky gives many (some very humourous) examples of this rule. I'm sure there's a lot of potential in it for owr campaign. I recall writing and getting published in BD, a long and violent letter just prior to the RIBA celebrations for Architectural Heritage Year centred around The Festival Hell (Prince Philip and all that). I said I had some plans to do something at the event: several people, some rather urgently, tried to find out my. intentions though in fact, I had no plans. Another time in an article in BD, I stated quite clearly that by the end of the year ARC would have a cell in every school of architecture in this country. That provoked quite a’lot of reaction especially from ‘ex-colonel' type architects accusing me of being an urban guerrilla, and suggesting that mothers who paid fees to have their children taught by me at the AA, should look into my backgreund. If we put our heads together, we could really think up some threats to help our struggle. 2 Rule 11 'The major premise for tactics is the development of operations that will maintain a constant pressSsure upon the opposition’ This seems just a repeat of rule 7, yet its worth repeating over and over again, as, in some ways, it's the most crucial rule. So long as there is pressure, there is action, so long as action, reaction, then more action and thus a sense of 'Life'. Without this our struggle is doomed. We will collapse through boredom furstration and apathy. On the other hand the enemy (RIBA) will continue to flourish on boredom and apathy. ea ah Lats Scaltilancerict ae? “3+ e e Bhasin 3;é = we ti« Sy rs a . Se : A et etae . Be ae a mud x etal coo bpd Pow SON. +s * Rule 12 Rule 13 Alinksy gives an an example Ghandi' technique of passive rrsistance, but I can't see how thi rule relates to our problem (Any suggestions?) 'The price of a successful attack is a constructive alternative’ « what would you do?" >03 'If you push a negative hard enough, it will break through into e's counternart” This rule is crucial. Having got the establishment to concede something - we must then have some answers when they say "Now ohms A” sy ge ee Oa¢ ha wate Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Brian Anson Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived John Allan Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource c Nov 1975 https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/b8c38f1588ff20ff43d5dc9a68cbdaee.pdf d8c2b750b11d70a9c5c1227dd3ee6c49 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Miscellaneous Subject The topic of the resource Miscellaneous issues Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Various Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1976-1980 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource NAM Subject The topic of the resource 4 page historical intro to NAM Description An account of the resource INL99dSH3d “TWOIYOLSIH < a HISTORICAL PERSPEC?IVE Hawser Trunnion the selected history of modern architecture from which NAN draws its conclusions for action can be told as a ghost story. That is to say, it is the tale of how a once lively modernism lost its social radicalism, became comfortable then senile, and finally died — but only to transform itself into a ghost which continues to haunt us the more effectively for this deceptive transformation. Like most good stories, there are several versions with significant differences that shed more light on the narrators than on the story itself. The most recent official version was told by ‘he Architectural Review, that ageing glossy now totally debauched by its own rhetoric, in its Preview Issue of January 1976. The punch-line came first : "that Modern Architecture as one has been experiencing it has gone into hiding. Gone (well, nearly gone) are those massive rectilinear packages; the towers, the slabs and (since Burolandschaft) the too big urban footstools. Gone (or nearly gone) are those self-assertive, diagramatic buildings which made a point of having nothing to do with the neighbours. Gone is the Will to assert, the will to shock." That the wills to assert or shock have gone is debatable. That the buildings referred to have "gone" should presumably be taken to mean the new commissions for such buildings, not the buildings themselves. But the most disagreeable aspect of the article is the mixture of wise complac— ency and indulgent penitence. Unfortunately we find our version of the story rather more worrying. It has indeed taken almost exactly twenty-five years for the impetus behind the first Modern Movement in this country to be exhausted. The Festival of Britain and European Architectural Heritage Year, 1951 to 1975, might be taken as the official milestones at the inauguration and closure of the period respectively. We appear to stand now at the beginning of a new phase in which the criteria of 'relevant' action will be determined as much by the understanding of this legacy as by our particular political standpoint. he effects of the process of radicalization induced by war could be seen in "The past is not for living in; it is a well of conclusions from which we draw in order to act. " (John Berger) ae 1945 in the arrival of the first modern Socialist Government, with its far-reaching social reforms on the domestic scale, and in our modified nation status in INAVO and the realization that we were no longer an imperial power. In matters of environment the New Towns Movement, the Town & Country Planning Act 1947 etc were the first expression of a new vision and confidence that had already permeated other sectors of society, including for example the health services. One recalls the bright-eyed article by the Smithsons in which they referred to themselves as "The 1947 Generation" denouncing the bygone equipment of the pre-modern architect, the screw pen, the classical grammar, in favour of their own new weapons, the development plan and the C.P.0. The South Bank Exhibition and the associated housing schemes for Lansbury, East London epitomised the mixture of exhuberance and ‘committed concern' while showing that modern architecture was not simply a flat roof or a commer window but a comprehensive urban language. The underlaying ideas, had of course been worked out long before, in Germany, France, Holland, Sweden and most completely in Russia. In this country, typically slow on the uptake,it was codified visually in the 1938 Exhibition of MARS group, which itself derived its premises from the parent CIAM movement in Europe. The spirit in which modem architecture was first embraced by a radical few in this country is best captured by Max Fry's own description of himself, as a young man of 30. architecture decisively. Then the second thing was added to me when I fell in love with a house by Miss van der Rohe, his Turgendhat Haus, in the Taunus Mountains. I fell in love with this building, which is to say that I gave my heart to it and it entered into my emotional recesses and filled them to overflowing. "When I first came in contact with new architecture in Germany I was struck by two things; the first, this version of a grandly proportioned urbanism taking in everything: dwellings, roads, factories, markets, down to the small paraphernalia at the closest personal context. Here is an architecture, I said to myself, capable of everything. Here is a true resolution, the end of discord. This is it, I wasayept with a fervour that was the reflection of a release of creative energy which was to spread from Europe to every part of the world and change the character of For me at that time it was as though, my mind cleared, rinsed and invigorated by the noble rationality of the Bauhaus, the breadth and grandeur of the proposition that it and the Modem Movement represented to me, suddenly my heart was taken, by one work, not essentially different, but of a quality of which I had not imagined the movement as yet capable.” traveller put the vision more bluntly. The sincerity is exemplary; the combination of rationality and passion the best modern architecture can offer but it now seems incomplete. Wells Coates, Fry's contemporary and fellow "As creative architects, we are concerned with a future which must be planned, rather than a past which mst be patched up". from the thirties But the climate of 1945 was different{both in degree and in kind. The post-war era for the first time saw the alliance of the ‘new wisdom' hitherto the preoccupation of dissaffected intellectuals and enlightened bourgeous patrons, with all the executive force of government and the major institutions. At the very moment that the pioneers' thesis appeared to be vindicated, so the process of institu%tionalizing its assumptions began in its adoption by a new establishment due to become infinitely more sophisticated and bureaucratic than any hitherto. Naturally it was intelligent enough to absorb the precepts and personalities that would otherwise have been dynamite, and throughout the 50's the professions of architecture and planning were happy to be included in the monolithic drive for reconstruction. (For 20 years it has been considered an unjustified luxury to conceive of L.A. housing as anything but a numbers problen.) The antithesis,which was bound to arise in conflict with this centralist orthodoxy, appeared early in the 1960's in phenomena ranging from the satire movement, to student protest; that is at about the time when on the threefold premise of cheap energy, expansionist economics and enlightened paternalism, "progressive! architects and planners (now comfortably established in government institutions and well-connected practices) were ready for the big boom. The extent of development, publicly or privately sponsored during the 1960's is unlikely to be equalled during the lifetime of any reader over 20,and the housing, new towns, universities, transport infrastructure etc. -- —6f this period will somehow or other have to do for the majority of us and our children till the latter are middle-aged. The future which Wells Coates generally wanted to plan is now the past that we will have to patch up. But for the architectural profession, the boundaries of their sphere of action were still essentially the same. Even Leslie Martin, one of the most advanced thinkers of the movement, took stock of the situation in the mid 60's like this:- Referring to the 20's, 30's he wrote in 1966 "However complicated the historical situation may have been, three powerful lines of thought appeared. The first came from the passionately held belief that there had to be some complete and systematic re-examination of human needs and that as a result of this, not only the form of buildings, but the total environment would be changed. The second line of thought interlocking with this was simply that change in the form of buildings or environment would only be achieved completely through the full use of modern technology. These 2 ideas produced a third, which wasthat each architectural problem should be constantly re-assessed and thought out afresh". Martin went on to diagnose the failure of modern architecture in the neglect by architects to attend to the 3rd item. But he himself was neglecting another factor infinitely more important, because while concentrating on changes in form and technique he quite ignored the question of changes in patronage - the underlaying governing function which determines the very boundaries of change of the other two. It's the same blind spot as Fry and Coates, but after 30 years of social change - how much less forgiveable! Max Beerbohm had called the 20th Century the "century of the common man", but in architecture and planning, after now more than 50years of modernism, he is still assumed to be less qualified than remote architects and planners to know whats best for hin. Meanwhile arteries were hardening. In 1970 the D.O.E. -a concept that would have seemed revolutionary 25 years earlier - established itself in the now familiar faulty towers, sited tastefully separate from Whitehall, and expressing so precisely its bland combination of technocracy and officialdom, to preside over a process that was already in decline. What could follow now? Obvious with hindsight: a simple coronary case with complications. We ran out of fuel —- petro-chemical, financial and most important social. For by now the assumed popular consent on which all this development had been based was solidly organised into community groups, environmentarists, conservation lobbies, spaceship earth economists,etc of increasing expertise. It began to seem once more that the people with the power were less intelligent than the people without it. The complications? Almost as fast as the development boom fever was dying in the establishment the antibodies were being absorbed. Participation, piecemeal planning, rehab and recyling have been hastily substituted in the official policies of national and local authorities and the professional institutions such that the concepts of 'Commmity Architecture’ and ‘Neighbourhood Participation’ are already barnacled with bogus concern and trendy humbug, without mich noticeable advantage to the intended beneficiaries. The courtesy with which Nicholas Harbraken was received at a County Hall lecture, when his whole theme was disposing of the very basis on which the Department operated, was quite astonishing. Thus the wise Authority rejects not with brick wall but with cotton wool. Sociologists call it "Rejection by partial incorporation", and the British Establishment is uniquely gifted at it. Not only is there nothing you can complain about - there's plenty you must be grateful for. Yhus the ;host was born The current climate is pluralistic and diverse to the extent that, given the right form of words, everyone can apparently claim to be progressive - the D.0.E, R.I.B.A, most L.A.'s, the R.T.P.I. etc etc - concealing the fact that major ideological change is occurring with little or no commensurate redistribution of power. Environmental matters continue to be determined on the basis of power, not of need, and the status quo is effectively maintained. It is this situation that N.A.M. was formed to study and to penetrate. So much for what amounts to our context in the outside world. Meanwhile, what of our context in the profession? In the same period under review the profession has transformed itself from a craft-orientated elite of aesthetic gourmets supported by forelock -— tugging draughtsmen, predomminatly private, into an amy of professionals dependent on a very different calibre of recruit - a university educated, mainly middle-class mass of aspiring principals whose habit of identifying with employers has blurred their vision of the political reality both within their offices and within the RIBA as a whole. Salaried architects -— the vast majority of the profession - who may be hopeful of more direct and satisfying relatiaships with the users of their products, in view of the changing climate, have little to be optimistic about. Their governing body, the R.I.B.A. in no way representative of their concerns, continues to be dominated by the assumptions of private principals and no other organisation save ARC and ourselves shows any sign of challenging it. Such a state of affairs, when 80% of a profession is misrepresentated by default (or not at all) would be at best unsatisfactory, except that the current economic depression has begun to show that more immediate aspects of employment may be none too cosy either. Government cuts and the Middle East Klondike can only temporarily disguise the fact that large sections of society who can avail themselves easily of the services of doctors and lawyers have no access to architects except through surrogate clients whose patronage they can in no way initiate. It is out of this ghostly atmosphere of reality and appearances, wisdom and duplicity that N.A.M. developed and it is mainly from this section of the profession that its current membership is drawn. At the deliberately unlikely venue of Harrogate, rather less than a hundred people met for a weekend in November 1975 at the invitation of the small group named ARC (Architect's Revolutionary Council) which had already for a couple of years been preoccupied with such questions. The outcome was the nucleus of a New Architecture Movement which has since distinguished its own identity from that of ARC and at the same time consolidated its membership and its aims. Of the latter more will be said later, but beforehand the two essential characteristics of the movement that Harrogate established require explanation. First its attitude: it was felt that this mst be positive and constructive, no matter whether this involved more work. Nevertheless we must beware of getting bogged down in research. We would guess that it's all on the shelves of College libraries already. What we need are the people who wrote it. The second feature is our structure. If there is a single obvious lesson in the past period it is that the more general the precept the more diverse mist be its application. The structure is therefore federal, national. Our object is to seek strength in numbers such that any individuals or groupings that share the basic aims contribute to the consensus for action. Apart from rudimentary liason processes, therefore the resulting character of the movement is its diversity and its localised basis. A centralised power elite dictating policy seemed both alien and unworkable. The N.A.M. is a microcosm of the social structure it foresees revolutionizing architectural patronage. establish a group of your own. lies in the actions of many. and are putting a more sociable face on them". ie Individuals and local groups spread throughout the country make up the Movement —- all of equal status in so far as they can develop their own programmes in support of the generally agreed aims - any material produced therefore is signed for example "N.A.M., Edinburgh Group", or "N.A.M. North London Group". The essential function of making a sustaining contacts, together with arranging national congresses is carried out by a small Liason Group - which at present happens to be situated in London. This function could of course be transferred to any group who wished to take over it. If you wish to join, the contact list will probably already contain the names of individuals or groups in the area and you can join their meetings or alternatively Ideally a network of groups will develop, covering the entire country, with overseas contacts also, each one working on @ number of topics, local campaigns etc which it would present at national congress for review. The Congress would also of course be the place for overall aims and strategy to be reviewed. The key to this decentralised structure is that of local antonomy. If a particular topic or local issue is your interest then you pursue it. We are not a movement with presidents or celebrities and its strength lies not in the words of a few. Its strength and tweedledee of form and technique - competence and the Anyway we started telling a ghost story, and want now to tell how it ends. Well,for the A.R. it ends about here, because Modern Architecture they tell us has gone into hiding. Actually they were more honest than they intended when they added: "This disappearance is not caused by any great change in the accommodation asked for: clients are still calling for immodest cubes of space and be given this city bursting character. But, by and large architects are displaying them differently Well what a surprise. Plus ca change. Still the old tweedledum lies in the actions of many. and are putting a more sociable face on them". fs Individuals and local groups spread throughout the country make up the Movement - all of equal status in so far as they. can develop their own programmes in support of the generally agreed aims - any material produced therefore is signed for example "N.A.M., Edinburgh Group", or "N.A.M. North London Group". The essential function of making 2 sustaining contacts, together with arranging national congresses is carried out by a small Liason Group - which at present happens to be situated in London. This function could of course be transferred to any group who wished to take over it. If you wish to join, the contact list will probably already contain the names of individuals or groups in the area and you can join their meetings or alternatively establish a group of your own. Ideally a network of groups will develop, covering the entire country, with overseas contacts also, each one working on a number of topics, local campaigns etc which it would present at national congress for review. The Congress would also of course be the place for overall aims and strategy to be reviewed. and tweedledee of form and technique - competence and the The key to this decentralised structure is that of local antonomy. If a particular topic or local issue is your interest then you pursue it. We are not a movement with presidents or celebrities and its strength lies not in the words of a few. Its strength Anyway we started telling a ghost story, and want now to tell how it ends. Well, for the A.R. it ends about here, because Modern Architecture they tell us has gone into hiding. Actually they were more honest than they intended when they added: "This disappearance is not caused by any great change in the accommodation asked for: clients are still calling for immodest cubes of space and be given this city bursting character. But, by and large architects are displaying them differently Well what a surprise. Plus ca change. Still the old tweedledum the whole chain. in the course of our work. design guide. We leave you to guess whether this preservation of the status quo is because the RIBA is too preoccupied with bread and butter issues, or because it knows all too well which The - questionis now not whether the politics of the profession matters or not, but whether anything else does. A profession which once came near the brink of radical change - donned a mask instead and now its face has grown to fit it. side its bread is buttered on. But behind the new sociable face practising its "social art" the architect with integrity (a word mach in the news on which we had something to say to Monopolies Commission) knows quite well that his formal windmill-tilting and technical guesswork hardly touch the real forces and desires of the people or groups that literally form the life blood of the environment. The radical question is not "what forms? or "which techniques" but "who are my patrons? for it is this link which draws up Without seeking to answer it, modern architecture can well stay in hiding, while its ghost roams far and wide; all the more sinister for its new disguise. It visits most of us daily Now NAM must measure its strength; dispose of this ghost of modern architecture, and build a social reality in its place. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource John Allan Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived John Allan Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Undated https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/8634a354dd698f244cb4fe64d4a53ed8.pdf 71e0fd5162a6987fd0273bfaabf09ce8 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Liaison Group Including London Group Subject The topic of the resource Liaison Groups: NAM was initially structured as local groups. There was also a Liaison Group whose role was to coordinate the different groups, deal with correspondence and arrange the next annual conference. NAM campaign groups, which were largely autonomous, worked across local groups to develop their ideas. They arranged their own conferences and reported through SLATE and annually to the NAM Congress. The seven different campaign groups listed had members from a variety of local groups. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Various Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1976-1979 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource What is NAM? Subject The topic of the resource What is the New Architecture Movement ? Summary 2pp 2 copies Description An account of the resource reee what is the The New Architecture Movement ("NAM") aims, through the col- lective action of architectural workers and other concerned people, to play an active role in radically altering the sys- tem of patronage and power in architecture. It seeks an archi- tectural practice directly accountable to all who use its pro- ducts and democratically controlled by the workers within it. NAM aims thereby to promote effective contol by ordinary people over their environment and by architectural workers over their working lives. NAM is completely independent. It is not, and ...@iving technical advice to the Birmingham Green Ban Action Committee, ...submitting evidence to the Monopolies Commission investigating alleged price-fixing among architectural firms, ...preparing a Draft Report on “Architectural Workers and Trade Unionism," concerned particularly with the situation of unor- ganised workers in "the building professions," ...-holding an informal seminar in Covent Garden, London, attended by over fifty people, and another in Cardiff, AIMS ORIGINS ACTIVITIES institute" or trade union. which was held in Blackpool in November 1976. New Architecture Movement? does not seek to become, a "learned society," "professional The New Architecture Movement was founded in November 1975 at a National Congress held in Harrogate for the purpose of build- ing up a broadly-based, progressive force for accountability and democracy in architecture. Out of that Congress came a Contact List, several local NAM groups and a Liaison Group delegated to maintain and extend contacts and to organise a Second Congress, During NAM's first year, the activities of various groups in- cluded: ...-planning a campaign for reform of the Architects Registration Acts, to make the Architects Registration Council (ARCUK) more accountable to the public, ..participating in a campaign to prevent the destruction of Cardiff city centre, ...developing outline proposals for a "National Design Service,” ...developing and distributing the "Interior Perspective," a questionnaire on conditions and attitudes in architectural practices, STRUCTURE PARTICIPATION AND SUPPORT ENQUIRIES (ARCUK) for 1977-1978. (LG, 2/77) ,..-working towards the establishment of a "Community Design Service" in Cardiff, and ...publishing the 1977 New Architecture Calendar. Further development in these and other areas is expected during 1977 and 1978. In addition, NAM nominees have been elected to six of the seven seats representing over 3,000 "\nattached architects" on the Architects Registration Council The structure of NAM is more a "network" than a "pyramid." It consists mainly of autonomous locally-based and/or issue- oriented groups of, typically, five to fifteen members. Each group defines its own role in furtherance of the overall aims. Broader contact is maintained through 4 Liaison Group, which consists of six members elected by the annual Congress as well as delegates from the groups. The Liaison Group is accountable to the Movement as a whole and is responsible for subscriptions, publication of the Newsletter, encouragement of local seminars and organisation of the next Congress. ture. Interest in NAM is steadily growing. The Second Congress decided to consolidate and strengthen the existing structure and finances of NAM by collecting subscrip- tions from the membership. For 1977, membership costs £5 for employed people and £2 for students and unemployed. A seperate subscription to the NAM Newsletter (distributed free to members ) People active in NAM, and those who support its aims, are drawn poth from within the field of architecture and from the "lay" public. From within architecture, workers in architectural prac— tices predominate, followed by students and teachers of architec costs £2 for five issues. Contributions are also welcome. Subscriptions and contributions are intended to cover Liaison expenses (Newsletter, postage, stationery, rent, telephone, travel, miscellaneous) and to "Float" activities that are, in principle (given the present financial situation), self-support- ing, such as the Congress, seminars, literature for sale, etc. At present, each NAM group finances its own activities. All enquiries to The Secretary, Liaison Group, The New Architec— ture Movement, 143 Whitfield Street, London Wl, from whom member- ship forms and publications order forms are also available. STRUCTURE PARTICIPATION AND SUPPORT ENQUIRIES ...publishing the 1977 New Architecture Calendar. (ARCUK) for 1977-1978. (LG, 2/77) ...working towards the establishment of a "Community Design Service" in Cardiff, and Further development in these and other areas is expected during 1977 and 1978. In addition, NAM nominees have been elected to six of the seven seats representing over 3,000 "unattached architects" on the Architects Registration Council The structure of NAM is more a "network" than a "pyramid." It consists mainly of autonomous locally-based and/or issue- oriented groups of, typically, five to fifteen members. Each group defines its own role in furtherance of the overall aims. Broader contact is maintained through a Liaison Group, which consists of six members elected by the annual Congress as well as delegates from the groups. The Liaison Group is accountable to the Movement as a whole and is responsible for subscriptions , publication of the Newsletter, encouragement of local seminars and organisation of the next Congress. People active in NAM, and those who support its aims, are drawn both from within the field of architecture and from the eae public. From within architecture, workers in architectural prac-— tices predominate, followed by students and teachers of architec— ture. Interest in NAM is steadily growing. The Second Congress decided to consolidate and strengthen the existing structure and finances of NAM by collecting subscrip- tions from the membership. For 1977, membership costs £5 for employed people and £2 for students and unemployed. A seperate subscription to the NAM Newsletter (distributed free to members ) Subscriptions and contributions are intended to cover Liaison expenses (Newsletter, postage, stationery, rent, telephone, travel, miscellaneous) and to "float" activities that are, in principle (given the present financial situation), self-support-— ing, such as the Congress, seminars, literature for sale, etc. All enquiries to The Secretary, Liaison Group, The New Architec— ture Movement, 143 Whitfield Street, London Wl, from whom member- ship forms and publications order forms are also available. costs £2 for five issues. Contributions are also welcome. At present, each NAM group finances its own activities. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Liaison Group Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived John Allan Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Feb 1977