5 10 61 https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/e61d45ec6196158c51a4458ec08dbf16.pdf de66bc96d1d88057c31f371333b80261 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 Press Release Subject The topic of the resource Press Release for 1st NAM Congress with proposals for Profession, Practice and Education. (4 sides) Description An account of the resource hit>LEg,Meuse oT The N.A.M. Congress was heid at the Royal Baths Conference Centre, Harrogate, from 21st/23rd November, 1975. It was chaired by Mr, Peter Whelan and Miss Nikki Hay, both freelance writers and non-architects. The congress was initiated and organised by the Architects Revolutionary Council (1.R.C.) which handled all the advance publicityand accomrodatiion, but emphasised that their function was one of organisation only. The congress having begun, A.R.G. became fust one viewpoint anong many. The conference particiuants repre ed wide spectrum of the architectural profession,: incir ; laried architects, principals, technicians, students, teachers, es well as non architects. The coneress was based on the nremis that therc exists a rapidly growing dissatisfaction with the arc itectural profession. This premise was borne out by the congres 's misgivings about Min. ee si 2 - Alun ae aa 2 7 1 7 The many issues debated included What eifect Jo centralisa nh anu bureaucracy have on architects in Local government : 4 SelfManagenent What woud be the implications orofits were chared by principals private vee 5 Redundancie What will be tne effect of in architecture * Could if both responsibility and and assistants alike in ths growing aumber of redundancies alternative forms of practising & nionisation architecture ? this spur on ane movenent towards what shouic the cpproach of architects be to the Unions which already exist ? i Hducation Rees Keenst 2% suail sector of ? Should architect- jLic, and if so, how Do architects need their own union ? If so, in what way would the function of vnat union differ from the R.I.B.A.? If not, Who should control accessibility to and certification of architectural education ° What sort of education should that be °? @ "7TEMP« 25rd November, 1975 The conpress:. decided on. the following course of action for the immediate future: ‘ The members of the congress would begin setting up discussion groups in their own ereas to debate relevant issues. These groups would include all those involved in the built environment, designers and users. A second congress would be held in about three months' time. Volunteers from this congress have agreed to organise this and to act as liaison and contacts until the next congress only, after which a new liaison group would take over, thus hopefully avoiding the creation of a bureaucracy. The congress agreed to pool its experience of working for change, including failures as well as successes, and to build up a body of written work based on this experience, that could be circulated for disucssion before the second congress. Contact address: 10 Perey Sirest, Loudon W 4 PROPOSALS ON EDUCATION The 2 'A' level entry requirement to architecture schools is not a worthwhile criteria for selecting students, and that the special entry facility should be used more fully. School leavers should be encouraged to spend a year out between school and college, and that colleges should offer deferred places to allow this to happen. Greater opportunities should exist. for mature students and special courses established for mature technicians, That college prospectii should include a student written section. That all schools .of architecture should have student societies with funds and self-government. nes Encourage all schools to fully participate in the Schools of Architecture Council. Tx Ensure staff and student representation on college academic and governing bodies. 8. Encourage staff and student exchanges nationally and internationally. 9. Students transfering colleges should need only the consent of the new college. 10. Expendpart-timecoursesandensuretheiradequaterepresentationonallbodies affecting then. 11. Gain student representation on a reformed ARCUK Board of Education. 12. Establish responsibilities between local schools and practices. Establish links between schools and the community. 14. Allow teaching staff time and resources to develop their own courses, 1D Encourage employment of short term staff, and discontinue the practice of academic appointments for life. 46, Inadequate staff should be dismissable at the instigation of staff and students, serie Encourage the development of self motivated courses and projects as these give greater educational benefits. 18, Course structuring should not be so rigid as to forbid random/spontaneous activities on occasions. 19. Traditional exams are an inadequate guide to the educational development of students and should be replaced by sensible forms of continuous, assessment. 20. Part I should be regarded as notionally equal in all 38 schools, while main- taining individual characteristics; this would allow transfer between all colleges at this stage. 2A. Part II courses should include students from other courses though the final . qualifications would be different in name. 226 Part III, as in the EEC, should be taken while at college. 23. The RIBA "Visiting Board" system, to be replaced by an ARCUK body that has 13+ equal public, studént, staff and practitioners representation, 26 a 4. Ie Cn 3e PRACELCH /ROPOSALS PROPOSALS RELATING TO THE PROFESSION By adopting the following Principles environment." "For the benefit of the public, environmental practitioners, practices and education are to maximize their potential to create a socially responsible The new movement can truly claim that its interests lie not with the finanoial client but with the public. Instead of starting from a charter that beiins,| with "the advancement of architecture", we start from a social commitment to the public. While in the past a professional has been able to exist by being competent and honest, we place his usefulness to society Natuaally, his usefulness will also rely on him being competent and honest. That ARCUK be reformed by government so as to ensure an adequate accountability to the public. That architectural education is controlled by a reformed ARCUK Board of Education equally representative of the public, academics, That the Scale of Fees charged by architects be controlled by the government. as the future deciding factor. practitioners and students. To relate architects directly to clients and users. Draw up 2 list of professionals willing to do voluntary work. That all offices introduce worker participation in the management, to include all staff. To instigate situations where architects have responsibilities to specific communities, either through adopting local government offices or by setting up a new situation, Town Planning and Building Regulations be revised to wake them more applicable to the principles of serving the public without waste of resources etc. To speak out on all controls that deprive the environment of a humane and responsible development: i.e. cost yard-sticks, individual building programmes, large scale developments, property speculation. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Press Release 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 22.11.75 https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/51a6a6bfef61c7e6c12fab2b17c84b65.pdf 8e3764da03130a9a4c3befd4ff10576f 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 Colne Valley Future Subject The topic of the resource Report on situation in Colne Valley Yorkshire and how to stabilise employment Description An account of the resource COLNE WALLEY FUTURE. Society will accept the consequences ot such phenomena for the sake of ‘economic growth’, but to recognize the social irresponsibility in doing so. ‘The Welfare State has developed as a buffer to administer social aneasthetic in the wake of such is in this humanely undignified state its part in the‘national interest* and reacned a stage where both publie and private enterprise Scale, supnort the ‘spent’ lifestyle or its indigenous lation. Concurrent with this there is the populations indecisiveness, fostered by two centuries of paternalistic and benevolent employers. The few the valley are predominantly using rial accommodation as a sprinboard my. this practice 1s socially negative ions to such areas problems; 1t 1s not the evolvmng saviour ot tne community it is perported to be in most quarters. cont/ it is blatantly unwilling disruntion. the Volne Valley at present, it has played will not actively, on any popu- small industries going into the areas now cheap indust— into the capitalist econo- in finding real solut-— 1ARCHITECTS 16th MSee : “{REVOLUTIONARY COUNCIL ay nyi. The Colne Valley which runs west from Huddersfield to the foot of the Pennines, was at the very heart of the industrial revolution; the veritable womb of the economic expansion of Britain. For over two hundred years it has been sending fabrics to every corner of the globe. Lt grew from a primarily domestic weaving area, into a factory based, multi- disciplinary textile industry, that encompassed every fascet of woolen and worsted fabric production. It has predominantly flourished on the high quality of these products. Because of the Tapid growth and high concentration of fabric production in the Colne Valley, older,established fabric producing areas, Oxford, Norfolk and Devon in particular, © were sent into a rapid decline, socially and economically, towards the end of the 18th Century. The complaint today is that Korea, Taiwan, Isreal and the Eactern European States are, through their more modern and economic production methods, putting the Colne Valley industry, into the same kind of decline. une could be capitalistically negative and accept this kind of situation to be all part of a spectrum of continued world growth and market expansion and accept the social consequences as inevitable. The vain attempts to impose import limits and hign taritfs on foriegn fabrics are no solution to the stable industry of the Colne Valley, the odds against any stringent limitation being imposed, are nign. Such areas are expected to flounder within a capitalist economy, sooner or later in the market cycle, society being conceited enough to believe itself eo diverse and highly developed that things Will readjust without any adverse effects. The fact that the indigenous population, young, old, industrially active or socially sedated, all suffer in some way,seems irrelevant. The fact tnat social reLationships, networks and activities © are all diversidy affected by such economic decline appears unimportant. Forced migration and fremily rupture in the ensuing depopulation, is readily accepted and budgetted for. C Il PERCY STREET LONDON WI. Ol. 636-0974 -EXT 27 At a time when everyone is beginning to realize the pitraiis of mass urbanization, such delicately balanced semi-rural settiements as exist in the destroyed. the piignt of such areas is only too well known , yet society seems content degenerate and become satellites devoid of the randamental affinitys for any human settlement. valley must not have their cultures to encourage them to socially for our large urpan centres, that are the primary vase Because of their location, Ee CereD ey and climate the small towns and villages of the Colne Valley are ideaity situated, with some assistance, to firmly dictate their own aestiny. The answer does not lie with the Tourist Board, the CBi, the Champers of Commerce or the Trade Unions. It lies witn the indigenous popuiation. It is not anticipated that this pop- ulation, to gain social justice, will need to barricade the A62 Trunk Road, or aynamite the Huddersfield=— Manchester Railway. but an awareness of their own potential and precarious future couid prove powerful enough for such measures to be contempbted ana inaeea seriously worked out, should the need arise. ‘thougn nara neaaed and basically conservative in nature tne Colne Valiey peuple know the meaning of the word justice. In the few attempts to identify or stud the are the usual solutions such as ‘stimlate Lnventnanerinn cee machinery,(politicians/financiers) or ‘attract new light industries, (anti pollution brigade) or develop it as a tourist area (conservationists) have all been quoated from varying sources. These are not solutions, they are stop gaps/ e€go—boosters/ and self interested activists token gestures, steeped in patronizing and charitable cliches about tne ‘character and social history" of the area. The plain facts are that the Colne Valley, its resources and its people, have been exploited, and that unless a humane interest is shown in the lives and lifestyles of its people, further exploitation will take place. The outward signs of a more subtle exploitation are now manifesting themselves in the area, Many of the houses in the older attractive areas or valley, such as Golcar, are becoming cheap commuter havens. People who have no respect tor the'peoples history’ are busily conserving everything with a smattering ot sentiment or quaintness. A gradual beautufication of the area is seen by the middle class activista as being of ‘real benefit to the villagers’. E Capitalism, entreprenaur speculation and mass industrializa- tion, have bred a imowlng tenacity amongst the population, wno are not unaware of the negative social changes at present occurring. The primary satisfaction most people found an aff- inity in throughout the area, was the pride of imowing that the fabrics the area produced were of the highest quality. The acute division of labour in tne textile industry is at last begining to erode this singular motivation, 1t 1S mostly manifest in the attitude of the young toward the textile mils. No public or private agency able to regenerate employment for the valley snows any concern for the migration of the Natives, the ensuing industrial and domestic blight or the Spirit of the people. The primary course of action is the creation of a diverse and rich workbase to stabilize the population in the five main viilages in the valley. cont/ In planning, the kind of approach which gives primary credance to existing social orders, has been totally mutilated by the conservationists and ‘rehabilitate everything brigade’. The protection of the physical environment in the name of character, history or national heritage has been universally adopted by the liberal minded, directionless band of builders, financiers and designers, who,having reaped a thirty year harvest from the modern movemant phase, are now seeking fortunes from nostalgia design. The protection of the physical environ- ment pure and simple, is socially meaningless, the networks and habits that exist within these environments are the life blood, the buildings mere skeletons. The consequence of overt conserv-— ation is social disruption, building values become highly inflated and social values are increasingly ignored. In the villages of the Colne Valley that means an absolute dissemin- ation of the indigenous populations life style. So the Colne Valley lifestyle is under threat from two fronts, one from the exponents of extreme nostalgia, the other from the people who control private and state coffers. if the villages become mothballed commuter havens for the urban refugees, the human coexistance that is predominant in the existing population will fracture and the word ‘commmity' will no longer be applicable to Slaithwaite, Golcar or Marsden, So the living/working/learning networks that now form the social matrix must form the basis for any future planning, unadulterated by economic zoning or conservation area sterilization. many new and varied socially(as opposed to economical baseaindustries,andoccupationscouldevolveifSete as posed to enterprises, were entrusted with a regeneration ob tgea8s a stimulation of society, directed and controlled ocally. Although many people see the changes affecting the Colne Valley as inevitable, and in most cases acceptable, these changes are totally uncoordinated and devoid of any referance point within the valley. That is not to say that the Colne Valley needs a Total Solution working out for it, but instaed of crying every time a mill closes or waving a flag when a small firm passes through tne valley, a humane direction firmly associated Wwitn the aspirations and desires of the natives could be sought. Instead of allowing the highly substantial mill buildings to remain empty or be demolished, could they form the physical basis for a new industrial direction within the valley? In stead of miniscule parts of these buildings being used by small enterprises attracted by cheap leases and rents, could they all be analysed individually, or in groups where they occur, with a view to being the embrios of an alternative answer to the valleys future industrial and social progress? The variety of physical location of these buildings is unending. They would lend themselves intact, or ina reorganized form, to many domestic, educatinnal and recreational as well as industrial uses, in ways that would integrate easily and harmoniisly into the existing social orders, enhancing, not destroying them. cont/ As designers contemplating such social planning, we must beware of being toutopian. We obviously have ideals, utopian or otherwise, but we must beware of simplistic solutions, which will only afford us and emotional or intellectual cop-out. The idea that designers can ignore the realities of cultural and economic relationships and change society through the nature of the environments they design (one of the fundamental motivations of the modern movement) is obviously wishing away the majority of social realities. For once the planner sees himself working towards his own solution for the environment as an independant body, then people and relationships, the ultimate criteria, are open to manipulation to suit the designers ideals. So taking the solid reality of the old mill buildings as a physical anchor, we should succeed in staying within the tenets of Saul Alinsky's rule of ‘working within the experience of your people’. Though there exists a great affinity with the mills, there is also a mild hostility amongst Colne Valley peuple to the théngs that the mills historieally represent. The reluctance of the young people to enter the mills as textile workers, is a fairly recent occurance in the valley, which will not be - counteracted until a more human way of producing fabrics is evolved. The factory system employed by most fabric producers has reduced the human being to a very inadeaate portion of the production process. So much so that the pride in work mentioned previously is being eroded also by the incres#ingly more complex production methods, most of them too efficient to warrant the existance of a human operative. Yet the dormant buildings which housed the once rapidly growing textile industry, themselves could hold a key to the regeneration of the area. Taking as our premise, that employment within the valley for most of the indigapus population, will stabilize the existing social structures, we can begin to look at the location and uses to be matte of redundant structures. There are seven areas which immediately offer themselves as places where a new industrial and domestic base could generate from. They are all in fairly specific locations and have special qualities of their own. 1) Milnsbridge- 5 or 6 Mills (all empty) off Brittania Road straddling the RIver Colne and bordered by the Narrows Canal. A very dense built up area along the valley bottom 2) Copley Bank/ Four buildings in a steeply sloping valley in Gcican a roughly linear pattern, starting at the head of the small valley off the Colne, with Heath House Mill, down through Victoria Mill and Contrary to some popular activists theories some planning must take plave. As long as that planning is locally controlled and not inflicted by external agencies it can be good planning. Locally controlled, small scale planning using the valleys Many resources, natural, human and man made as the basis could give the villages an effervesence undeniably founded in the predominant culture, not in some modified idea of how things have been plamned elsewhere. The funding for such planning could initially be found through many of the existing cooperative setups functioning in the valley, Albion Mill onto the Golcar Baptist Church. A very rural and undulating landscape with many resources. 3) Titanic Mill A vast structure in 18 acres of arable lana Linthwaite close to the A62 and bordered by the River Colne 4) Crimble Bank Two Mills north of Slaithwaite, Crimble and Slaithwaite. Brook, in the heart of the village, a very tight 5) Slaithwaite The area in and around and including Bank Mill a collection of small buildings arounf the built up loaction adjoining the Slaithwaite Golear Road. ; main Mill. In the valley bottom sandwiched bet— ween the Colne and the Canal. 6) Clough House Mill A small, partially demolished mill in an isolated rural setting, 1 mile west of Slaithwaite. 7) Holme Mill/Ce llars clough- Lingards Two substantial Mills % mile east of Marsden, vast areas of water and considerable land between the two. These seven areas are by no means the only ones where it is possible to begin some positive t by Richard Wa inwright, could begin through these or many other small areas up and down the valley. Copley Bank/Golcar with four virtually empty major structures within imile of each other provides a good area to study, as it four very differnt buildings with infinite possibilities.It lends itself perfectly to the sound social concept of the industrial village which historically dominated the physical form of all the oledr settlements in the valley. In the begiming the ARC group are working on a very tentative economic Sootines once the footing is securer and the small office in Slaithwaite id set up, the long term strategy work will continue alongside bread and butter alteration and extens— ion work. No work outside the valley will be accepted, no speculative work will be undertaken. There are enough architects reaping a rich harvest from those spheres and performing social | homicide in the process. George Mills Huddersfield. ARC West Yorkshire Group. | work. The tonic effect referred Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource George Mills ARC 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 16-May-76 https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/2875f3a530b6672716d8f51d3c0a8efb.pdf 1e7d6b2c0eeaa9ddc6567c54849b627b 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 Meeting Notes Subject The topic of the resource 8 pp MS notes including "Reflections on Cardiff" by John Allan Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource North London 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/26e891dd4d2cda4acb68050d1d7032ec.pdf 00ed69e399bea54ecdd64cd5067da6b6 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 NAM Index From Harrogate to Blackpool Subject The topic of the resource An Index of all documents relating to the Movement from 11/75 to 9/76. (92 entries) Description An account of the resource JUSTIBAOP] 9.1N{D9IIWOIY MON J Index N.A.M. INDEX FROM HARROGATE ‘TO BLACKPOOL Copies of any of these papers are available from NAM Central London Group, 143, ‘whitfield St., London 71. They are free, unless otherwise stated, but please enclose 5.A.z. 1. 2. 3 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. ARC DE TRIOMPHE Announcing Harrogate Congress "Building Design' AKC Draft Manifesto ARC "Start the New Architecture Movement" N.A.M. Congress Program for Harrogate. N.A.M. "A New Architecture Movement” Paper delivered at Harrogate by John Murray. Paper delivered at Harrogate by Ken Thorpe. Summaries of Congress Vorking Parties: Proposals relating to the Profession. Practice Proposals Proposals on Education ist. Congress at Harrogate: Press Helease 14.11.75 Pre- Harrogate Congress 10. Harrogate Congress: Attendance Liat 11. Minutes of ist Liason Committee Meeting 12. "When the Talking had to stop" . Keview of Harrogate. ‘Building Design' qs "When the Contribution had to start" Liason Group reply. Building Design. 14. "Dissidents Architects' New Movement". Review of Harrogate "Building' 15. "New Movements in Architecture". Review of Harrogate A.A. Events List No. 10. 16, "Marching towards the new Architectural Dawn” Review of Harrogate in Architect's Journal 17. Liason Group letter to all members 18. N.A.M. Broadsheet One oe oe oe oe se ee es ee 50 21.11.75 22.11.75 23.11.75 23.11.75 23.11.75 26.11.75 28.11.75 04.12.75 27.11.75 8-12.12.75 03.12.75 11.12.75 11.12.75 19. Liason Group Minutes of 3rd. Meeting( Published as 2nd.+ ) 11.12.75 20, 21. 22. 08.01.76 01.76 18.01.76 22.01.76 02.76 "N.A.M. to fight R.I.B.A. all the way" Paul Gorka's letter in ‘Building Design' . 02.76 03.02.76 03.02.76 04.02.76 Letter from Rob Thompson refuting Edinburgh Group's letter. 05.02.76 Edinburgh Group reply to Brian Anson's Green Paper Notes by John Murray on CLG/Liason Group Minutes of C.L.G. meeting Minutes of N.L.G. meeting Minutes of C.L.G. meeting Minutes of N.L.G. meeting Minutes of C.L.G. meeting Minutes of N.L.G. meeting 11.02.76 23.02.76 25.02.76 01.03.76 09.03.76 12.03.76 16.03.76 17.03.76 26.03.76 March 76 31.03.76 31.03.76 April 76 35.6 N.A.M copy for Time Out Minutes of C.L.G. meeting Letter in the Architect's Journal from David Roebuck and John Murray. "NALGO Action: democracy not insults". Letter in "Building Design' from Adam Purser. 596 "Professional Representation" article by Louis Hellman with references to N.A.M. in Architectural Design. 40. Minutes of C.L.G. meeting 41. Letter in Architect's Journal from Marion Roberts and Giles Pebody. 42. Letter in Architectural Design from John Allan and Giles Pebody. Minutes of Central London Group (C.L.G.) meeting. Brian Anson's Green Paper Minutes of North London Group (N.L.G.) with John Allan's report of Highbury District group meetings concerning the Islington Plan. Minutes of C.L.G. meeting Letter from Paul Gorka to N.A.M. 43. Minutes of N.L.G. meeting 44. Minutes of C.L.G. meeting 45. Minutes of N.L.G. meeting 46. "A history of the Architectural Profession" by Adam Purser. (Price 10p.) 47. Minutes of C.L.G. meeting 48. Monopolies Commission Report (Price £1.00) 49. Reference in Architect's Journal to N.A.M. national design service in'Bring Architecture nearer to the people’. 50. C.L.G. report to Birmingham Green Ban Action Committee. St. "N.A.M. attacks H.I.B.A. on its fee scale" review of MCR in ‘Building Design’ p.28 52. to 56. incl. Papers given at the London Seminar, 52. An Historical Perspective, by John Allan. 53- Prom Radical to Revolutionary, by Brian Anson ARC 54. A National Design Service , by John Murray 556 The Relationship between ARC and NAM, by Rob Thompson 06.04.76 15.04.76 28.04.76 May 76 03.05.76 14.05.76 19.05.76 20.05.76 21.05.76 56. Group statements from the Cardiff Group and North London Group. 61. "N.A.M. working to re-distribute power in architecture”. review by Louis Hellman in ‘Architect's Journal’ of the London Seminar. 62. Minutes of C.L.G. meeting 63. Minutes of NAM/ABT meeting. 64. Paper on Trade Unions to C.L.G. by A. Fekete. 02.06.76 21.06.76 24.06.76 21.06.76 65. "N.A.M. reservations on Unions", letter in the Architects Journal from Andrew Fekete. 23.06.76 57. "Fixed fees deprive poor says New Architecture Movt." review of MCR in ‘Architects Journal’ p.1020 26.05.76 58. "N.A.M. wants new patrons for community design service", review of London Seminar in ‘Building Design' 28.05.76 23.05.76 25.05.76 59. London Seminar Attendance List. 60. Minutes of C.L.G. meeting 66. News item on London Seminar in 'Building Worker's Charter' Vol.3 no. 11 p.4 67. Paper to C.L.G. on ABT. by A.Fekete 68. Minutes of N.L.G. meeting 69. N.A.M. Leaflet. 10. Minutes of C.L.G. meeting 1. Minutes of N.L.G. meeting 72. Minutes of N.A.M./ARC meeting 73. Paper on Unions to C.L.G. by Giles Pebody 14. Minutes of C.L.G. meeting 15. Draft Program to 2nd. Congress 16. Minutes of Liason Group meeting 17. Minutes of 6.L.G. meeting 78. Draft document on Unionisation (C.L.G.) 19. Draft report on Unions (C.L.G.) 80. Why Join a Union? (C.L.G.) 81. Draft of campaign document no.2 (C.L.G.) 62. Minutes of N.L.G. meeting 83. Minutes of C.L.G. meeting 64. Minutes of C.L.G. meeting 85. Minutes of ABT/NAM meeting 86. Minutes of N.L.G. meeting 87. Agenda to Cardiff/C.L.G. meeting 88. ‘N.a.M. presentation at UWIST seminar 89. Reflections on Cardiff 90. Minutes of N.L.G. meeting 91. Minutes of Liason Group meeting on 2nd. Congress. 92. "Professional Revolutionaries", Article by Anne Karpf in ‘Architectural Design’. July 76 05.07.76 12.07.76 July 76 16.07.76 28.07.76 29.07.76 no date 02.08.76 09.08.76 06.08.76 16.08.76 16.08.76 16.08.76 16.08.76 16.08.76 09.08.76 31.08.76 13.09.76 14.09.76 20.09.76 27.09.76 01.10.76 04.10.76 04.10.76 30.10.76 Sept. 76 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource JA/ Central London 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 1976 https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/1bb0ac4c3c87e4b27578ac9428ea56d5.pdf cce682154f3cec1cce97a5fe48b0bbaa 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 NAM Handbook 1978/1979 Subject The topic of the resource Description of NAM's background, activities and campaigns with photographs and cartoons (40pp) Description An account of the resource NAM HANDBOOK 1978/1979 ARCUK CARDIFF EDUCATION FEMINISM GREEN BAN ACTION MONOPOLIES PROFESSIONALISM PUBLIC DESIGN SERVICE SLATE UNIONISATION CONTACTS LIST BIBLIOGRAPHY INTRODUCTION — The intention behind this hand- book is to draw together in one publication the various strands of activity undertaken by the New Architecture Movement (NAM). In so doing it is envisaged that a gap in NAM’s presentation of itself and its ideas to a wider public will have been filled. The handbook also sets out to explain the structure and workings of NAM, to counteract any assumptions that NAM is in any way a closed circle. It seeks to attract to the movement further people who ‘ agree broadly with its aims, and to give pointers to the areas of work still to be undertaken. It is hoped a useful tool will.thus have been created for the present and potential future membership. and structure of the movement, much of which still holds true today. Sev- eral local groups were established, and a Liason Group delegated to maintain and extend contacts , and to organise the annual Congress. In the three years since Harrogate NAM has continued to grow in strength and , with well over a hundred members and a growing list of significant campaigns in the previously complacent world of prof- essional politics, is now preparing itself for its fourth annual Congress. NAM’s strength undoubtably derives from. this success in campaigning against the anti-social and undemocratic aspects of current practice, in giving voice and form to the criticisms of those who, like the majority of architectural workers , are frustrated, isolated and exploited, alienated from the products of their labour and powerless in the face of architectural employers who have for so long jealously guarded The loose-leaf format was adopted to allow future addition and amend- ment , thus enabling the handbook to be kept up to date. The handbook is subdivided issue by issue in accord- ance with NAM’s working arrangements Additional material will be distributed in future issues of Slate, the NAM news- ural and allied workers in order to letter, whenever groups feel.the need to restate their position or bring the account of their activities up to date. ORIGINS OF NAM The New Architecture Movement was founded in November 1975 at the Harrogate National Congress. The significance of this event lay in the formalisation of a growing body of people with the shared belief in the need to reform architectural practice, The Congress achieved a consensus on the essential direction bring about radical changes in the practice of architecture . NAM seeks to restore control over their environ- ment to ordinary people , and social responsibility and accountability to the work of architects. In particular it seeks to fundamentally change the existing system of patronage , the power structure in architecture domin- ated by architects who are principles, both in private and public practice, and powerful corporate or bureau- cratic clients. NAM seeks notonly to challenge the existing relationship of architect to client and user, but also the status-quo. NAM was formed to channel effect- ively the collective action of architect- IN’ TRODUCTI ON the existing industrial relations between employer and worker,to restore avoice both to those who provide the labour for architecture and to those who use its products. STRUCTURE Despite the changeover to paid membership in 1976 NAM’s struct- ure remains very much as established Programmes for action are formulated at Harrogate ~ that of a network. from detailed critiques of the current situation and its background and to this end NAM exists as a network of groups which have over the past three years campaigned on specific issues in pursuit of these agreed aims. If the advance is to be maintained then NAM must continue to develop its critique across the spectrum of architectural practice and thus through regular discussion new areas of work: are determined and new issue or working groups are formed in response. MEMBERSHIP The majority of NAM members are salaried architects in either private or public practice, although students and teachers also provide a substantial Work is undertaken by locally based or issue based groups in furtherance of the overall aims of the movement Policy is ratified at Congress, an annual national event, by the membership as a whole and not by a central steering committee. Central functions are undertaken by the Liason Group and are largely administrative. It is hoped that NAM has thus avoided the pitfalls of bureaucracy and celebrities and also a two-tier organisation of the leadership and the led. Any group or individual is free to present work or propose changes in policy and thus take part in the refinement of NAM’s aims. Much of the work of NAM, the det- ailed development and presentation of policy on specific issues, is undertaken by issue groups which are self formed and self-directed in furtherance of over- all NAM policy. The continuing work element. Initially membership of NAM of such groups is communicated to the was based solely on a agreement with and involvement in pursuing the Move- ment’s aims. As the scope of activities increased an independent source of finance became necessary and member- Congress. Local groups, which hold ship fees were instituted at the Second regular meetings in a number of National Congress at Blackpool in 1976. major cities provice both a forum Whilst voting rights at Congress are retained by fully paid up members only, NAM is nevertheless keen to mainain contact with all interested parties and to this end all NAM events are open to and publications available to the public at large. It is intended to involve as many people as possible in the development of its ideas and activities by the full participation of its members and supporters in either issue groups or discussion meetings. for discussion of general issues and a potential for organisation around local issues. movement as a whole through the newsletter ‘Slate’, is presented for dis- cussion at local meetings and forums, and is endorsed as NAM policy by CAMPAIGNS In terms of democratic control over architectural practice NAM seeks a lay controlled governing body. ARCUK, though established as a ‘public interest’ body, has for its entire existence been controlled by the RIBA thus effectively regulating practice in favour of the architectural establishment. While NAM’s elected presence on ARCUK Council is growing at the same time so is disenchantment with the RIBA amongst architectural workers, NAM’s proposals for a reform of ARCUK are a component of its submission to a government sponsored Monopolies Commission report into architectural practice which concluded in favour of the NAM case that existing practice constitutes a monopoly oper- ating to the prejudice of the public interest. NAM continues to campaign for the abolition of the RIBA instituted mandatory minimum fee scale which restrict the availability of architectural services to the wealthy, corporate or bureaucratic. In the belief that the State represents for many the only means of access to resources NAM proposes a Public Design Service ,a reform of public sector practice, deriving froma critixjue of existing Local Authority departments. It seeks to establish locally based design and build teams directly accountable to tenants and usets — the abolition of existing hierarchical arrangements in favour of participatory democracy at a decentralised local level. In May 1977 NAM’s work on the unionisation of architectural workers , an essential component of the demo- * cratisation of architectural practice, culmin ited in the setting up of the Buildiiig Design Staff branch within AUEW-TASS specifically for architect- ural workers. The responsiblity and initiative fo rthis work has now passed to the Union. NAM has therefore, in the three years since its inception, sought out specific issues around which to campaign in furtherance of its aims . The recent successful formation of a NAM Feminist Group is an additonal example of NAM’s ability to seek out real issues as a centrepoint for concerted action. REPRESENTATION The New Architecture Movement was established as a decentralised democratic organisation rather than one with a dominant centralist org- anisation. To this end the annual INTRODUCTION Congress, held each year throughout a weekend in November, is the all- important democratic event at awhich the work of issue groups is endorsed and the tasks for the coming year determined. In addition the Liason, Group undertakes to organise a number whilst fulfilling that function, has of forums in different parts of the country throughout the year in order to bring together as many people as possible in the discussion of current work by issue groups who themselves give further account in Slate . Whilst the open democratic nature of NAM is undoubtably advantageous in enabling and encouraging the full participation of all members , the year to year dependence on Congress a s the banner, and also to attract a wider sole mandating event may as NAM continues to grow present drawbacks in terms of speed of response to events and accountability and the whole uced in London-by.an independent matter of constitution as at present under consideration by a working group. LIASON GROUP The Liason Group exists to provide essential services to NAM as a whole, a servant rather than an executive body. It currently has nine members drawn from various local and issue groups who meet regularly to under- take the coordination necessary to link together the dispirate elemenis that make up NAM. The Group answers or forwards all corresspond- ence and enquiries, administers fin- ance, handles publications and org- anises the annual congress and cer- tain other NAM events throughout the year. It is NAM’s practice to redelegate the entire group at each congress, thus ensuring a flow of members who have made themselves familiar with the workings of the movement. NAM group who are, like all NAM groups, accountable to Congress. It is published bi-monthly and sent free to all members but may also be bought by subscription or from many bookshops. SLATE A Publications Group was first established at Blackpool in 1976 with the aim of producing a NAM newsletter. Slate, as it soon became, outgrown its original brief, in terms of size, circulation and also ambition. Whilst still serving the needs of the membership in providing up to date reporting of NAM’s activities, the Slate Group has set out to give coyer- age and generate discussion on a wider range of architectural and environmental issues than necess- arily fall under the current NAM audience to NAM’s aims. Articles are commissioned both from with- in and outside NAM. Slate is prod- FURTHER DETAILS Further details about the New Architecture Movement, forthcoming meetings and any of the issues cont- ained in this handbook may be ob- tained by writing to NAM, 9 Poland Street, London W1. NAM is independent of all other bodies and relies solely on its mem- bers subscriptions to finance its activities. Twelve months member- ship, which includes a free subscrip- tion to Slate is £5.00 for employed people and £2.50 for unemployed people, students and pensioners. A membership form is included at the back of this handbook. July 1978 -e*—~all ARCUK a Nam ISSUE GROUP ARCUK GROUP Our interest in the Architects’ Registration Council UK (ARCUK) originated in the early discussions of the North London Group, which was established at the Ist NAM Congress, Harogate, November 1975. The North London Group was primarily concerned with the prob- lems of private practice; the relation- ship of architects to clients and users, and the industrial relationship bet- ween principals and salaried staff. The first of these issues - as applied to the public sector led to the setting up of the National Design Service Group (now the Public Design Service, or PDS Group q.v.). The second led naturally to consideration of trades unionism culminating in the major step of setting up the Building Design Staff section within the AUEW-TASS in May 1977. (An aspect of NAM’s work that is well documented else- where. However this still left the old North London Group- or Private Practice Group as became known when the issues had been thus refined - with the questions of accountability and control within the profession and the general problems associated with the concept of “professionalism”. It became clear that the system of self- government that is operated through ARCUK is central to the processes of architectural education, admission to the register and the regulation of practice by Codes of Conduct and Conditions of Engagement. Moreover, historical research into the origins of ARCUK and study of its constitution began to show that the unbroken tradition of RIBA domination severely limits ARCUK’s intended role as a “‘public interest” body. The initial conclusions of our study together with draft prop- osals for anew ARCUK Council were presented in the “Private Pract- ice Report”, to the 2nd NAM Cong- ress, Blackpool, November 1976. ARCUK Councillors represent- ing the professional associations are invariably appointed by the Councils of those Associations, but the Annual election of councillors to represent “Unattached Architects”- i.e. those simply registered with ARCUK who choose not to become members of any of the professional associations listed in Schedule I of the 1931 Architects Registration Act - offered an opportunity to gain access to the Council and raise some of the above questions directly in the context of ARCUK’s activities. The 1931 Act prescribes that the number of councillors representing the varipus “constituencies” shall be reckoned at one per 500 members or part thereof. Thus the “‘unattach- ed” elections of 1977 seven seats were available, six of which were sucessfully taken by NAM candidates. In 1978 owing to the increased number of unattached architects the number of possible seats rose to nine, and eight NAM candidates were returned. In addition, by virtue of a so-called. “gentleman’s agreement” councillors from each constituency are entitled to nominate further representatives to sit on certain ARCUK committees adding a turther two to the NAM contingent. The early work of the North London Group has thus produced a new NAM/ARCUK. issue group consisting of the elected councillors and any other interested in the field. tising - ensuring equal-rights for un- attached architects, South African investments - urging ARCUK to dis- pose of anti-social holdings and re- view its investment policy, ammend- ments to the Code of Conduct - esp- cially in relation to the monopolies issue (q.v. Monopolies Group), arch- itectural appointments - endevouring to prevent discrimination against the unattached in job advertisments, the question of limited liability and of course the monopolies issue itself. The NAM/ARCUK Group meets immediately before Council Meet- ings to allow discussion at greater length of the numerous and often complex issues. In addition, meeting are arranged whenever possible when non-London councillors are visiting to attend ARCUK comm~- ittee meetings. Some progress was made at the 3rd NAM Congress Hull, November 1977 in identy fing selcection criteria for NAM candidates in the unattached _ elections, and in establishingthe principle of councillors “stepping down” after an agreed term to allow otherstostandforelection. In such circumstances, to ensure the hard-won experience of outgoing councillors is not wasted, it is clearly desirable for prospective can- didates and any others interested to participate in group meetings and familiarise themselves with the pro- cedures of ARCUK in advance of the annual elections. In accordance with NAM const- itution, the Annual Congress and Group Forums allow an opportun- ity for the group to report back to the movement as a whole - and we have also endevoured to give regular accounts of our activities in SLATE Anyone interested in contributing to the group’s work is very welcome to contact in the first instance the NAM Liaison Group. July 1978 Although the unattached are the second largest constituency in ARCUK after the RIBA, the latters’ outright domination in Council, the Board of Architectural Education and all the committees has made it difficult for the NAM/ARCUK rep- resentatives to win motions in debate. Moreover the 40years undisturbed RIBA control has allowed us to be easily out manoeuvered while still “learning the ropes”. Nonetheless the very presence of a new and unfamiliar voice has had a certain dynamic effect which may be measured in at least one way by the extent that ARCUK affairs are now given considerably more press prom- inence. Issues with which we have been concemed include; corporate adver- CARDIFF A NAM LOCAL GROUP While the Cardiff NAM group was still in the throes of discovering just what is was supposed to ve about and where it was going, other things happ- ened which led to the idea ofa comm- unity design service. As the word spread that a group of radical archi- tectural workers had come together community groups were contacting us and it quickly became evident that they were primarily interested in us as a source of advice and ex~ pertise, interested in our professional capacity,that is. NAM nationally had already in- itiated discussions about what a National Design service might be, and it seemed that, at that time, we in Cardiff were in a position to initiate some such scheme. In view of the potential clientele there dev- eloped the idea that the project coul.] be run in an entirely different way to traditional practices. What we hoped to set up was a prototype community based design service which would begin to look at what terms like accountability’ and ‘a more democratic architecture *were really about - An apparantly ready source of finance at the time was the Manpower Services Commission (MSC) who were financing certain projects under their Job Creation Programme (JCP). In order to approach the MSC we needed to demonstrate that a poten- tial demand existed for the sort of design service we were proposing. We preparedaletter outlining the range and broad type of service we would be able to offer, and since we were hoping to use any responses we might get to back up our application, we asked respondents to say if they would use such a service if it existed and also HOW they would use it.The ' letter was circulated to residents associations ,community groups and voluntary organisationisn South East Wales. Response was extensive and positive from abstract encouragement to specific requests for help, some of them urgent. It came mainly from the run down older residential ateas of Cardiff, and from the mining valleys to the north and west. These responses raised questions about the catagories of work which should be undertaken by a design service such as the one we proposed . Should we be helping residents groups to provide voluntarily and out of their own pockets what government resources should be paying for, or designing kitchen/toilet facilities for the Church in Wales? These are questions that we had not even begun to discuss. Neither had we considered in any detail the ways in which the nature of the design service we would be offering would differ in essence from the sort of design service the RIBA might en- visage. The difficulties and short- comings of the sort of service we proposed would be enormous but I think it could be said that the demand for it had been firmly est- ablished. We agreed that in order to learn more about the mechanics of submitt- ing a JCP application we would need an early informal meeting with some one from MSC, Our first meeting was with the assistant to the MSC Cardiff CARDIFF GROUP area assessor. After outlining who we supposed lack of ability of the group were and who we represented we iden- to oversee the project, In order tq_ tified the need for a design input by have made the. application acceptable the community groups we had contact- to the MSC we would have had to ed and the linked need for employment have worked with local RIBA in South Wales for architectural workers groups and within the Local Author- To our surprise response was enthus- iastic. He thought the idea of a design service for community groups was very worthwhile attempting. He was full ofideas of how the project could be set up and along what lines it could progress. He even supplied us with the names and addresses of pecple and groups we should contact for letters of support. Towards the end of October 1976 we had a second meeting with the same assistant at the MSC, and this time the Cardiff area assessor was present for part of the discussion For this meeting the group had drafted out a JCP application. Once again the assistant was very enthus- iastic and helpful but the assessor was much more reserved about every aspect of the scheme, The wording and emphasis of the answers to some questions was altered to suit the assessor, Words such as credibility cropped up and he suggested that the workers employed under the JCP should be paid less than the negociated market rate for the job. However some kind of agreement was reached on the content of the form with particular attention to the comments of the assessor who it seemed would ‘judge’ the credibility of our apglication. A couple of weeks later after this final meeting the application, in its ammended form, went in with all the accompanying material. At the beginning of December we received a letter from the MSC inform- us that our applicatinn had been turned down with no reason for the refusal. We later heard mention of the lukewarm response of the local RIBA and the ity structure. The rejection of the JCP application made us realise that any work we did would have to fund itself. We are now doing improvement grant work to terraced houses in a previously blight- ed area of Cardiff for low income owner occupiers. This is being done through and with the encouragement of a local community and advice centre. The nature of these jobs and , more importantly, the financial’ status of our clients excludes a full percent- age fee service. Work is there fore being undertaken on a time charge basis. Extract from Slates 2 and 3 June 1977 Anyone wishing to contact this group should refer to the contacts list at the end of this handbook or write to the secretary of NAM. EDUCATION ANAM ISSUE GROUP Contary to statements made by NAM’s critics, only a small proport- ion of NAM membership is made up by students. Architectural students have always been reluctant to take action to alter the direction of architecture as a whole, or the direction of their education system. This apathy has contributed to NAM’s failure to arrive at a coher- ent educational policy, but it also demonstrates that a radical basis is required for students to identify and become involved with. Students have, however, consist- ently voiced legititmate complaints regarding the content and method- ology of architectural education. These include limited option opp- ortunities, lack of diversity both within and between schools, exces- sive emphasis on irrelevant academic and technological teaching, no com- EDUCATION GROUP munity involvement or accountab- ility, too many deadweight staff awaiting retirement, restrictive and elitist entry requirements, excessive power weilded by school heads, and soon. What is lacking is a crystal- lization of these grievances into an education policy, backed up by research and analysis. NAM'’s first education document, for the 1976 congress, was based on the need to “de-professionalize” the schools to create a radical acrhitect- ure, and encompassed student griev- ances in an analysis of education along Ivan Illich’s ‘de-schooling’ theories. It made proposals for action based around three aims: to enable a wider section of society to enter schools thus breaking down the middle class, elitist stature of = architecture; to ensure a more dyn- amic, adaptable and capable teach- ing staff; to dis-establish the schools make them democratic and account- able to the community and to real- ise the schools’ potential as a resource centre for use by all. This policy contained many excellent points and received support from students and staff in schools, but was not adequ- ately backed up by research and has never been developed. NAM’s recent activity in educa- tion has been confined to an analy- sis of the roles of the professional institutions and outlining the scope’ of an education policy. But the failure of full-time institutionalized architectural education to provide the ‘new architect’ to improve the image, relevance and ability of architects as a whole has promoted the establishment to call 1978 the year of the ‘great debate’ on arch- itectural education, the results of which will almost certainly be proposals for an even more rigid and irrelevant system. It is now of great importance that NAM can speak coherently on the issue and propose radical alternatives relevant to a more socially acceptable and democratic future role for architect- ural workers. It is necessary to formulate a pol- icy on three fronts: an analysis of the past and present education system, the pressures that created it and the results of it within a social, political and economic framework; the future direction for education to acheive a democratic, accountable architectural practice; and a programme for action within the system as existing to ach- ieve the needed. change. To be of any value and to have any effect, the formulation of this policy requires the participation and involvement of all NAM members, and the collective action of students and staff. July 1978 NAM Calendar 1977 FEMINISM & ARCHITECTURE A NAM ISSUE GROUP At the 1977 Congress in Hull NAM became tentatively aware of a gap in its radical approach to with and for women who are looking gq for an approach to design and build- & -ing which embodies these feminist wR ideals. We have been contacted by 8 several groups of women for help and & intend to set up a cooperative practice Fea} _in response to this demand. < architecture — that the ideas and experience of the Women’s Move -ment are as fundamental to the achieving of NAM’s aims as are those of the socialist movement and that they are intrinsically bound together. _ ised as follows: 8 Throughout their lives women live, work and study in an environment designed and built primarily by men and, more importantly, which reflects a male structured society. At present women who have beer successful in the architectural world have done so by taking up the values and modes of identification of that society and have therefore succeeded only in continuing men’s work, By working within the women’s movement and the labour movement as a whole we believe that a feminist architecture can exist. At the same time the circular nature of the relationship between buildings and society means that attempts to demonstrate the possibilities of an architecture where women are involved can be influential in the restructuring of that society. It is cherefore crucial that, as a group, we explore the alternatives both in theory and in practice, The theoretical discussion has developed along the lines described below and is outlined in SLATE 8 which is devoted to Feminism and Architecture and published an account of most of our work done up to that time. Qur action in practical terms is also summarised below but in partic- -ular it centres on the use of our skills Education — The conditioning of = girls away from technical subjects is a 4 Process which begins in early child < hood and is reinforced throughout = schooling. As few schools will a encourage girls to take up building Our current work may be summar- x telated subjects, we hope to organise a series of lectures for schools and colleges presenting architecture and building as a possible career for women. In order to facilitate this we are making a video film which will show women in this capacity. Women at Work — We have so far looked at the discrimination against women within our present economic system and the heirarchical organ- isations which exist in architectural practices. A Feminist Approach to Design — This centres around the relationship between the design of buildings and the role of ‘women in society todav and throughout history. We plan to show how design guides and hand- books tend to perpetuate the con- ventional role of women within the nuclear family and later kope to pro- duce a model design for a communal home. Women and the Press — We are investigating the ways in which architectural publications of all types promote the dominant role of men in the building industry and the conventional role of women in the home or as sexist aids to advertising. National Legislation — We have already made our reccommendations in the press that national legislation should require that a certain minimum percentage of women architectural workers be employed in all offices; that it should be mandatory for all larger offices to provide nursery Slate 4 and Slate 8 facilities and allow part time working and flexitime; that the goverment should actively encourage retraining schemes for women who have stopped work to bring up children; and that the government should support positive discrimination in schools in order to prevent conditioning of girls away from subjects requiring technical expertise. History of Women in the Construction Industry — The construction industry is supported indirectly by a number of manufact- -uring trades which employ mainly women. We are hoping to research more fully the facts regarding the employment of women in these trades and also to expose the part that women played during two world wars, and still do in many developing countries, in providing the main workforce for the industry. REALLY vo IiTTLE @RT) ‘SHOULD BE GiVEN | j Mowever, the treasury argues that specific rants tto sc 4 tresures must fe te Petition with otter public expenditure and therefore be under treasury control. ‘Ee sept rom he Eagenae Crmiie 19727 The Neti Lan Women architects demand a wore _ stag Sind plant in fespect cl better deal Troe | National tesislation should require that a certain p, Pang eovirnmen in Bish , ‘of women architectural workers be employed in | “2-7 The proportion ot womeg | abour 5 per cear. Thy paper prese: open eerie atten ow ABSURD To THiw ang Gin HAE BN ABILITY / Toiorie ToALLowwomen 76 STucy Fi ERIFiC HAVING WOMEN AS” is encee agrees mt he USN wont. omen Who must be eniplt whe meeung broadly fr ‘cs and ‘should also support positive di ‘er to preveat conditioning of girls “TBA survey ¢ The Feminist Group has been meeting regularly since it was formed in November 1977. Initially meetings. took.the form of informal discussions around our own experiences at work and as students. We then organised a few widely publicised open meetings with guest speakers on topics such as the communal role of women in early societies and women at work today. These meetings have been successful in many ways: as well as providing valuable material for research through the exchange of information and ideas, and a public platform for the views of the group and NAM asa whole, they have enabled us to practice skills in which many of us felt we lacked experience such as preparing, organ- ising, coordinating, chairing and speaking at largish public meetings. By November 1978, in time for the fourth NAM congress, we intend to have published a booklet chronic- 4s employing more than 20 people to prav’ sities and ta allow part time working o¢ flexiry “ovemment should actively encourage retra “en who have stopped work to bring up .> AncTheceTU?RE, THEYIRE OnLy Gea Lcom;NG FOR A HUSBAND ABOUT KiTCH! so he les generous iecatment of industrial bully ciation allowances for tax purposes may be at least cesposible for te lke nton devoued to produce x a Architecture Movement is planning to ra ce. The idea isto form a design andaild group whi sig. Already Oup’s activity gem part of the Group's contribution to the spa’ Women, Architects" exhibition being eNgbours in Pacis, starting on the 13 belandiatetitwudes: The tess 1») They feel chit women van ci. | technical devaiting, (b) They feel that women cannot expe st angressve cop.cactor on site, (c) They may have never employed 2 theredofnoavreventhink of thepossbilit (d) They feel rh: women are tnund children anyws fe) They may fet threatenedat eauld da the sume woe as theinselves may icel comtraimed by th the | axgainst werner. Several large a! swounen arch ehtch Pats get first job ron txsomewhat ma + carlyeighteenctehnt, ornerof thesite, Orenedfy Per (ales and cente, The evtof the workaround £40 00) 8 sgomber of the Federation sold icttheefhebling theAJthashewasvery soup, but thc the eorapertive ting dened oy a indemiey insurance quicly 35 they want the work © 88 Beomen areca valved |butts ilnoegalconatined, The scheme currently being put forward Borough Council forthe rejcena’ varket area AT 16.8.78 => “ehop thatthe m rea *i the foo woud have to be se 10 Fe FEMINISM & ARCHITECTURE fed work. design for a communal home for several families. This eclbped tbe propa ur ihe. pape, alo rewvmmended that it should be mandutney Je gt nytenesmeanfobicbeenepi e-apeatveprstcet up rece by NAS Peri -ling our research and findings on the above issues. We also have been represented at the Centre Beauborg in Paris this September at the exhib- -tion of the International Union of Women Architects. Contact with the group may be made through any of the members listed in the contacts list at the end of this handbook or through the secretary of the New Architecture Movement. July 1978 EEN A WOMIANON A FR COURSE SHE ONLY GOT 7 a” {CAL CLD HARRiDAN= FEMINIST 1 AN ASSCC TATE 6Y SCREWING Bae STAND THESE. AGSRESS ur GREEN BAN ACTION A NAM ISSUE GROUP A Green Ban is the action taken by groups of workers who refuse to work on socially and environment- ally harmful projets. The Green Ban Action Committee believes that only by creating a broad alliance involving ordinary working people as well as dedicated conservationists can effective action be taken to protect and improve our environ- ment. It is therefore composed of members of trade unions, commun- ity organisations and environmental groups, and seeks to involve a very wide range of people in its campaigns. The collaboration among those who live in the local environment includ- ing those who create it by their labour, results in a very powerful force. It raises the prospect of people working together to encour- age projects of a socially useful and environmentally desirable nature, rather than leaving profit to deter- mine the sort of environment in which we live. The Green Ban Action Committee was formed at a public meeting in Birmingham organised by people GREEN BAN ACTION COMMITTEE opposed to the destruction of the splendid Victorian Post Office in the city centre. The first actions of the comm- ittee were to start a petition (which collected 20,000 signatures ), hold a public rally, and to seek resolutions of support from trade unions such as EEPTU, AUEW-TASS, ASTMS* NUPE; NALGO, UCATT and TGWU. Support was aslo forthcoming from local MPs, and county and city councillors. Following the rally in March 1976, NAM was asked to prepare a planning report on the implications of the re- development with respect to the city and the financial return that was to be expected. Part of the report re- appeared in the first Green Ban Action Committee’s broad sheet which listed the arguments against the development, the support for the campaign and a brief explana- tion for the Green Ban idea. The broadsheet was distributed through all the local TV branches and schools as well as the people of the city, The campaign was featured in the local and national press, many magazines and journals and on Radio Birming- ham. The 24 hour occupation of a giant crane on an adjoining site in support of the campaign was feat- ured on television. During the summer of 1976 alternative proposals were formulated by the committee for the use of the building. NAM gained access to survey the building and prepare a feasability study on the reuse of conversion of the post office as a city recreation and leisure centre, In Novembera delagation rep- resenting the GBAC, the West Mid lands TUC and the Victorian Society met with the City Council and the Post Office Board - a meeting result- ing from pressure mounted by GBAC. The aim was to discuss objections of the proposed redevelopment of the GPO site. The leader of the City Council (now Tory) refused to consider revoting planning consent, and left it to the postal board to make. concessions. But in spite of detailed arguments about Birming- ham’s heritage, about planning for people instead of profits, and about the huge over provision of office space, the Postal Board remained totally fixed in its determination to demolish the Victorian Post Office and build offices. At the first AGM of the GBAC in March the following year, NAM pres- ented outline proposals for the use of the building as a leisure centre where they received unanimous approval. Following on from the meeting the alternative plan was brought before the UCATT regional committee and a resolution of support was passed. The proposals were brought up at the next Birmingham Trades Council meeting, received considerable support from the delagatesand a resolution of support. At the AGM of the West Midlands TUC the proposals received the unanimous approval from officals of just about all the unions of the West Midlands. Thus NAM has taken part in a revolutionary and historic depart- ture in the development of the British Trade Union movement and at the same time helped strengthen the support already given to the campaign. It may be too late to save the Vict- orian Post Office in Birmingham. That would be sad but it would not be end - rather the first step in a difficult and exciting process. The approach taken by the Green Ban Action Committee is a new one in Britain and it is hoped that it will be taken up in other cities and local- ities throughout the country. July 1978 landscapers, students and , of course, unemployment. The group meets regularly on the first Tuesday of each month holding extra meetings when necessary. In its activities to date it has not concentrated all its collective effort on its own specific issues but has tried to spread awareness of NAM’s existence and primary concerns. One example of the groups efforts on the part of the movement is its distribution system for Slate. Each member buys two copies of two successive issues and distributes them to lacal offices and the School of Architecture as well as attemipting to organise selling through bookshops. Another example was by visiting the majority of architectural offices in Leeds and Huddersfield to try to obtain signatures for the petition against ARCUK investment in South Africa. Also, contact has been made with the Wakefield and Barns.ey branch of the RIBA, the Huddersfield RIBA branch, Leeds City Architects Dept and people working in local practices, for the purpose of discussing the work and policies of NAM. * Anyone wishing to contact this group should refer to the contacts list at the end of this hand book or write to the secretary of NAM. July 1978 LEEDS A NAM LOCAL GROUP 2s The Leeds Group which consists of about eight members was formed a year ago. The occupations of the members are varied and include workers in private architectural practice, construction workers - including building cooperators, self employed builders, designers and builders working on theatres, comm- 8 Members of the group are very 8 unity centres and housing cooperat- The following list is of some of the organisations in which members are active as individuals: NAM liason group; ARCUK Council; local branch of AUEW ives, working with Women in Manual Trades (formerly Women in Construc- tion) , adventure playground workers, BDS-TASS; Women in Manual Trades; UCATT; ARCAID — this is a local org- conscious of the many possibilities for expanding the range of activities in terms of both local and national issues. Although in dividual members are separately engaged on most related issues, the group as a whole does not work on them as such. anisation which was started in response toa need for architectural and related services such as financial advice,-design, construction or refurbishing for local groups; tenants groups; community groups; groups concerned with local housing policy; building cooperatives and the Anti Nazi League. = LONDON Perhaps unayoidably, owing to the size of its constituency, the Lon- don group has proved the most signif- icant generator of NAM policy and action. Its form and role have chan- ged during its short history, according to the needs of its membeis, and the development of NAM as a whole. At present the London group provides a forum for NAM members to discuss a range of topical, theor- etical and practical questions which fall both within and outside the accepted body of NAM issues. Its meetings are held on amonthlybasis ate widely advertised and open to the public at large, so serving additionally as an introduction to the New Architectural Movement _ for those interested in a radical anal- ysis of architectural practice. This arrangement is , however, a relat~ ively recent innovation. At first, following the founding Congress in Harrogate in 1975, two separate working groups, the North and Central London groups, were est- ablished concentrating on distinct areas of interest and activity. In these the problems and contradict- ions of private practice and profess- ionalism were discussed, the case for union isation developed, the first National Design Service prop- osals formulated and the NAM sub- mission to the Monopolies Comm- ission undertaken. The first London seminar held in April 1976 in Covent Garden Community Centre, was well attended and provided the first pub- lic platform for much of this work. . Later, at the second Congress in Blackpool, the issue group structure LONDON GROUP. A NAM LOCAL GROUP Nick Wates co x» Ss An was formalised and distinct groups were formed to pursue the work on unionisation, the National Design Service, and the Monopolies issue, and to produce a newsletter for the movement which became Slate. A NAM characteristic had been estab- lished - that of the self-formation of a group of people through disc- ussion of an issue, resulting in a commitment to undertake the nec- essary work in terms of research of and formulation and presentation ofideas. Of necessity much of this work is undertaken in London and many London NAM members found themselves heavily committed to issue groups, or to the Slate or Liaison groups. In line with such developments it is hoped that the presently evolved format fulfils two functions. Through regular discussions it seeks not only to in- form and allow the membership a say in the work of issue groups, but to generate discussion and interest across a broader spectrunrof concern. Thus recent discussions have included presentations by NAM groups on the aftermath of the Monopolies Comm- ission and NAM’s proposals for the immediate future; Slate and Arch- itectural Journalism, centering on the problems of press accountability, and Women at Work, a discussion led by the recently formed Feminist Group on the current position of women in relation to architectural and building work and possible act- ion for future change. In addition meetings have been given over to discussion of the GLC Architect’s Department, the results and implic- ations of the drastic policy changes wrought by the Tories, and Altern- 3 ative Forms of Practice, a meeting at which representatives from co- operatives and other practices disc- ussed their experiences. The next meeting, planned for early September, will centre around Cynthia Cockburn’s book “The Local State’. London group meetings are usually reported in Slate and the weekly arch- itectural journals. They are adver- tised in these magazines and in “Time Out”, and anybody interested is wel- come to attend. Further informat- ion may also be obtained from, and suggested topics for the future prog- ramme send to the New Architecture Movement, 9 Poland Street, London, WIV 3DG: July 1978 MONOPOLIES A NAM ISSUE GROUP The ‘monopolies ’ issue - so called after the Monopolies Commission’s recent enquiry into architects’ fees has been a major element of NAM’s work since shortly after its form- ulation in November 1975. Dis- cussions originated in the old Central London Group and were continued in the North London Group early in 1975 until a specific Monopolies Issue Group was. needed to develop the work in detail. In September 1973 the Depert- ment of Trade and Industry asked the Monopolies Commission - a gov- ernment service department - to pursue the investigation of the arch- itects fee system which the National Prices and Incomes Board had begun. to reviewin 1968. The Commission set about gathering evidence from all parties considered to have an interest in the affair, ranging the RIBA (res- ponding as the monopolist) who through the statutoryAuthority of ARCUK make their fee scale and Conditions of Engagement binding on all architects; to many ‘consumer groups’ - including private organisation ations, public corporations and nation- alised industries. Towards the end of the evidence-gathering period NAM became interested in the issue and submitted its report “The Case Against Mandatory Fees”, in May 1976, The Commission was required to report on whether the fixed fee system used by architects was a that the way in which architects are paid led directly to the heart of the profession, how it is governed and the system of checks and balances that relates architects to each other and to those they claim to serve. Our report, which was closely cross-referenced to the RIBA sub- mission, was presented in three sec- tions. First we attempted to show the falsity of the Institutes’ central argument that the fixed fee scale is needed to sustain the architect’s “assurances” of integrity, unlimited liability, competence, accountability andaltruism. Next we juxtaposed some of the many incompatible statements within the RIBA docu- ment, and queried the inferences drawn from their statistics. Lastly we endeavoured to contsruct a definition of “the public interest” of broader application than the narrow formula adopted by the Commission. Asummary of the NAM position was featured prominently in the Commissions report, “Architects Services”, which was published in November 1977. The Commission concluded that the existing fee system was indeed a monopoly operating to the prejudice of the public interest and therefore recommended its abol- ition and the establishment of an independent government committee to determine new recommended fee scales. As the Minister accepted the report, monopoly(33% of the defined market) the Office of Fair Trading were asked and whether it operated to the prej- udice of the public interest. As our analysis developed it became clear to discuss with the profession how to ammend its rules to permit fee competition. At the same time, MONOPOLIES GROUP the basic NAM position having been vindicated, the Monopolies Group began to prepare proposals for anew fee system. These proposals, together with suggestions for Code of-Conduct ammendments and for the independ- ent Committee were published under the title “Way Ahead” and were pres- ented to the Office of Fair Trading by NAM representatives of Unattach- ed Architects in March 1978. : In May 1978 the OFT reported back to the Minister that no progress had been made with the RIBA or ARE€UK, leaving him to decide whether to use compulsory powers to enforce the Monopolies Commi ission recommendations. At the time of writing (July 1978) no further government action has been taken but the profession is active in lobbying both the Department of Trade and Industry and the DOE in an effort to persuade the Minister to set aside or modify the requirements. At the Third NAM Congress in Hull, November 1977, the Monop- olies Group’s interim report, “Do Not Pass Go - Do Not Collect 6%’. was presented and accepted, and the group was mandated to continue with the néce ssary follow-up action. A leaflet summarising the back- ground to the issue and the main proposlas of “WAY AHEAD” has therefore been prepared by NAM representatives of the Unattached Architects in order to bring our view point to the attention of the widest possible audience. There is much to be done, and with limited resources so that anyone wishing to contribute to the work of the Monopolies Group, which meets regularly in London, is very: welcome to contact NAM Liaison Group. Anyone wishing to contact this group should refer to the contacts list at the end of this handbook or write to the secretary of NAM. July 1978 PROFESSIONALISM A NAM ISSUE GROUP The current mode of professional organisation of architects in this country can only be understood in its historical context. In the early 19th century, new skills and areas of knowledge arose in response to the needs of rapidly expanding industry, and the traditional fields of expertise in the “professional” occupations were increasingly invaded by those possessing these new essential skills. Architects, seeing their territory being eroded by, for example, engineers and spec. builders, responded in a similar way to other threatened “professional” occupations. They defined the area which they considered to be their concern, and attempted to control the practice of skills which operated within that area. not gain entry to the profession. They could guarantee integrity, they claimed, by setting down a Code of Conduct, which those gaining entry to the profession must undertake to comply with. The profession sought to exclude the “unscrupulous and unfit” in order that the credibility of the profession should not be brought into disrepute. Well, you might say, what does it matter whether the motive for prof- essionalising was one of self interest, if the “guarantees” offered by the profession stem from what is, arguably, a need for ensuring compet- ence and integyity within the profes- sion. But this would depend not only on whether it is DESIRABLE to ensure competence and integrity, but also on whether it is POSSIBLE to“guarantee” these through a professional mode of organisation. Let us look at the “guarantee” off- ered by the architectural profession in terms of integrity - the Code of Conduct. (n an age where tree competition was “ deified”, how did professionals so successfully manage to organise to protect their own interest? Unlike similarly motivated attempts at organ- isation by industrial labourers of the period (which met with powerful and sustained opposition) “profess- ionals” did not identify themselves as a group whose interests were in opposition to those of their employers. action. In fact, the Code is prim- Rather, they identified their interests WITH those of their employers, and used this “common interest” as the basis for their organisation. They argued that, by organising, they would be albe to offer employers a “guarantee” of competence and integ- tity. They could guarantee compet- ence, they argued, by setting down certain minimum qualifications, without which practitioners would arily designed to cover relationships between principal architects and other principal architects, and bet- ween principal architects and clients. There is little applicability to salaried. The Code, in order to be compre- hensive, would need to cover the relationships between all the parties involved in an architectural trans- architects, and the users of buildings hardly get a look in (a mention has recently been made of them in Princ- iple 1 of the Code, but this is not supported by any of the Rules which follow from that Principle). PROFESSIONALISM GROUP In addition, the effectivity of any guarantee will partly depend on its enforceability. In practice, there is a reluctance to act on the Code until such time as guilt has been proved in acourt of law. The pot- ential effectivity of the Code asa “guarantee of integrity” can also be viewed in another way. It is said that the Code acts as a “moral oblig- ation”. Whilst not denying the pot- ential ofthis view, it can be argued that the weight of the Code as “moral obligation” can only be ass- essed when it is balanced against all the other pressures which operate on architects, such as the profit motive, the increasing bureaucratisation of the architects’s job, the contradictions of the salaried architects’ positions, an and the simple need to makealiving. The question that has to be asked here is, “what weight do moral obligations have against pressures such as these?” The major argument about “profess- ional guarantees’, however, is whether they are necessary at all. Society has moved on from the laissez faire atmosphere of the 19th Century when when professionalism was seen as the major counter to rampant indiv- idualism, Legislation, in the form of the Trades Description Act, Con- sumer Protection Act, etc., aim to offer the public protection, to per- form the very same function that the “professional guarantee” set out to perform.. So the Code of Conduct could be said to be incomplete and unenforc- eable, to carry little weight as “‘mor- al obligation”, and to offer the pub- lic little more than it is already offered offered in law. But it could be argued that it is nevertheless harmless enough for the profession to formally specify the way it would like its members to behave, even if this specification carried little weight. The trouble is that the profession is laying claim to a “social responsibility” it cannot ensure, and together with this, the profession lays claim also to the ad- vantages which accrue to “altruistic” professional groups in terms of status, self administration, etc. “Professional guarantees” are in- complete, ineffective, superfluous, and operate as figleaves, hiding from the public the way that the profession actually operates - in its own self interest. Currently, professional controls in architecture are undergoing change in response to pressure from within and from the Government. NAM seeks to add its voice to the debate and to contribute to future develop- ments through its representation of ‘unattached architects’ on ARCUK, its report to the Monopolies Comm- ision, and in its call for the reform of the Architects Registration Acts. (described elsewhere in this hand- book). For a fuller discussion of profess- ionalism and the Code of Conduct, see SLATE 3, and Way Ahead, the report submitted by representatives of “Unattached Architects” on ARCUK, to the Office of Fair Trading following the Monopolies Commission Report of Architects’ Services. Also ‘A Short History of the Arch- itectural Profession’: all available from NAM. A NAM ISSUE GROUP NAM’°s initial call for a radical change in the hegemony and patron- age in architecture led to two main points of action. Firstly the call for unionisation in private practice (explained elsewhere in this Hand- book), and secondly for a National Design Service which would meet the right of everyone to exercise control over the buildings which surround them and in which they live and work.’ This idea embodied the ‘commun- ity architecture’ approach, but also recognised that the existing system of public patronage would have to be challenged. Control over design could not be separated from control over resources. The NDS group developed their analysis in papers presented to NAM Congresses and in open meetings, culminating in a Conference in Birmingham in May 1978, which put forward several proposals for action. is that under the present economic system the majority of people gain their rightful access to environmental resources through the various layers of the State. The Public Design service is therefore visualised as a radically modified form of Local Authority (where most of the resources are in fact already distributed) rather than as a new parallel system which would have to wrest control from these pow- erful institutions. This approach led to careful assessment of Local Authority design departments and their potential for change. While the PDS group recognises that these are mostly bureaucratic instruments of social control necessary to support private capital, they also see them as susceptible to vigorous popular press- ure from below, being the lowest teir of government, The frustration engendered by local authorities could be directed into action for beneficial change rather than being spent in need- less and destructive criticism. PUBLIC DESIGN SERVICE GROUP LA Architect departments (and their logical partners, the direct labour organisations) are currently under attack from many quarters. The consequent weakening of these departments leads to the letting of design and building work to outside private architects and contractors, whose profit interest remove them further from accountability and control by the users. The PDS group is therefore in direct oppos- ition to any moves to dismantle these essential areas of public service. To help retain public control over resources, while trying to improve their distribution the PDS group are trying to develop the potential for joint action amongst Local Auth- ority Architects and workers, tenants federations, appropriate trade unions and direct labour organisations. The first point of NAM’s involvement will be to interest and organise LA arch- itects to defend their services, to promote their responsibility to the community, and to research and analyse the idea of a Public Design Service. There is much work to be done in trying to link the methods and exper- iences of the different local author- ities, to learn from the various uncon- ventional approaches already being tried, and in trying to take design and building to where it really counts counts - into the hands of Local Authority consumers. The PDS group has contacts through- throughout the country and anyone wishing to help or get further inform- ation should contact NAM, 9 Poland Street, London, W.1. July 1978 SLATE THE NAM NEWSLETTER Slate was first published in March 1977 asa resultof a resolution passed at the second NAM congress calling for anewsletter. Subsequently it has app- eared at two monthly intervals. The Slate Group sees the newsletter as having three main aspects: firstly as a message board for NAM’s dispersed membership by collecting and publish- ing information about NAM’s work in the various issue and local groups; secondly as an outlet for news coverage uncompromised by the need to pander to the whims of architects or to allow influence to be exerted over content by advertisers, as characterisesthe ‘straight’ architectural press; and thirdly as a way of building up a body of rad- ical theory with regular feature sections. Recent issues have included features on education, community architecture and Local Authorities. The latest issug is devoted to Feminism and Archi- J. tecture. The group sees the preoccupation \ * with form as displayed by most of the architectural ‘glossies’ as symptom\’, atic of the avoidance by the archit- ectural world of the crises faced by todays architects during a timeof. economic stress. In an attempt to compensate for this attitude,Slate has produced specific features on issues such as Government cuts in Local Authority architects depart- ments but, more importantly, given consistent coverage to currents of radical change within the profession and to the political background surr- ounding clients and their buildings which our profession so often chooses to ignore, SLATE GROUP” BUILDING A FUTURE FOR WOMEN. IN ARCHITECTURE | Aa The Slate Group, which is respon- sible for the production of the news- letter, is largely autonomous, It con- sists of approximately ten members who are elected each year at the i a= A IS <a has been established acting in offices and schools throughout the country. j Trade distribution is now handled by the Publications Distribution Cooper- ative with the result that circulation is steadily increasing. Currently the print run is 1000 copies. It is hoped that readership will ex- tend to include more building workers and community activists than at present, but the success of this dep- ends largely on contributions andin- volvement by people outside the group. 9 Slate welcomes any letters, articles or information suitable for publication and also offers of help in editing and production. Anyone wishing to contact the group should refer to the-contacts list at the end of the handbook or write to the secretary of NAM. ea annual congress. Most of the produc- tion tasks such as editing , graphics, typesetting, paste-up and some of the i printing , is carried out by the mem- mej bersofthegroupitself. A distribution network of agents sléte!, n,n. & vit, 1. Idinds of groy, green, oF bluish-purple rock easily split fato fat smooth plates; piece of euch e used as roofing-material; pieco of It ramed in wod used for’writing on UNIONISATION A NAM ISSUE GROUP Trade Union organisation is a major feature of modern profession- al, as well as industrial occupations and most architects in public employ- ment or in large Housing Associations have recognised Trade Unions at their place of work. Why then are only a tiny proportion of the 50,000 workers in the private sector of building design, Trade Union mem- bers? For architects the traditional ans- wer has always been that private arch- itectural practices are small liberal “families” of equal professionals sharing the same abilities, interests and goals. Within this “family” the hard- working architect of ability rises naturally to partnership, employs younger architects himself, thus pro- viding equal opportunities for the next generation. Trade Union org- anisation, it is argued, is thus of no long-term interest to the architect in private practice. Whether this image of architect- ural practice was ever more than myth in the past, it certainly bears no resemblance to today’s reality. Private architectural practices comprise some two-thirds of the pro- fession and are, by and large, business- es in which the 90% of salaried employ- ees have little hope of achieving any share in the control of the work they do, or ¢-£ their own salaries and cond- itions. In the pursuit of business ION’ —WHAT ON 1WEWANT NN A OMION FOR T!! \ PD <) UNIONISATION GROUP efficiency more practices are expand- ing, becoming heirarchicai and bureau- cratic. The smaller practice where it still exists uses the “family” metaphor to justify the low salaries paid to emp- loyees and to evade the obligation to provide good working conditions. They claim low profits - but invari- ably refuse to disclose figures to their salaried staff. Partnership law exempts practices from the inconvenient obl- igation to disclose trading figures but the declared earnings of principals in private practice recently* showed differentials of 50 fold between partners and salaried architects in some large practices - a far cry from ~ the equality preached by the profess- ional myth. The salaried architect is, typically, overworked, underpaid, and as much at the mercy of the market as any other worker. All architectural workers are now beginning to realise that better pay and conditions, job security, and control of the work they do can only be gained by acting together to bar- gain for these rights at their place of work. MANY UNIONS....7 At LUCAS AEROSPACE workers have refused to. accept that the manu facture of military hardware is the only expediency, architectural workers useful work available and through their remain unorganised and illequiped Trade Union organisation, are prom- to protest at the cancellationof oting an inventive new range of soc- ially useful products as an alternat- ive to redundancy. By contrast in 1977 at a well-known London arch- itectural practice salaried architects set to work on the design of gallows for a middle-eastern prison, were *.....iN no position to complain.” Architectural workers are the first to be affected by the use of the building industry as an “econom- ic regulator” in the pendulum of gov- ernment spending. Whilst hospital workers and teachers are actively fighting, through trade union organ- isation, for an end to socially destruc- tive cuts in social services made in the interest of short term economic Louis Hellman essential medical and educational buildings. = In any previously unorganised. occupation there is the danger that several rival unions, including “craft” or quasi-non TUC affiliated unions may emerge, encouraged by employ- ers, which divide workers and prevent effective united action. To avert this possibility and to encourage organis?- tion of ALL employees in private practice architectural workers in NAM set out to examine the options open and to launch a campaign to encour- age membership in strength of single TUC affiliated Union, by all workers in private sector building design. In 1976 the Unionisation Work- ing Group of NAM Central London Group submitted a draft report to the NAM Blackpool Congress prep- osing active Trade Union organisa-_ tion for architectural workers in the private sector. The Congress set up a national Unionisation Organising Committee to develop realistic prop- osals for organisation and to initiate an organising drive. The committee published the report - WORKING FOR WHAT?- setting out the case for trade union organisation in private sector building design and began detailed research into the options open. The committee exam- ined the possibility of forming a. wholly new union for building workers but this was considered im- practical without the financial and organisational back-up of an existing TUC affiliated Union. After detailed research the Organ- ising Committee held a building des- ign workers conference on May 14 1977 attended by over 70 delegates from throughout Britain. Briefed by a 10,000 word research report the delegates debated and chose TASS by a clear majority as the one Union within which building design workers should organise. TASS was chosen because of its record as an effective Union in enginéering design and for its high quality “back- up” of officials, publicity, legal and research facilities. TASS pioneer- ed equal rights for women (having If you refusetf iate withus. ther bor, tnion TASS will tate forus:.- a Angus Slate 3 UNIONISATION GROUP the first national Womens’ Organiser) and is linked with the powerful AEUW- - Britain’s second largest union. By 31 May 1977 a Building Design Staff section had been set up within TASS and the first Branch (BDS - London Branch) inaugurated. With the formation of BDS-TASS main responsibility for the organ- ising drive among architectural work- ers transferred from the NAM Org- anising Committee to the BDS- TASS membership though since many of these are also NAM memb- ers close links are maintained. A National Advisory Committee (NAC) of BDS members co-ordinates membership at national level, proy- iding a focus for BDS-TASS members in general TASS branches through- out Britain and dealing with general recruitment. The NAC publishes a BDS NEWS and recruiting literat- ure aimed specifically at building desi BDS- LONDON Branch meets monthly at Polytechnic of Central London, 104-108 Bolsover Street, London, W.1. Each meeting holds a general forum open to non-members and alternate meetings have an invited speaker. The branch has become perhaps the only place where many building design workers can discuss important issues outside the pressur- ised atmosphere of the office. The Branch research has produced a “model” contract of employment to assist members tied down to oner- ous (and sometimes illegal) condit- ions of employment, and joint con- sultations are in hand with public sector Trade Unions to form an “Architectural Workers Alliance” to represent the voice of all workers in both public and private sectors. A monthly Branch bulletin pub- lished by BDS London Branch giving full details of branch meetings can be obtained, free of charge, to- gether with further BDS—TASS lit- rature from: The Secretary, Building Design Staff National Advisory Committee, Onslow Hall, Little Green. Richmond. Surrey. TW9 1QN July 1978 CONTACT LIST ARCUK c/o NAM, 9 Poland Street, London W1. CARDIFF Sue Barlow 205 Arabella Street, Roath, Cardiff. EDUCATION Hugo Hinsley 449 Mile End Road, Bow, London E3. tel: 01-251 0274 FEMINISM Frances Bradshaw 14 Duncan Terrace, London N1. tel: 01-278 5215 GREEN BAN ACTION COMMITTEE David Roebuck 25 St Georges Avenue, London N7. tel: 01- LEEDS Norman Amold 9 Midland Road, Leeds 6, West Yorkshire. LONDON Ken Pearce 127 Fairbridge Road, London N19 MONOPOLIES c/o NAM, 9 Poland Street, London W1 PROFESSIONALISM Anne Delaney 28 Pane Place, Cathays, Cardiff. PUBLIC DESIGN SERVICE David Green Show House, Bardney Orton.Goldhay,Peterborough. SLATE c/o NAM, 9 Poland Street, London W1. UNIONISATION David Berney 23 Arthur Road, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey. BIBLIOGRAPHY . ARCUK Private Practice Report NAM November 1976 Professionalism Cardiff NAM Group, November 1976 Arcuk After 40 Years in the Wilderness Slate 1, March 1977 Professional Government 3 part feature in Slate 3 July/August 1977 EDUCATION FEMINISM Women Who Are Builders Building a Future for Women in Architecture GREEN BAN ACTION COMMITTEE NAM and the Green Ban GBAC sends PO plans to Council MONOPOLIES Slate, Issue 6 Slate, Issue 4 Slate, Issue 8 Slate Issue 4 Slate, Issue 7 NAM November 1977 Services — A Straightforward Guide Slate 5 Do Not Pass Go — Do Not Collect 6% Monopolies Commission Report on Architects Who Pays? — Who Gets It? Way Ahead End Architects Fixed Fees PROFESSIONALISM Professional Government Way Ahead A Short History of the Architectural Profession PUBLIC DESIGN SERVICE A National Design Service Building for Whom? Way Ahead UNIONISATION Working for What? BDS/TASS News, Issue 1May 1978 NAM July 1978 Slate, Issue 3 _ NAM July 1978 NAM 1975 NAM 1976 Slate, Issue 7 NAMJuly 1978 NAM 1977 NAM Calendar 1976 Soa. *! ge E==) Crxodus$0”Asthetica Andit was said “God is in the details’ the People trembled fore the might ofthe Word, they saw he light on ae They Sid without the Word nd their Selves Nant PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE FROM NAM Way Ahead New report proposing new fee system, changes in Code of Conduct and making suggestions to forthcoming Government Committe in the light of the Monopolies Commission recomm- endations. £1.50 Do Not Pass Go .... Do Not Collect 5% The only independent evidence to the Monopolies Commission arguing the case against mandatory minimum fees, plus proposals for a more representative, lay controlled ARCUK. £1.00 Public Design Service Conference Papers Analysis of the origins and role of Local Authority departments of architecture, and interim proposals for a locally based design service directly accountable to tenants and users, £1.50 National Design Service Initial critique of Public Sector design , considering alternative structures to allow local control of design and resources. £0.75p Private Practice Progress Report @nference papers on a new model of architectural practice, the need to reform the Architects Registration Acts, and the case for trade unionisation organisation of architectural and allied workers. £0.35p Short History of the Architectural Profession From its first origins to the present day. £0.30p Prices include postage and packing. Back Issues of Slate — £0.35p each Slate 1 Slate 2 Slate 3 Slate 4 Slate 5 Slate 6 Slate 7 Slate 8 Community architecture Professionalism — the myth and the ideology. ARCUK -—insignificant or not? Women who are builders and feature on Construction in Crisis. Report on 1977 NAM Annual Congress. Guide to the Monopolies Commission Report. Education special. Building for whom? - Local Authority primer. Women in Architecture special. DIDUINY NYANMLY 88 MEMBERSHIP FORM Please use block letters Name Address Telephone ___________ home —_______. work enclose a cheque/PO payable to the New Architecture Movement for the sum of £ Membership fee for twelve months including subscription to Slate is £5 for employed people and £2.50 for students, OAPs and claimants, Please make all cheques and postal orders payable to the New Architecture Movement and send to NAM, 9 Poland Street, London WI. Are you an unattached architect? I would like to become a member of the New Architecture Movement, The following information will hetp the Liason Group serve better its membership and readership: If employed, nature of work If student, name of school Unemployed Name of Trade Union, if member Ofer aL LEAS NAM Handbook 1978/1979 Published by NAM Liason Group 1977/1978 Design and Artwork by NAM Liason Group Typeset by Maggie Stack and NAM Liason Group Printed by Islington Community Press Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Liaison Group 1977/78 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived JM Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1978 https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/82fd65c8d2fee78d842e846159f74a85.pdf 1232cc26f4c9ae8fde884e72d5311b38 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 Individual stories from people who attended first NAM Congress Subject The topic of the resource Steering Group to do individual stories about joining NAM Description An account of the resource NEW ARCHITECTURE MOVEMENT HOW IT ALL BEGAN - A PERSONAL DESCRIPTION User involvement in Design As the project architect of the new Edgewick Primary School in Coventry, I was briefed by the City Education Client Officer, a helpful, experienced and committed client. But when I asked him how I should accommodate useful suggestions from the new Head Teacher about the design of her new school he said, “Just ignore her”. I decided instead to ignore him and went on to work closely with the Head teacher, staff and pupils in developing the design of a successful and well-regarded Primary School adjacent to the existing Victorian Primary School, situated near a large Courtaulds factory and not far from the centre of Coventry. For me this was proof that the users of a building must be fully involved if the design is to be successful. It was a very important lesson and my respect for the committed Head has stayed with me ever since. Working for Tenants and Residents In the early 1970s many architects while working in offices were also providing free design advice and alternative schemes to tenants and residents groups faced with unacceptable redevelopment proposals. This work was in stark contrast to how they were earning their living during the day, but it taught both sides the benefits of having a design service available to and accountable to the people who used buildings. I was working for tenants in Newham while during the day I worked for BDP. BDP incidentally was a very good firm whose idealistic founding partner Grenfell-Baines stated it should be multi-disciplinary and fully involve and reward its staff. (3Rs, Responsibility, Recognition and Reward) (These ideas subsequently influenced the NAM Public Design Group’s proposals). At that time, my wife Ursula was working in a Community Development Project in Canning Town. Through her I became involved with West Ham tenants. Most private firms were not so good as BDP for salaried staff, hence salaried architects desire for change. The RIBA was seen to be a mouthpiece for private Architectural Practice. These ideas became more widespread throughout the profession both amongst salaried architects and teachers in schools of architecture. At the same time, new young Labour councillors, who had emerged from tenants’ struggles, were beginning to be elected and this encouraged the development of NAM ideas in councils, for example Haringey. Architects Revolutionary Council (ARC) While working in BDP, we used to occasionally visit the AA in nearby Bedford Square at lunchtimes. There was also an AA Studio in Percy Street near the BDP office. There I met the tutor, Brian Anson and his students. Brian had established with his students the Architects Revolutionary Council (ARC). They talked to us about ARC’s proposal for a New Architecture Movement to develop ARC’s ideas and especially to take on the RIBA, ARC’s bête noir. They were trying to encourage sympathetic architects, teachers and students to attend an inaugural conference to establish the New Architecture Movement. After I talked to Brian about my interest in public design he asked me to make a presentation about a national design service at the proposed conference. In November 1975 an advert appeared in the architectural press inviting participants to attend the inaugural congress of a hitherto unheard of New Architecture Movement in the unlikely setting of Harrogate. The congress, organised by ARC after discussion with sympathetic architects, brought together a considerable number of like-minded salaried architects and students. NAM was born The New Architecture Movement Harrogate is a very attractive and stylish former spa town in Yorkshire. No doubt ARC chose it for that reason. I presented a paper on a National Design Service to the Congress. Apart from meeting many like-minded architects, the main thing I remember about the congress is the debate about the proposed structure for the New Architecture Movement. NAM Structure ARC proposed that an elected Leader and committee should govern NAM. This resulted in an animated debate. The women at the meeting persuaded the men that the New Architecture Movement should be structured like the women’s movement; ie, groups of people interested in particular issues who would come together as necessary, not at the diktat of a higher body. In retrospect I think this was NAM’s great strength so we didn’t spend our time nit-picking as would inevitably have been the case if we had agreed to the centrally controlled body that ARC wanted. It was eventually agreed that NAM should be structured as local groups. There was also to be a liaison group, whose role was to coordinate the different campaign groups, deal with correspondence and arrange the next annual congress. Groups would report to each other through a magazine called SLATE. Liaison Group I was involved in the first London liaison group and in due course we got a grant from the Rowntree Foundation, which enabled us to set up an office in 9 Poland Street. During the first few months after Harrogate, we discussed how NAM should develop. We drafted NAM’s objectives (attached) and organised our first meeting in May 1977 in Covent Garden to encourage more salaried architects to join. Anne Karpf reported the event very favourably in Building Design. Groups The following campaign groups developed over time: • Alternative Practice • Education • Feminist Group • Professional Issues (A number of us were elected to ARCUK to represent ‘unattached’ architects) • Public Design Group • SLATE • Trade Unions and Architecture These 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. Although I was involved in the liaison group and other groups, my main interest was in developing the ideas for a National Design Service. This eventually became the Public Design Group. It included one of Brian Anson’s AA students and architects and students from Sheffield and Nottingham. So we did a lot of travelling, usually meeting in Sheffield. See separate report on how the Public Design Group evolved and how its ideas were eventually developed in Haringey. NAM’s ideas became more widespread throughout the profession both amongst salaried architects and teachers in schools of architecture. John Murray NAM Founder Member 31 August 2015 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource John Murray https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/d71c513167e0526d581aa25166d60e94.pdf 43d832d7b171549938f0f6746dda75ec 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 Colne Valley News Subject The topic of the resource ARC promoted the conversion of redundant mills into small work units or flats (8pp) Description An account of the resource October 1976 "SINCE THE DEMISE OF THE COLNE VALLEY GUARDIAN EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE VALLEY AREA HAS NOT HAD ANYTHING LIKE THE PUBLIS- ~HED REPRESENTATION IT’S PROBLEMS WARRANT. THIS FIRST ISSUE IS_INTENDED TO EXPRESS ONE PARTICULAR VIEW, IDEALLY THE NEXT ISSUE WILL CARRY A WIDE VARIETY OF LOCAL OPINION. WE ONLY HOPE THAT THE PAPER WILL ALWAYS SPEAK OUT STRONGLY ABOUT IMPORTANT LOCAL ISSUES. THE MAJOR THEME OF THIS ISSUE IS POTENTIAL, NOT GRUMBLES ABOUT THE PRESENT OR NOSTALGIA FOR THE PAST, BUT IDEAS & POSSIBILITIES IN THE FUTURE. . Dy COLNE VALLEY NEWS. OCTOBER 1976 WHO AND WHY An introduction to the Colne Valley News and the Community Architecture Team BY GEORGE MILLS This newsheet is hopefully the first of many. Through it we hope thatalively, locally initiat- ed debate will begin, which may inspire people to act regarding their own futures in the Colne Valley. This first issue has been put to- gether by a group of planners and architects from the Comm- unity Architecture Team, who have worked as designers for local tenant and resident groups up and down the country. On the strength of our work we were given a grant to work in the Colne Valley. From past exper- ience we realize the value of hav- ing a good pamphlet or newsheet circulating in the areas we work in. Hopefully the subsequent issues of this newsheet will be written, produced and distribut- ed by local people from up and down the valley. We have in our grant a small sum of money allocated for that purpose. EXPERIENCE The communities we have worked with have mainly been in areas threat- ened by demolition, redevelopment or extinction by cumbersome and insen- sitive planning. We basically believe that the people who live and work in a particular area should have the major say when it comes to debating that areas future, not faceless local govern- ment departments or profit minded developers. Our work has been al over the country, in Liverpool, South Wales, Covent Garden and most rec- ently in the London Borough of Eal- Ing, working with the residents of these areas trying to prevent the destruction of their homes and work places. We realize that the situation in the Colne Valley is a little different, but no planning can be just as dest- ructive as too much planning, part- icularly when an area is subject to the kind of problems that seem to be affl- icting the Colne Valley. A very familiar sight. LOCAL GOVERNMENT The recently published information about West Yorkshires forthcoming publicity exercise to find out what people in the area want in the future is a typical example of so called ‘Public Participation in Planning’. This part- icipation usually consists of specific- ally prepared questions which some how manage to avoid the contentious issues in an area. The Colne Valley does not just need more industry, ora better bus service, or a cleaned up environment. The proposed public mectings being held up and down the county will tell the planners nothing - the questions they will ask will not get right to the root of the areas problems. They will not be considering the dignity, self respect or aspirations of the people of the areas, because most planners and bureaucrats are incapable of working at that level. Until they come down from their ivory towers to the street level and see reality, they have no right to plan for any area It is the people in the villages of the Colne Valley that should deter- mine its future directly, not local governments who are notorious for misrepresenting the aspirations and desires of people in their areas. HOPES We hope we can work with the res- idents of Marsden, Linthwaite Slaith- waite, Milnsbridge and Golcar to try and revitalize some local industry and activity which will prevent the depop- ulation of the area and hopefully give the Colne Valley some of the vigour the declining textile industry seems to be sapping from it. We sense that the valley has many qualities and resources as yet untapped, which though not at first obvious,still exist. These can only be found in areas that have not been swallowed up by urban sprawl from nearby towns and cities. Unlike most planners and architects we are very aware of the real qualities of such places as exist in the Colne Valley. Through our work in other parts of the country we have learned that these qualities are never catered for in the grand master plans, local and central governments usually produce. Over the page are just a few initial ideas which might start the ball rolling, they are not proposals, just sketches which can be used to talk about the possibilities. CONTENTS FREE FIRST ISSUES There are five hundred copies of this first issue. With a subsid rom our grant, subsequent issues should work Out around four or five pence each. WHO AND WHY PEOPLE OR PAWNS PAGE 2 PAGE 3 WHO HOLDS THEY KEY? THE CARDS STACKED AGAINST THE VALLEY PAGE & INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS WITH A HUMANE CAUSE PAGE 5 TAKE ONE EMPTY MILL PAGE 6 A DISMANTLED MILL BUILDING VILLAGES ARE NOT PURPOSE-MADE SUBURBS PAGE 8 PAWNS: An Editorial appraisal of the Colne Valley and its future Crimble Mil, Slaithwaite,-any takers ? In appearance the Colne Valley has not altered drastically for nearly a hundred years. Its main villages have had a few bits tack- ed on to them, a few more roads, a few more houses and the odd new factory. The main commun- ication routes are still the same, road, canal and railway, though through dereliction or transport policy these are nowhere near as busy as they were in the past. The stable industry in the valley is still what it has been for nearly two centuries, basically woollen and worsted fabric production, though no one in the area needs reminding what is happening to that basic industry. ADVERSE CHANGES Whenavast jndustry isrunning down at the rate that textiles are in the Colne Valley, or at the rate that the coal mining industry ran down in the South Wales valleys, it has a great effect on the people indigenous to those areas. It is always the older established communities that feel the harsher effects of industrial and economic change. This is the only certain thing that can be said about the valley, it is in the process of change. We are starting our work in the valley with the assumption that with the right conditions prevailing, most of the indigenous population, the people who live and work in the area now, would like to stay here. be capable.of sustaining the popul- ation, and which will provide a future firmly established in the roots and origins, the character and nature of the people from the Colne Valley area. Successive governments have seen no social detriment tn unemployed men and women with their families having to move sometimes hundreds of miles to get employment. Only the people directly affected by these wrenches Know the adverse change and disrup- tion involved in such a move. People who are caught in this tight economic trap have only two choices open to them, move, leaving friends, relatives and familiar things, or stay and remain unemployed or underemployed. In the Colne Valley many people over the past few years must have been con- fronted with this choice, or those that haven't, must be aware that they are likely to be within the next few years. Family and community break up from choice is part of accepted human nature, the young and restless have always fled the nest, but when people are forced by circumstances beyond thetr control into leaving their homes Britannia Mils Milnsbridge, rotting for and familiar areas, it is a social in- the last fow years. GOOD RIDDANCE ? Some people will be glad to be rid of the textile industry for once and for all, others will mourn its continuing decline. Those with first hand exper ience of mill working and its related social and domestic lifestyle, know that there were good times and bad times, good decades and bad ones. Their instincts may tell them that the present decline is for good, and that the industry has to decline even further, before it reaches a size where itcan stabilize itself. At the moment there seems to be a great many people with unwanted skills and a kind of pride that doesn’t seem relevant or valuable to new ways and methods of present day indust- rialization. Many factors affect people who find themselves unemployed or employed in a job that they are not really suited to, which may also entail commuting out of the area where al there roots and ties are. justice. If industry in the area con- tinues to be slow in evolving to a sub- stantial level, not only will the young be unemployed, they will be left with little or no choice regarding their own futures. If no industry takes the place of the very large gaps left by the mills, then sadly, it will not only be the young who will be forced to leave. INFORMATION NEEDED Wehavesomeplansofmilsand other derelict land and buildin- gs, but any kind ofdocuments, plans, gossip etc., that people think could be useful in the work,wouldbegreatlyappre- ciated. GEORGE MILLS. COLNE VALLEY NEWS. OCTOBER 1976 3 One of these prevailing conditions, in fact THE prevailing condition must be that they can AFFORD to stay here, which means there must be work in the area for both the old and young, men and women. There must be a type of industrial development which must 4 COLNE VALLEY NEWS. OCTOBER 1976 WHO HOLDS THE KEY TO THE FUTURE OF THE VALLEY? BY PETE MOLONEY When an area has a good deal of redun- dant buildings and plots, the easy way out for the people who own the land and buildings is try and get them designated for housing use. When a spate of il thought out estates start to spring up al over the place, the local authority can then start collect- ing rates again. This haphazard, juggl- ing of land and buildings has never bettered the lives of people living in an area. The people who work in the sphere of ‘community architecture’ have totally the opposite view to this, belicving that the people who live and work in an area should be the major concern when planning, and they should not Marsden Mills have inflicted upon them the second rate solutions designed with only profit or prestige motives in mind. THE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE COLNE VALLEY IF ITS COMMUNITIES ARE NOT SEEN AS ITS PRIMARY VALUE, COULD BE SOCIALLY DISASTER- OUS! COMMUNITY | ARCHITECTS OFFICE ; 1,NED LANE SLAITHWAITE So, how do such communities dictate their own futures? The solutions to many of the problems can start from the people up and down the valley, we believe it is they who hold the key to their own future. Small things which do not require a great deal of finance could be started fairly quickly, more ambitious schemes could follow, but we believe that without that initial spirit from the communities being the prime motivator, none of them would be worthwhile. There are ways and means by which owners of some of the derelict prop- erties and land could be approached, and through the formation of assoc- lations, societies, cooperatives or com- panies, groups of people in one form or another may be able to acquire the use of land and buildings in the area. The initial small scale ideas could indicate the potential of the area and inspire other people to get inyolv- ed. Some ideas will flounder for various reasons, others could be very successful, they could begin to decis- ively affect the development of the valley’s future in a way that brings out its dormant qualities. access to the motorways present a much more viable proposition to investors. Local and regional reports on the area refer to the Colne Valley’s potential as a dormitory area, which apart from being an insult to the people living and working in the area, is an extremely cynical and pessimistic way to view a place with such a vibrant history. The fact that the valley was at the very heart of Britain's industrial expansion in the 19th and 20th Century seems to have nd bearing on the way it isbeing ignored in the 1970's. The term dormitory means just what it infers, a place where nobody works, they just live there and go elsewhere to work. Through our office in Slaith- waite, any groups or individuals who want to seriously begin to discuss ideas and schemes can get together. People interested in NATIONAL CARDS ARE STACKED Working out solutions to the Colne Valley's problems is by no means easy. The fact the area has a good record for industrial industrial or commercial invest- relations is, in itself, not good NEXT ISSUE Itishardateat tosayif the paper wil published ona monthly, fortnightly or.every week basis. Whatever itwil need layout people, feature, sports, events and opinion writers. Plus cartoons, cross- words etc. ANYBODY INTERESTED IN THE PRODUCTION OF THE NEXT ISSUE CAN MEET THROUGH OUR OFFICE IN SLAITHWAITE. ment. Contrary to popular belief it seems highly unlikely that the government will ever impose tough enough import restrictions to prevent the closure of further mills. In short, at the present time the Colne Valley does not have a great deal going for it. By Rob Thompson enough to attract the necessary Though the valley runs parallel to the M62 Motorway, there is difficult terrain to Cross to get to it in harsh weather conditions. There does not seem to be any chance of an improved local or regional train service. The extinct mills present many problems to would-be industrialists, unwilling to invest the required amount of continuing and improving the money into buildings in an area, which for them, appears to have a very unpredictable future. The sites on the eastern side of Huddersfield with easier, flatter terrain and better newsheet can contact others through the office too. Nothing will happen unless people really Start taking an active part in their own futures. THE REGIONAL AND AGAINST THE VALLEY WITHOUT THE EXPLOITATION OF RESOURCES OR PEOPLE. EXISTING HOUSIN east HI agg BeULytsSs COULD BECOME A REALLY PLEASANT HOUSING BLOCK WITH ever GARMENT MAKING S KIDS PLAY CENTRE ETC. ~ COURTYARDS ON EACH PEOOR | EXISTING INDUSTRY :a FTOHRE KWIHDOSL:E RIVER AND CAMAL SIDE COLLD BE AND3 STOREY B S$ igs AND WAREHOUS/ THE EMPTY AREAS The river below Golcar-ill used land. (cont on page 7) COLNE VALLEY NEWS. OCTOBER 1976 5 OGRESS WITH AHUMANE CAUSE The Colne Valley’s own rise and fall highlights some of the effects mass industrialization can have on aplace. When the area began its boom in the 18th Century it destroyed the old established textile industry inNorfolk, Devon and Oxfordshire, At present the industries of the Far East are threaten- ing to destroy the industry in the West Riding. The economic market cycle keeps turning, irrespective of social consequences, and the one-industry areas such as the Colne Valley are very vulnerable, because all their eggs are in one very flimsy basket. In reality the Colne Valley today is the product of two very socially destruc- tive forces, one being that it developed around very big factory units, the mills, and the other that there were a great many of these concentrated in a relatively small area. So in local and national terms it would be suicidal to try and reinstate textile production in large mills and consequently it would be just as disasterous to find one industry of equivalent size to replace it. INDUSTRIAL PR Even though the part the Colne Valley played in Britain’s mass industrialization was significant, that growth must be viewed in the light of what we know about its effects today. The type of in- dustrial growth which we as a nation fostered all over the world, is being seen today as the major culprit behind the pollu- tion of nature’s systems and the ensuing scarcity of the earth’s raw materials. So it would be de- trimental to just say that indust- ry in the valley must get-back into full swing, without consid- ering the wider implications of the effects of large scale industry on the lives of people and the places they live in. On the global scale we are now exper- iencing shortages of most raw mater- ials. When textiles first began in the area it was because the wool from the local sheep was particularly suited to making the fabrics for which the valley became noted and because the water in the River Colne was particul- arly good for dyeing and bleaching that material. That was a long time ago, if the industry had stabilized at a size where it could supply itself locally, it would not have grown so cumbersome and virtually reliant for al its raw materials on importation. It would be fatal, in a radically changing world, to build up any new industries on a base that relies so heavily on imported material. Scarcity and cost would soon destroy such an industry today. LOUIS HELLMAN & GEORGE MILLS EVEMING ACTIVITIES COULD INCLUDE PRA SPORTS FACILITIES, MIGHT CLASSES. MILLS IN THE VALLEY BOTTOM-MILNSBRIDGE ONE IDEA Ste, MILL. | Metalworking 6 COLNE VALLEY NEWS. OCTOBER 1976 OUSES, SCHOOLS THEVARIOUSSKILLSINTHE <> AREA COULD COMBINE _<o= “AHorticulture -4Fish farming TO ALTER, THEN WORK FROM THE | CONVERTED 5 _4Waste pulping Recycling of { fabrics SHOPS OR STORES. Aa ++seeIFAGROUP OF PEOPLE CGULD RAISE THE CASH TO ACQUIRE ONE OF EMPTY MILLS IN THe VALLEY, TarndtSAN naetGov Se : USING THE RIGHT TECHNOLOGY, COULD FROM). { possible uses. HUMBLE BEGINNINGS GROW INTG GOOD Size|j CONCERNS. MODIFICATION OF THE MILLS FOR|. Woodworkin TEMPORARYUSESCOULDBEMADECHEAPLY| Plasticmouling 4 PLUS ALL THE 4ANCILLARY USES FROM THE MAJOR INDUSTRIES. WATER AND LAND WITH ldings.... -».WELL SUITED FOR CONVERS- 1ON INTO H bui AED dangig, METEH Xe oz =m “sE ice ow Be Z x - £ & ae Yj)»_off lo es us CS ae WS SSCS weds Popeater os 9 te ee yee Oore TAKE ONE EMPTY MILL CLA>,SeLaOgeerTHROARTIC ESKPON.OTMmill_ ponds°-WITH AFAIRLY ZED pek7 4,FL TU. SONS © MODEST OFTLAYASUBSTANTIAL INCOME EXCEL ROQROTHe OOK YONTM CAN BE OBTAINED eRe. FISH FARMING. BEN. PRo~ GREOULD v7 THIS INCOME COULD FINANCE MORE COSTLY NEarp OUC BRENKo, BE ACTIVITIES AROUND THE MAIN BUILDINGS. \,OTHER POSS- Pa. IBLE USES. “=< POTENTIAL STONES SE OF\SLAT IN THE br COLNE VALLEY NEWS OCTOBER 1976 7 OF E VALL INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS A HUMANE WITH CAUSE (continued from page5) LIED BY THE NUMBER MPTY MILLS The future industrial base of the Colne Valley must be very diverse, therefore because of the area we are talking about, just a six mile long strip of valley, there must be agreat number of small industries producing a great varicty of commodities. Loc- ally this means a great choice of work, which will act as a magnet for the young and restless in the valley, and greater financial stability. Greater stability because in a period of decline only specific kinds of industry will be affected, others will continue to flourish, which means only a few people will be affected, not the whole population of the valley as it is now. The drudgery and sheer inhumanity of the conveyor belt/factory system which we have developed through large industries, is at present under very severe scrutiny. People are now at last beginning to realize that the greatest resource on the planet, people themselves, should not be subjected to the sheer monotony and degrad- ation of most of our factories, they should be valued much more highly. The more humane methods of pro- duction and technology now being developed, which give workers a great deal more satisfaction than the factory system ever did and at the same time are much more aware of the scarcity COMFORTABLE AND PRODUCTIVE WORKSHOPS __ADISMANTLED MILL BUILDIN Small industries can change and adapt much more quickly, in real terms be more economic, and have historically meant a much more satisfying and rewarding life for the people working in them. rt Unlike the situation with textiles, where change meant large scale invest- ment because of the sheer size of the concern, small scale concerns are much more flexible and can adapt quickly to the ever changing methods of production. of the earth’s resources could be applied quickly to new small industr- ies. Cheap and long lasting forms of technology could be the life blood needed by the Colne Valley to get some small industries off the ground. An awareness of the real potential of the vacant land and buildings in the valley coupled with these new meth- ods, could give people a sustained and rewarding future in the area. To the average eye the Colne Valley may appear to be destined for a grim future, or it may be ripe for a tourist industry or a national industrial mus- eum six miles long! But a long hard look beneath this surface reveals a great potential which must not be undervalued, a potential of people, land and buildings which, if it were tapped could provide an extremely rewarding, even exciting next few decades. BY PAUL GORKA & BRIAN ANSON GOLCAR evolved and the nature and character of its other reason than convenience. At a time when everyone is be- ginning to realize the pitfalls of living and working in large cities, or in the sprawling New Towns where most new industry is tem- pted to go, it seems ironic that places such as Golcar or Marsden are being allowed to deteriorate through lack of investment in industry, agriculture and hous- ing. The size and character of If an old industrial area begins to get a second lease of life from being merely a retreat from city life, the place, with- in a very short space of time loses its fundamental quality, becomes as root- less and sterile as a new town or spraw- ling estate. If the people of the Colne Valley do not begin to take a real interest in its future, the local and regional govern- ments will get their way, and the area will become just another suburb. Social change take time, good or bad, but if the warning signs up and down the valley are not heeded soon, the process of deterioration could begin to accelerate. Many areas in towns, cities and villages all over Britian have | STOP PRESS settlements like these provide that delicate balance between town and country, urban and rural. The small towns and villages around most industrial areas have this quality. When it becomes uneconomic for the indigenous population to remain in their area, on leaving, their places for the most part, are taken by the more affluent rumoured redevelopment which makes never really got soing commuters wishing to get away from nearby conurbation or city, preferring the more pleasant environment offered by the small town or village. This in itself is not a bad thing, but when it begins to disturb the social/ economic balance of a place, the overall quality of that place begins to deteriorate socially. people panic and move, or because new development nearby acts as a magnet for people, industry and cash, leaving the other area with few attr- ibutes to make people want to stay there. The absolute pity about the Colne Valley is that it has so much potential as a good place to live and work, that no one seems prepared to recognize. People may consider it romantic to think of the Colne Valley as a good place to live, you could ask what is good about steep paths and roads, The vague and wooley attitude of the people running the meeting made it very difficult for the real issues to be discussed. They expressed concern for every problem, but hed no real policy to tackle any of them. Areas like the valley need some action, not sympathy. in Just a few short years changed from being vibrant and lively places into blighted and run down slums. This is because areas get some kind of curse on them. Either in the form of a The Public Meeting at Huddersfield Town Hall held on the 25th Oct, to discuss the West Yorks ‘Structure Plan' -MADE SUBURBS VILLAGES ARE NOT P THE VALUE OF VALLEY SETTLEMENTS COLNE VALLEY NEWS OCTOBER 1976 inhabitants evolved with it. Today we expect kinships to flower in estates planted in the middle of nowhere for na URPOSE back to back houses and old mills. Well in all honesty in themselves as Scparate entities, there is nothing good about them. The important thing is THAT IF A POPULATION HAS GROWN UP IN A PARTICULAR ENVIRONMENT, THEY CREATE IN AND AMONGST IT, PATTERNS, HABITS, AFFINITIES AND WAYS WHICH GIVE IT A UNIQUE QUAL- ITY. A quality which may be only in the eye of the bcholder, BUT A QUALITY WHICH MUST BE REC- OGNIZED AS BEING AN INCR- EASINGLY MORE IMPORTANT PART OF A SATISFYING EVERY- DAY LIFE. The buildings, together with the settlements they make up, would be totally dead without the corresponding nature and character of the people who have lived and worked amongst them. The two are insepar- able, Slaithwaite would be a totally different place filled with people from Leeds, just as Slaithwaite people would feel uneasy and out of place living in Leeds. This is not to say that Slaithwaite should surround itself with barbed wire and keep out allcomers, BUT IF THE DOMINANT NATURE CEASES TO DICTATE THE VILLAGE'S CHAR- ACTER, IT WILL SOON LOSE OF SLAITHWAITERS THOSE QUALITIES WHICH MAKE IT A GOOD PLACE TO LIVE. This applies to every settlement in the valley. It is up to the people living in the different villages to start working out ways of enhancing cach one, regretting their decline is not enough. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Editor George Mills ARC 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 Oct-76 https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/a6f2c2dcc82dc0c2fc7e64d1f5d8f39d.pdf a5f5fb8c74a068efcfb377a14e20771b 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 Historical resume of context for NAM's origins (9 pp typescript) Description An account of the resource 1. BACKGROUR D ° i” Aus? ARCRITACTURS FOVaN a It has taken almost exactly twenty-five years for the impetus behind the first iodern jovement in this country to be exhausted. oe. festival of Britain 1951 and ia | taken as the official milestones at the inauguration and ‘closure ef the period respectively. | | ‘e seem to stand new at she beginning cf a new ‘phase in which ‘the criteria of 'relevant' action will be determined. asmuchbytheunderstandingofeurlegacyasourone political standpoint. The effects of the process xf radicalization induced by war cxuld be seen in the arrival of the first modern Socialist Gsvernment with bia: Gea nbagin ters social referms on the dnmestic scale, and in cur modified nation status in ‘ate and the realization that we were n> longer an imperial power. | | ke In matters oa envirennent the New Toms Hevenent, the Town & a Planning Act 1947 ete. were the first expression of a new vision and csenfidence that had already permeated other sectcrs of svciety, including for example the health services. The South Bank Uxhibitien and the Associated Housing schemes in Lansbury, Mast London epitomised the slicetae of exuberance and ‘committed concerm' while sheving het sigdee, atoll estan was ss x not simply a flat roof ora corner window, but a comprehensive urban language. The underlying ideas, had of course been werked out long befere : it was *cedified visually in the 1939 Exhibition %::2a of the Mars Group, which itself derived its premises ~ from the parent CIAM movement in Europe. But theclimate of 1945 was different both in.degree and in kind. .The post-war an... for the first time saw the alliance of the ‘new wisdom', hithertu preoccupatiun of dissatisfied intellectuals and enlightened bourgeois patrons, withall the executive farce. of government and the major ieeiatlehe At the very iahient that the pioneer's thesis appeartsedbe vindicated, a the process ef institutionalizirg its assumptions began in its adeptien by a new establishment due ta become infinitely more sophisticated and bureaucratic than any hitherte. Naturally it was intelligent enough to absorb | the prece is and, perssnalities that would otherwise have been dynamite, and throughout the '50's the professianosf architecture and planning were happy to be included in the monolithic drive for reconstruction. : he anti-thesis which was bound to crise in conflict with : this centralist orthodoxy sppeared early in the 1960's in phenomens, ranging -from the satire movenent, to student protest, ‘y that is at about the time when enthe threefold premise of cheap energy, expansionist ecenomics and enlightened paternalism, | "progressive"architects and planners (now comfortably established in government: institutioR® and well-connected practices) were ready for the big boom. The extent of development, publicly or privatelys sponsored during thel960's, is unlikely td we equalled during the lifetime ef anyone reaching this - and the nGgeibe: new towns, universities, tansport infrastructure dai, ot this period will somehow have to do for the majcrity of us and our children till the latter are middle-aged. e But atteries were hardening . In 1970 the DOE - a concept that would have seemed revolutionary 25 years earlier - established itself in the now familiar faulty towers, sited carefully separate from Wai tehall , and expressing so precisely its blant combination of - technogracyand officialdom, to provide over a process that was already _in decline. . . | ‘What would happen now? Obvious with hindsight : c simple coronary case with onmplications. We ran out of fuel - petro- chemical, financial, and most important social. For by new the assumed popular consent on which all. this developmentha.d been based was solidly organised into community groups, environmentalists, conservation lobbies, spaceship earth economists, tec of. increasing : expertise. It began to seem once more tat the people with the i power were less intelligent than the people without it. The complications? Almost as fast as the devel~pment boom fever was dying in-the establishment the antinodies were being absorbed. Particpation, piecemeal planning,rehab and recycling have been hastily substituted in the official policies of national and local authorities and the professional institutilns such that concepts of ‘community Architecture’ and Neighbourhood Participation! are already bandied with bogus concern and trendy ‘humbug, without much noticeabte advantage to the intended beneficiaries. The cur rent climate is pluralistic and diverse to the extent that, given the rifgt form of words, everyone can apparently | claim to be progressive - the 193, RIBA, most L.A.'s, the RTPIetc, etc - concealing the fact that major idealogical change is occurring with little or no commensurate redistribtuiion of power. Environmental matters continue to be detemminedon the basis >f power, not of need, and the status quo is effectieety maintained. It is this situation that NAM was formed to study and pehetrate. So much for what mounts to the context in the -utside world. Meanwhile, what eftia’ contest in the profession? In the same perind the profession has transformed iteself from a craft-orientated elite of aesthetic gastronomes supported by forelock tugging- draughtsmen, into and army of professionals dpeendant on a very. different calibre of re cruit, a university educated, m:inly middle class mass of aspiring principals whose habit of .identifying with employers has blurred their vision of the pelitical reality within their offices and throughout the RIBA., ~~ (Contecsseces Salafied architects, more direct and satisfying relationships with the users of their products, have little to be optimistic about because of the economic crisis, The professions governing body, RIBA, is dominated by the interests of private practice and salaried architects have to realise that the NAM is the only effective voice challenging the Private Practice Principal's Party, 66 Portland Place. Such a state of affairs, the majority of the profession, who may hope for profession is misrepresented by default (or not'at at the best of times, between principals use of architects only existed by surrogate clients and a remote. beaurocratic offices. , , now that the crisis and assitants, established and still at college The Middle Hast Klondike can only briefly disguise daily more apparent. the fact that wheras. the publiss access to lawyers and doctours was relatively easy, until the goverment cuts reduce this too,. the. publics when 80% of. a all) would be absurd bites. home the contrdictions Ae grow ‘It is out of this uneasy climate of reality and alussion, wisdom and displicity that N.A.M. developed. At the unlikely venue of Harrogate a gathering of under a hundred people meet for a weekend in November. 75, at the invitation of a small group called ARC.. ARC had been preoccupied with such questions for a couple of years, . 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 aims and membership. More on aims later.. The two essentail characteristics of the Movement that Harrogate established ares- a. It must have a constructive attitude founded on strong annalysis. Yet another vocal articulation scemed unnecessary and abortive. b. That its structure should be both federal and national, allowing the individual personal involvement and avenues of action. Apart from a rudimentary’ Liason process the character of the movement is its diversity and localised basis. A centralised. power elite was seen as alien and unconstructive. : Individuals and local groups spread’ throughout the country make up the movement, ‘all aré of an equal status and are free to develop their own programmeisn support of the generally agreed aims. Any material produced is signed, Bdinburgh NAM Group, or NAM Cardif Group. The purpose of the small, at present London based, Liason Group is to maintain and develop contacts and to set up the next National Congress. If you are thinking of joiningw.e hope that our contact list has a member close by you, if not then we would be delighted if you initiated your own NAM Group. Speakers and information can be sent to youe In time a network of groups should develop to cover the country, each one working out its own ideas wcther localised or more universal. The Congress will be one way of communicating between groups and for working out overall aims and strategies, The key to this decentralised structure is that of individual comnitmant and local autonomy. ‘We are not a movement with presidents or celebrities, its strength lies-in the involvement of you, and «the help we can all give ‘each other. , . NEW ARCHITECTURE MOVEMENT 1. BACKGROUND 9 Ithastakenalmostexactlyined yearsforthe impetus behind the first iodern Fovenent in this country to be exhausted, The festival of Britain 1952 and HAHY 1975 might hhe_ taken as theofficial nilestones at “ee inaireeepbolm ana closure. ef the period respectively. Weseemfostandnewsithepees ofanewphase_ in which the criteria of ‘relevant' action will be determined as much by the. understanding of aim legacy as our-current political standpoint. | | The —— of the pesedas of radicalization induced by war could be seen in the arrival of the first modern Socialist ote tent ait its far-reaching social reforms on the dninestic: scale, and sn cur modified nation status in ate and the realization that we were n> longer an ‘imperial power. be InmatterscfaeecontheNewTownsMovement, the Town & Country Planning Act 1947 etc., were ‘the first expressioonf a new cision and esnfidence that had already permeated other sectcrs of i including for example the health services.. The South Bank fixchibition and the Associated Housing schemes in Langbury, ast London epitomised: the meine of exuberance and ‘committed concern! medie- Showin that modern architecture was notsimplyaflatroofaksewindow,butacomprehensive— urbanlanguage.The neideas,hadofcoursebeened out long befare : it was “cadified visually im the 1938 Exhibition of the Mars Group, which ‘itself derived its, premises ftom the osuede CIAM movement in Barope. was different both in degree and in kind. But theclimate of 1945 The post-war era. fdr the first time "new wisdom', hithertu preoccupation andenlightenedbourgeoispatrons,withallee of government and the major institutions. At the very msment that the pioneer's thesis appeared t» be vindicated, so the process ef institutionalizing its assumptions began in its adoptiobny a new establishment due-ta become iyPind pels more sophisticated and bUreaucratic than any hitherte. flaturally it was intelligent: enough to eavserb . the prece s and personalities that would otherwise have heen dynamite, and. tipoustont fai '50's the professions of architecture and Se aneae were happy to be included in the monolithic drive for reconstruction. The anti-thesis which was bound to crise in conflict with. this centralist orthodoxy appearcd eaxly in the 1960's; in phenomens, ranging from the satire movement, to student protest, that is at about the time when enthe threefold premise of cheap energy, expansionist economics and enlightened paternalisn, "progressive"architects and planners (now comfortably established in government institutioK§ and well-connected practices) were ready for the big boom. The extent of development, publicly or privatelys sponscred during thel960's, is unlikely tv be equalled during the lifetime of anyone reaching this - and the housing, new towns, universities, tansport infrastructure ete., of this period will somehow have to do for the majcrity of us and our children till the latter are middle-aged. saw the alliance of the of dissatisfied intellectuals Salatied architects; the majority of the professionw,ho may hope for more direct and satisfying relationships with the users of their products, have little to be optimistic about because of the economic crisis, The professions governing body, RIBA, is dominated by the interests of private practice-and salaried architects have to realise that the NAM is the only effective voice ’challenging the Private Practice Principal's Party, 66 Portland Place. Such a state of affairs, when.80% of a profession is misrepresented by default (or not at all)- would be absurd at the best of times, now that the crisis bites home the contrdictions- between principals and assitants, established and still at college grow daily more apparent.. The Middle Hast Klondike can only briefly disguise the fact that wheras the publies access to lawyers and doctours was relatively easy, until the goverment cuts reduce this too, the publics use of architects only existed by surrogate clients and a remote beaurocratic offices. , A It is out of this uneasy climate of reality and alussion, wisdom and displicity that N.A.M. developed. At the unlikely venue of Harrogate a gathering of under a hundred people meet for a weekend in November, 155 at the invitatioonf a small group called ARC. ARC had been preoccupied with such questions for a couple of years, 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 aims and membership. More on aims later. ‘The two essentail characteristics of the Movement that Harrogate established are3- a. .It must have a constructive attitude founded on strong annelysis. Yet another vocal articulation scemed unnecessary and abortive, b, That its structure should be both federal and national, allowing the individual personal involvement and avenues of action, Apart from a rudimentary liason process the character of the movement is its diversity and localised’ basis,. A centralised power elite was seen as alien and unconstructive. se Individuals and local groups spread throughout the country make up the movement, all are of an equal status and are free +6 develop their own programmes’in support of the generally agreed aims. Any material produced is signed, Edinburgh NAM Group, or NAM Cardif Group. The purpose of the small,’ at present London based, Liason Group is to maintain and’ develop contacts and to set up the next National Congress, If you are thinking of joining we hope that our contact list hag a member close by you, “if not’ then we would be delighted if you initiated your ‘own: NAM Group. Speakers and informaticoann be sent to yous In time a network of groups should develop to cover the country, -each one working out its own ideas wether localised or more universal. The Congress will be one way of communicating between groups and for working out overall aims and strategies, The key to this decentralised structure igs that of individual commitmant and local autonomy. We are not a movement with presidents or celebrities, its strength lies in the involvement of you, and the help we can all five each other, But atteries were hardening . In 1970 the DOE - a concept that would have seemed revolutionary 25 years earlier - established itself in the now familiar faulty towers, sited carefully separate from Yaitehall , and expressing so precisely its blan® combination of techroeracyand officialdom, to provide over a process that was already in decline. What would happen now? Obvious with hindsight :-c simple. coronary case with complicationsW.e ran out of Padl-Spesies chemical, financial, and most important social, ‘For by new the assumed popular consent on which all this development had been based was solidly organised into community groups, environmentalists, conservation lobbies, spaceship earth economists , the of increasing expertise. It began to seem once more that the people with the power were ‘less intelligent than the people without it. ‘Tne complications? Almost as fast as the develapment boom fever was dying in the establishment the antihodies were being . absorbed, Particpation, piecemeal planning,rehab and recycling have been hastily substituted in the official policies of national and local authorities -and the professional institutilns such that concepts of 'odthimind ty Architecture! and Neighbourhood Participation! are almeaee bandied with bogus concern an? trendy humbug, without much noticeabje advantage to the intended beneficiaries. . The cur rent climate is pluralistic and diverse to the extent that, given the riGet form of words, everyone. can apparently claim to be progressive - the DOE, RIBA, most L.A.'s, the RTPlLetc, ete —- concealing the fact that major idealogical change is occurring with little or no commensurate redistribtuiion of power. ea matters ccntinue to be détexminedon the basis -f power, not. of need, and the status quo is effectieéLy maintained. It is this© situation that NAM was formed to study and pehetrate. So much for what amounts to the context in the ~utside world. Meanwhile, what ofour ccntext in the profession? In the same — | pericd the professicn has transformed iteself from a sine esomicatated elite of aesthetic gastronomes supported by forelock tugging draughtsmen, into. and a of professicnals dpeendant on a , different calibre of--re. cruit, a university educated, m: nly middle class mass of aspiring principals whose habit of identifying with employers hag blurred their vision of the pelitical reality within their offices and throughout the RIBA. Contessscces As a creative activity architecture, supposedly represents values that exist beyond mére building. -All creative activities experience, to some degree or another three converging forces, the force of the imagination, the power of technics and the exercise of patronage, All three interact through design and their resolution is the creation of forms. In the -sence of patronaze technics ind imagination have no context and thus no substance or meaning. For a Schubert or a Gaugin such constraints as imposed by patronage were minimal for they were in effect their own patrons dirécting their creative energies towards their own needs and conditions. But in architecture his is by no means so easy, for it is a rare occurrence for the architect to aCe asLene own patron, except say, when he builds his own house, = ran, | Ofallthe’arts,then,dirt teeis‘particularly:depengenton oehas patronage., for without patronage: theré is no building and without want For the alternative’ cectthologists thee is: bub one fate, the ‘eventual take over by the owners of production who will. appropriate. their creations to furt her ‘their ownends. Those inventions: ‘that, shave a potentialforgeneratingprofitandmaintainingtheiSiSquowill be exploited; thése that do not will be thrown away::.For<:the conceptualis ti there is only.the world of fantasy anddreams,. Like _ the 'trip' cone too many it will end in trauma and despair, their self inflated bubble will burst,for it has little content and no. Substance. The New Architecture Movement offers a third alternative to this impasse, It is devising a strategy that attacks the heart of the dilemna, the principles of patronage. The notion of patronage encompasses variety of associations but their common reference voint is to an unequal relaticnship between benefactor and benificecry. The ben&ficery of course is the architect. How do we define patronage in our context patronage is the means by which the building needs of individuals and their institutions are determindd. ‘ie realise thet under any social system there will alvays be more users than patrons but we do not see this process of assessing building needs as an independent variable to the design problem. It is intrinsic to the forms that we will create. This is a »rincivle of our movement. We cannot wait for the real patrons to stand up. “Ye must go to them, but this will only be achieved by removing the obstales in our own institutions, ‘irchitecture', it is suggested is the social art. buildingarchitectture:eetne:realmsofgraphicsand.-sculpture. For those whose art i8’less,dependent on external patronage for their ~ well being there has been the opportunity to Tiberate themselves from stereo-typed convention, but, in. architecture we'have.been trapped, "ach move into a mew mode of work is frustrated.‘ Those whohave . “© °+4 attempted to escape ‘by side stepping the issue altogether have fled ‘to the world of ‘alterna vtive technology! or to the ‘vorld of the: ‘conceptualists'. beunb bso Certainly the creation of saci itsolenee is a prerequisite for civilisation. Undeniably, it effects everyone's aspect of peoples lives. And yet we have situations where architecture, which is about living, is practised by a group of nveople, architects, who have erected barriers around themselves. Our conclusions can only be thatthe barriers have been erected because either the practitioners are incapableo’f practising architecture or unnecessary, or their masters, the patrons, misuse their practice. Thus it is our belief that the institutions of architecture operate not only to the detrimmt of the non patrons but to architects themselves. ae a i NAM identifies these institutions as the way architects are organised, their education and their methods of oractice. ach in turn reinforce and sustain the present system of patronage and moreover because the architect is the beneficery in an unequal relationship, they were intended to do so, If we accept that patronage is ultimately exercised for its own benevolence whether for prestige, profit or povrer and if it is the means of assessing the building needs of society than there is a prima facie case of ‘aiding and abetting'. NAM intends to ex2mine each institution in turn. NAM will demonstrate the vay in which thése institutions act-for patronage by isolatinz the practice of architecture from its context. The RIBA claims to speak. for architects as if they were one voice, Assension and arguement is confined to the closed doors of Portland Place. It thefefore snuffs out any attempt to undermine a system of patronave at which it is the beneficery. Through education it produces students who aquiesce to the status quo because the nature of their training has concealed from then the true nature of their work, The organisation of practice is so structured that oo is only able to: function in the context of the existing patrons S65! ‘ 2. ROCA.1 Similarly Housing associations, fousing netion Areas and (IAs are controlled by professionals at the expense purport to serve, In the long term, impotent, for it is through real participation where the bases for decisions are exposed to all, that the orofessional will foster his own development. of the residents whom they this can only render the professional , Private praapiece is accounta iis only. to the minority who weild power. ive. that small: group we have identifie@ as patcons. “here is no effective means of control by those who are affectedb’y the buildings thus produced and there is little public awareness of the profits yielded by ‘the fee scale. ithin offices, a minority of employer architects exercise hierar-— chical control, due as “much to their orn inclination as to their respon= Sibilities under Partnership Lars _ wheir employees, lured by the carrot of eventual advancement = if+they find favour ~ are suspicious compet i~ tive and divided. Such a system Will, in the long. term collapse for . Lt is not sufficiently flexible. to respond to the hang ing pattern of patronage the dominance of the public client and the incrreasing social economic and environmental ayureness expréssed by the public at large uhether in conservation issues or politicshl: stances. N.a.ti. therefore proposes a whole range of reforms vithin practice, from ensuring that.- private offices are subject to a form of local accountability, to office structures based on the principles of co-ownership. Salaried architects should be given a real opportunity to organise and join unions for without such strength thoy are at the mercy of the mar'cet. Mor the public sector architect there looms a different series of frustrations, Local Authority architects work in large centralised rigid organisations which, while professing to serve he public, in reality serve md are acountable only to co.mittee chairmen, Direct contact between users and architects is at least discouraged or forbidden, whe monolithic. internal. hicrachy fosters the promotion ethos. Success isto move out of ‘architecture into management, Rarely: does the Chief Architects’ heavy responsibility for huge expenditure to one client create an office spirit any more inspired thai ell- organised defensiveness. “hy: is this so? Host:public architects have arm bclief in the justice of their cause. any have gone to good nublic offices to escavethe ~ partner breathing down their nec. Might it be that the system has been so devised to tolerate the mediocre. or that it is so fail-safe that no practitioner is that importent? It is clear that as bureaucracies develop, the definition of roles becomes increasingly.restrictive. ‘ihe public architect is insulated from the very problems which a#e the substance of building needsj and the exercise of his imagination and still becomes irrelevant whe New architecture liovement believes that the tide which is continually eroding the basis ofthe architect's work can only be turned by surplanting the local authority service by a National Design Service based on de-- centralised local authority design teams and offering a freely availa>le service to groups and individuals in local -reas, Jhese teams would be organised in such a vay that not ohly would they to help articulate the needs of residents but -also implement them, such an intimate’ relationship vould automatically introduce a means of accountaability. Thisisnotavaguenotionofcontrolor ee butaparticipatory process by which the skills of archit cots do not hide behind a. bushel but are exposed to the commonsense of the layman. she setting up of small scale loc lly based projects should be seen in the context of a national o:xperiment. Architectural education is.dominated and controlled by the RIBA through the Board of Mducation, yet it is,society which foots the bill without any means of control, or rather it has vested its. control in the hands of architects. his has encourageda.n introverted mentality, “i,A.ti.- hasbeendisappointed,butinretrospectnotsurpris«ie:dthefailure of architectural students to respond to the -uestions that N.A.i. ete have posed. The fostering of architectural studies in .a world of unreality, whether in the worst oxcesses of archigoonism or technical‘+ fetishes, is producing a nei generation of draving-board fodder or drop OUTS. o ofpe: cy ho fe yD NAM. intends to set up astudy group to examine the .cuestion of education but itis clear that central to our attitude is to arrange a marriage between schools and their communities. .Schools considerable resources which. could be used community. In general, we should be aiming syllabus in order to enable each school to respond to varying local con- ditions and opportunitics. — *here can be few doubts as to our attitude to the way the. profession is at present organised and controlled.- Eighty per cent of architects wrote off the BIDA years ago. Yet, though it no longer has any moaning for: most architects, its pover is immense and. Council is controlled by the same faces year after year. NW.A.H. secks to establish principles of practice outside the RIBA in architects such a way that’ are not cosettcd in their own front room but are exposed to the street. whese new. principles of practice will range fron of Architecture have for the. benefit of the for more autonomy in ; asetofethics,perhapsin.theformofanoath,modelrulesonprocedur,eto the abolishinogf mandatory fee scale, so that.a range of architectural services is more widely available. :Control of -the activitics of the — profession should be returned .to.where, it was originally invested, namely- parliament. Asthey. stand, the Registration Acts arc. administered by ri ARCUK ‘wiich is mercly afront organisation of :the RISA. WAM. is not a debating society. Its present emphasis on analysis and theory is a prelude,to a programue of action... “hat action .is. aimed zat breaking down the barriers between society and architects, Links will be forged with the local communities where we live through trade unions, tenants associations, local amonity groups and local councillors. “ler: shall work to raise she expectations of the service provided by practices and public offices, On a broader scale, our intention is to co-operate with other progressive gsroups. by lobbying politicians wo-hope to achieve changes in the Registration Acts. ; Our programme is not reformist for all our actions are to be judged-in the light of our desire to seek fundamental changes in the exercise of patronage. In practising community architecture our philosophy is not to offer andy to innocent children hut to demonstrate the failure of established institutions to respond to the people’ needs. By this means people themselves will seck their own solutions; and for architects there is the reward of their oim fulfillment. 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/35192187c0c34096beef58c2b05984cd.pdf 70da21ec3af48f8d6abf8633f3a7c416 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 Novemberist Group Subject The topic of the resource Assorted papers from Novemberist Group established to examine design theories and to study housing form. includes Reports and Meeting Notes. Description An account of the resource 2 January 1980 NOVEMBER 21ST GROUP t a meeting on 6th December, we agreed to write to to the next meeting at 7.00. you, with an invitation on Thursday 10th January the direction of the group framework for analysis of Alexandra Road and/or Marquess Road. We enclose - a list of people who have expressed interest some notes that try to summarise where the discussions have got to so far our views on what would need to be developed for the sort of analysis of a building that has been mooted. Please invite any others whom you think may like to join. With best wishes 4 ROBIN NICHOLSON & SUNAND at 5 Dryden Street to discuss and possibilities of a 57d Jamestown Road, London NWl 7DB. 01-485 2267 CONTACT LIST Chris Knight Caroline Lewin, John McKean, John Mitchel, John Murray, John Napier, Robin Nicholson, Giles Pebody, Sunand Prasad, Marian Roberts, 4 Newell Street, N.E.L.P., Forest N.E.L.P. El4. 515 8541. Road, E17. 527 2272 37 Landroch Road, N.E.L.P. 41 Roden Street, Mike Rose, 88 Hanover Terrace, Celia Scott, Barry Shaw, 6 Springdale Road, BN2 2SP. Tasker Road, NW5. 485 2689. N8. 7 Highbury Place, 48 Sutherland 125 Grosvenor 340 4359. N5. 485 2267 Square, SEl17. Avenue, N5. 485 2267. N7. 240 2430. Brighton, Sussex 3 Mall Studios, Douglas Smith, Anne Thorn, 2 Reddington Road, Sue Walker, 125 Highbury Hill, 17 Delancey Street, N16. 405 3411 NWl. 405 3411. NW3. 435 4297. N5. 226 5030. 703 7775. Mark Beedle, 83 Willifield Way, NW1l. 485 2267 Jos Boys, 31 Davenant Road, N19. 240 2430 Sue Francis, 9 St. Georges Avenue, N7. 609 2976 Graeme Geddes, Bartlett School of Architecture, Gordon Street, WCl. 387 7050 NOVEMBER 21ST GROUP Some Notes A. The present practice of Architecture was open to criticism at two levels - at the level of exposing and questioning the ideological assumptions it made and the economic function it fulfilled; the feminist critique of design guides that was presented at the Workshop was a good example of the former; - at the level of criticising Architectural .theory and practice within the framework of Page one dominant ideology, e.g. building plain bad design. failure and At the 5th Annual Congress of the New Architectural Movement, the Housing Form Workshop raised the question of Architectural Design as a subject that had largely been ignored by NAM in the flurry of other more obviously 'political' issues. The Workshop agreed that: B. . 'Accountability' was closely linked to the level of public debate and informed critical aware- ness about buildings. The professional ethic and jargon effectively discouraged these. The development of a critique (A) and the promotion of a wider debate (8) would be worthy tasks for NAM or a group within NAM. Following the Congress, a group of interested people came together on 21st November (and 6th December) and decided to explore further the problem of an architectural criticism that could reveal the ideological context of a design, locate the architectural style and design, and link these to a materialist analysis of the 'function' of the building. While such a critique would have to overcome the reticence demanded by 'professional responsibilities', it seems imperative to open this debate as widely as possible at this time of major economic change and growing ultra-conservative academic historical nostalgia. page two There would seem to be two clear alternatives for the group depending on the enthusiasm and possible time scale, assuming a hard core of interest and agreement about the broad area:- ” 2. To take on a largely enabling function. This might include — setting ourselves specific tasks; one that has been proposed is an inclusive critique of a recently completed building project like Alexandra Road. This might take the form of an issue of Slate with the group as the editors (see below). An analysis of Alexandra Road (or Marquess Road) would need to cover at least: u Views of say 10 "progressive" architects (e.g. A.D. issue on Sainsbury Centre). fe Analysis of the urban context and its change. sie Location as a piece of architectural design (e.g. Ed Jones' article on Fleet Road in A.D.). 4, The construction as seen by L B Camden Direct Labour Department and a discussion about de- skilling. Ks To set up a group that can do academic work together and establish a theoretical base. The group could meet at regular intervals to discuss prepared material and could invite outside help especially in developing a theoretical understanding of ideology. The group's work might appear in Slate or as a book. Such an approach would need long term commitments from the group's members. (The Political Economy of Housing Workshop is an example of this kind of group). 7 arranging talks by and discussions with people ’ who have already done the sort of work described above; these might or might not be members of the group. : Perhaps these need not be alternatives but could be embraced together: either way the group will need time to function as a group. . *** Bs Discussing the ideological context of views expressed in 2 — 4, 6. Views of Neave Brown, intentions then and feelings now. Be Wishes Reading: "Essex University" A.J. Information Library John McKean "The Political Economy of 20.9.1972 (in Vol.1 of Housing Form" Michael Jones * Political the collected papers of the and Architectural Economy of Housing Workshop) Design 2/79 on the Sainsbury Centre at the University of East Anglia Richard Hill Andrew Peckham and others "Art Supermarket Ignores Users" Slate 10/11 Stephen Hayward "Alexandra Road" Architectural Review 8/79 Robert Maxwell "A Woman's Place" Etcetaraseerrn *Xerox enclosed Slate 13 and others Susan Francis ace Nine of us came to the 10 January meeting of the November 21 group and decided that - 1. We should continue to Pursue the subject. 2. Alexandra Road was a useful immediate focus for our work. 3. By the next meeting we should all read certain relevant articles/papers to begin to establish points of reference and a shared critical base. Those so far suggested are listed below. 4. Everyone interested should try and work out an approach to the critical analysis of Alexandra Road. These would form the basis for the next meeting at which we would try to agree upon a shared approach or 'framework'. 5. We would meet again on February 5 at 7 pm at 5 Dryden Street. Robin Nicholson and Sunand Prasad SeebehOhele) eleleie: ajelevelelereleleieletelelelelele It was also thought that familiarity with the work of John Berger ("Ways of Seeing") and Raymond Williams would be useful. 'y 147 and form in architec- elmingly on the question of P —a Aemaiaea ectngtiaesl <= P aaa Discussions of the relations between material forces ture have in the past concentrated almost overwh aesthetic form or stylistic appearance. This paper sets up a quite different definition of form in architecture, one which is in no way concerned with the problem of the visual appearance of buildings, their aesthetic and psychologic- al effects, or the historical derivation of their stylistic features. The Gefinition of architectural form which will be discussed in this paper is a The problems confronted in this attempt revolved around the question of the degree of autonomy that existed in the development of any particular branch of human society. This question was usually seen as the inverse problem, at a conscious level; of the Gegree of direct influence of material and especially economic factors on the development of social forms. This was generally con- ed as a relation between the individual work as an object in itself and a cial formation essentially external to it, The approach that is developed in this paper is to treat any social artefact, such as a building, as an object produced under certain pre-existing social relations of production, and to analyse it as*an object not in relation to pre- determined relations of Producti6n but as an integral part of those relations, a5 & social product. This approach has been formulated clearly by the German-critic Walter jamin in his paper 'The Author as Producer! written in the 1930s in the ext of the debate about the 'tendency' of the work of art in its political ientation. Benjamin's attempt to redefine the crucial centre of this question follows: tendency and the quality of literary works. and rightly so. THE POLITICAL ECONOMY | OF HOUSING FoRM© The purpose of this paper is to attempt to define some of the elements of a materialist theory of form in architecture. Gefinition related to concepts of a functional nature rather than to concepts of style. In the past, most attention has been directed by Marxists to stylistic questions, particularly in the field of literature and to a lesser extent in that of the visual arts. These attempts to relate stylistic questions to specific historical and material factors met with very varied success. Apart from the immediate problems involved Of developing the Marxist theory of aesthetics, a subject whose very basis is still under question with problems of the application of dialectical materialism to specific areas of human behaviour, these attempts naturally confronted one of the major theoretical problems of Marxism, that of the relationship between base and superstructure, I began with the unfruitful debate concernin: g the relationship between the This argument is discredited It is regarded as a textbook example of an attempt to deal with literary relationships undialectically, with stereotypes. But what if we treat the same problem dialectically? A ST,MilOi i 148 Starting point from which the Sterile dichotomy of form and content can be Surmounte'd(.2) — For the dialectical treatment of this problem - and now I come to the { heart of the matter = the rigid, isolated object (work, novel, book) is of nO use whatsoever, It must be inserted into the context of living social relations, You rightly Point out that this has been undertaken time and 4cain in the Circle of our friends. Certainly, but the discussion has often moved on directly to larger issues and therefore of necessity, has often drifted into vagueness. Socia) relations, as we know, are determined by Production relations. And when materialist Criticism 4pproached a work, it used to ask what was the Position of that work vis a vis the social prod- uction relations of its time. That is an important question, But 4lso a very difficult one. The answer to it is not always unequivocal. And z should like to Propose a more immediate question for your consideration, A question which is more modest, which goes less far, but which, it seems to me, stands a better chance Of being answered. Instead of asking: what is the Position of a Work vis a vis the Production relations of its time, does it underwrite them, is i¢ reactionary, or doos it asplre to Overthrow them, is it revolutionary? ~— instead of this question, or at any rate before this question, I should like to Propose a different one. Before I ask: what is a work's Position vis a vis the Production relations of its time, x should like to ask: what is its Position within them? This question concerns the function of a Work within the literary Production relations of its time. In other words ft is directly concerned with literary technigue. By mentioning technique I have named the concept which makes literary Products &ccessible to immediate Social, and therefore materialist, analy- Sis. At the Same time, the Concept of technigue represents the dialectical This Passage raises the key issue: that the work of art is itself Produced under given social conditions, under certain relations of Production, at a Particular leve) Of social development of techniques, under its own economic conditions of Production, It does not 4pprear from nowhere against a certain Social background, the Superstructure does not @ppear from nowhere as a reflection of the base, but is itsel¢ Produced under given conditions from the economic base of its own category of Social Production. Any artefact Produced by Society is Produced under the Social relations of that Society, whether it is boots ang linen or books and Paintings. a2} these @rtefacts must have a use value: the Point about Works of art being merely that they enter 4 different Category of use values from the necessities of life Such as boots and linen OF even from its material luxuries, All these artefacts must also possess an exchange value, because al) artists must sel) either their labour Girectly, aS in architecture, theatre or film, or must sell the Products Of their labour, whether Paintings or books. Once alienated from the Producer by their initial Sale, they can become commodities is their own Fight, and may be repositories of exchange value for their owners Or even objects of Pure Speculative interest in a direct money=money relation, In this sense there is little Point in attempting to treat the Production of the work of art in a different manner from the Production of any other commodity, and the Study of the Social conditions ©f production of the indivig- ual commodity, or artefact, or Work of art, is as Benjamin Says in the Passage already Quoted, likely to throw more light on the relation between the Product- 149 or particular and the Production of commodities in What is being studied is not the yeneralised relation between the particular category of works of art and the social relations of production in society as a whole, but the production of a particular commodity or category of commod-: ities as a concrete example of commodity production. The study of the development of one category of commodity production is therefore the Study of an individurl Segment of the total. social process and will expose the development of the particular circumstances of Production of the individual commodity category, such as the changing level of technique, the particular social relations of Production obtaining in that Category, as examples of the total movement of the social forces of Production, ae ettalontda eeeeeeee Sreyeaah1etree { ion of that commodity in { general. ; The generic form of the walk-up block of flats or maisonettes is a solution to the problem of housing people at a certain level of density under certain technical conditions of means of access. Variations of density, created by land costs and Possible rent levels, variations in block spacing created by social concepts of acceptable daylighting and Privacy standards, height of blocks in relation to sectally ‘acceptable means of access, such as numbers of Storeys to climb without lifts, demands for access to certain minimum areas of private open space and so on combine at different Periods to produce the In this paper we wish to concentrate on the Problems of definition of the physical consequences of these social conditions of production as expressed in the production of the Commodity housing. The particular aspect of these 7 physical consequences which we want to define in greater detail is that of the general building form, of the geometrical form of the individual building block. It would clearly be possible to analyse physical consequences at Several levels, from the question of the spatial distribution of Gifferent types of buildings as a function of ground rents, the distribution of types of Social functions within the city, to the level of analysing the changes in the internal planning of houses and how this has reflected changes in the techni- cal level of servicing and the social Structure of family life. (3) In the analysis we use the term ‘generic form' in relation to buildings to denote a formal quality common to a wide range of building types. Thus we arque that the tenements built during the nineteenth century (either by companies to house their workers or by the early municipal slum clearance schemes), and the five and six Storey walk-up blocks of the 53 philanthropy of the Peabody and Similar trusts at the turn of the century, and the inter-war local authority flats of four and five Storeys (usually balcony access), and the post-war four and three Storey blocks, culminating in the current designs for four storey Maisonettes (usually with a stepped section or ziggurat appearance) are all variations on a typical generic form, and that the differences between them ‘ i Particular variations to the generic form described above. are a development or a sophistication of the generic form into the particular form. The economic determinants of housing form which we wish to analyse in this paper are those which are fundamental to the Process of housing development in Britain, which determine the form of housing under capitalist market condit- ions, and Which determine the form of housing provided by the state under monopoly capitalism(,4) 9°©|.°————————___ ~ ile Hot ae J Whond jie Va \S Wold ouncy =Ne hee ett 150 pitalist conditions the Purpose t, and at least the average try. There is no Supply of new le to pay enough rent or a + Thus the production Ger conditions where the ssional architects (with their fively and by Producing ation. hi are those arising from sale. The conditions of production of this Sector of the As with any other commodity produced under ca of building houses to sell is to realise a profi rate of profit obtaining in that Sector of indus housing forthcoming for those social groups unab high enough purchase Of the cheaper commercial housing takes Place un reduction of - He naturally tends to reduce the costs of avoiding the use of profe minimum scales of fees), by using designs repeti The decline of the private rental sector gains from the appreciation of house prices Sectors of the population for access to the Owner-occupation market, The Principal source of finance in this market, the building Societies, have thus been in a position (paradoxically, in view of the diversification of demands made on them) to exercise cautious and conservative criteria in selecting in deciding how much to lend, admit perhaps one half of a wife's income when Calculating borrowing Capacity, and occasionally the earnings of single women. There is a somewhat greater willingness to experiment with Unconventional borrowers and properties on the Part of local authorities although the former may run into problems relating to legal title - for example communal Ways of living would require an identi- inherently simple designs requiring little elabor, fiable legal Structure such as a limited company which may not be ideologically acceptable to the Purchasers involved. >» The essential feature of the market for Speculative housing is that the commodity for sale is not the individual house as such but the legal title to occupy a building on a Particular plot of land. This Question of legal title has far reaching implications in terms of the capitalist legal System, partic- ularly in relation to the structure of the nuclear family in capitalist Society and the position of the male ‘head Of the family' as the dominant form of the production and reproduction of the family. These problems arise from the insecure position of the building societies - @ product of their Position within the capitalist financial Structure. Build- ing societies are dependent upon the funds of small investors, offering a convenient means of investing money on a short term basis. Since the societies |! are borrowing short ang investing long, with a requirement for almost instant withdrawals by the lenders, they depend upon Creating a slaw changing market with an exceptionally high level of. confidence. This involves them in Protect- ing themselves against any Possible need for foreclosures: were these to happen on any scale, the increase in the supply of housing would lower prices and investors would face possible losses, this could lead to a demand for withdrawals and the complete collapse of the market. This problem also has the consequence ibility that lending money only on those Properties that most Closely approach the norm, narrowly defined in accommodation, appearance and construction, and the Possibility of capital gives rise to demands by widening Aveinon etJ 150 the purpose least the average is no Supply of new As with any other commodity produced under capitalist conditions of building houses to sell is to realise a Profit, and at rate of profit obtaining in that Sector of industry. There housing forthcoming for those social Qroups unable to Pay enough rent or a high enough purchase price to yield this rate of return. Thus the Production of the cheaper commercial housing takes Place under conditions where the reduction of costs 1s essential to the builder. He naturally tends to reduce the costs of design by avoiding the use of Professional architects (with their minimum scales of fees), by using designs repetitively and by producing inherently simple designs requiring little @laboration. gal title to occupy a building on a Particular plot of land. This question of legal title of the production and reproduction of the family. y' as the dominant form has far reaching implications in terms of the Capitalist legal System, partic- ularly in relation to the structure of the nuclear family in capitalist society and the Position of the male ‘head of the famil The decline of the private rental sector and the Possibility of capital gains from the appreciation of house prices gives rise to demands by widening Sectors of the population for access to the owner=occupation market, The Principal source of finance in this market, the building Socicties, have thus been in a position (paradoxically, in view of the diversification of demands made on them) to exercise cautious and conservative criteria in selecting borrowers and houses to leng on and in deciding how much to lend. They now admit perhaps one half of a wife's income when calculating borrowing Capacity, and occasionally the earnings of single women, There is a somewhat greater willingness to experiment with unconventional borrowers and Properties on the Part of local authorities although the former may run into problems relating to legal title - for example communal Ways of living would require an identj- fiable legal Structure such as a limited company which may not be ideologically acceptable to the Purchasers involved, These problems arise from the insecure position of the building societies - 4& product of their Position within the Capitalist financia) Structure. Build- ing societies are dependent upon the funds of small investors, offering a convenient means of investing money on a short term basis. Since the societies are borrowing short ana investing long, with a requirement for almost instant withdrawals by the lenders, they depend upon Creating a slaw changing market with an exceptionally high level of. confidence. This involves them in protect- ing themselves against any Possible need for foreclosures: were these to happen on any Scale, the increase in the Supply of housing would lower prices and investors would face possible losses, this could lead to a demand for withdrawals and the complete collapse of the market. This problem also has the consequence that building societies must protect themselves against the poss- ibility that Properties may lose their value or be difficult to resel) by lending money only on those Properties that most Closely approach tho norm, narrowly defined in accommodation, appearance and Construction, leeeeeee |} commitments for communal areas. term management | A The other fundamental determinant of form in this co! OF |. Since the Selling price of a house is so heavily influenced by location, ana -so ne hee e nttn ep-evhemeal tee ae 151 Therefore building societies also prefer to sell to the most Stable unit of Social relations - the nuclear family, preferably headed bY 4 male wage earner and also with an emphasis on Stability of income, hence white collar Salary eCarnérs are preferred to blue collar wage earners, The sale of a legal title to land has the consequence that @verything which iS not sold to individual owners must be designed to be adopted ‘by the local |} design of roads, footpaths, verges, open spaces and Streetlighting. This necessity arises because the housebuilding Companies are int ey vig45 ca lg 5 ca ® r ? a =mh 2 3ce a 2, °o t the builders ntext is the method of peration of the housebuilders themselves and their relation to the landowner. It was these last which led to the failure of Span over their development at New Ash Green. Set of determinant paper factors such the social Planning reasons for the es of cities or the part played by q @uthority and must conform to its Standards, This has an obvious impact on the the sale of ‘the Commodity itself, and wish to avoid any long the borrowing Capacity of individuals by the building Societies, work backwards from the price of the house ¢© arrive at a residual amount which is what they can afford to bid for the land. There are two main variables in this process. The first, density, is now generally fixed by the Planning authority so that any density ‘increase {obtainable after the land is bought) will be a windfall Profit; the second is the size, shape and construction cost of the houses themselves. The position of the landowner is so Strong (owing to the existence of other builders towhom he could equally sell) as to force the builder to reduce the construction cost of houses, so far as local competition allows, in order to maximise the residual amount wh land. It is therefore inevitable that in the market for housing for sale, the be reduced to the simplest rectangle constructed from the cheapest materials(5,) The only exception to this can come when there is very strong competition in @ particularly sophisticated sector of the market. This can be seen operat- ing in the case of Span and Wates, who are 4ppealing to the young married rofessional market in the South East = a situation where the consumer is both phisticated and has a very wide range of potential choice, from a flat in Own tO a reasonable sized house in the country. In order to attract this market sector,these companies have been forced to increase their competitive- ness by offering an increased Specification, a more complex appearance to the houses, greater emphasis on communal and shared spaces, a greater expenditure on landscaping and the introduction of long-term managerial responsibilities. In the case of housing provided by the state a different factors operates, It is not intended to investigate in this 2s land costs, the role of interest rates, rehousing of the working class in the centr j Private capital in the centres of cities or the part played by private capital “ppropriating Private profit from the provision of local authority housing. ; Other papers in this collection concern themselves with such topics. The main factor which will be analysed here is the manner in authority housing is determined by a complex system on the level of state expenditure, interacting with technology. —s After 1945 a common form of housing was the walk-up point block of between four and five storeys around a central stair. This was as high as housing management felt that tenants would be prepared to walk to their front doors. Tiiis form was soon replaced by the three to four storey walk-up block and the six storey lift block. Six storeys became the norm for a time partly because it could be served by only one lift without undue hardship during failures, and partly because the central government subsidies incréased from 38s. per annum per flat up to five storeys to 50s. at six storeys and over: thus a block six storeys high would often be treated more favourably for subisdy Purposes than a rather higher or lower one. The next development was a rapid increase in height to 100 ft or about eleven storeys. This came about because until 1956 when the separate subsidy for lifts was abolished, the government made an allowance of 10 guineas per annum for each dwelling served by a lift up to a maximum of fifty dwellings per lift. This figure tended to become a local authority standard for the maximum number of dwellings serviced by lifts. A number of other factors also reinforced this height. Section 51 of the London Building Act, for example, gave the right to owners or occupiers whose property lay within 300 f of a new building designed to exceed 100 ft in height to object on grounds of loss of amenity. The London Building Act requirements for access for fire fighting and for means of escape also changed at over 100 ft. Mains water pressure in many districts was inadequate over this height without boosting or additional storage facilities. One hundred feet was a reasonable maximum for low speed (100 ft per min.) lifts: the lift for a 5 storey block at that period would cost £2,500, only another £500 being required to increase in height to eleven Storeys but an additional £1,000 would have been required for a high speed lift. After a number of legislative problems were overcome, the point bjock increased to between 20 and 22 storeys on the basis of two lifts serving alternate floors, as the maximum possible utilisation. This type of analysis could be made for every aspect of local authority housing, demonstrating how the authorities and their designers exploit the financing system. This is a quite different problem fromthe straightforward reduction of building cost operated by the commercial builder. In the case of local authority housing, there are no market forces in terms of differential rent levels (or very much reduced ones) to constrain the individual designer and there has been no direct popular control over the designer's priorities. This has resulted in the familiar situation that the designs of local authority housing are able to become increasingly bizarre and removed from those of thic ‘market sector’ where at least some element of consumer choice operates. 152 This control does not operate solely through the mechanism of the Housing Cost Yardstick, but in a more detailed fashion through the individual regula- tions governing every aspect of housing, and which have therefore come to represent not minima but norms. The operation of this process can be seen if we take the example of the height of point blocks and analyse their change over time. This is to ignore other factors which assisted the development of this form of housing, ranging from the convenience of the point block for dealing with the vexing question of on-site decanting of residents while re- development takes place, to the desire of some architects for a form (in a Platonic sense) which provides aesthetic emphasis in an essentially sculptural “urban design’ process. ai Michael Jones & Bichard Fill NOTES 2. BENJAMIN, Walter, ‘The Author as Producer'. 153 i: The form of speculative housing develops along an opposite path to that of local authority housing. In the house for sale on the market, the generic form is extremely generalised - the minimal rectilinear box - while the individual elements of the house such as the level of servicing or the provision of specific amenities or the design of functional areas is unconstrained and varies from builder to builder. In the case of the local authority house, the individual elements are strictly defined both in terms of nationally applicable ndards and in terms of specific feedback from tenants mediated through ‘ng management, but the overall form and the plan relationships are uncon- strained except by the relation between subsidy, and financial control and technolocy already discussed. +. This version of the paper incorporates revisions and notes by the editor- ial group which reflect discussion in the workshop of a draft and in later correspondence and discussion with the authors, the authors’ own revisions not being to hand at the time of going to press. (Eds.) 3. Many of the other papers in this collection relate to aspects of this analytical problem: numbers 2, 3 and 4 on rent and the consequences of Private land ownership, number 5 on the form and equipment of high rise flats and. number 6 on residential development. The reference to the family in this paper indicates one of the major gaps in the collection as a whole: & consideration of the family as the basic unit of social organisation and of the occupation of dwellings. An analysis of the crisis of social rela- tions surrounding and beyond the family would-help to clarify both many aspects of the physical form of housing (e.g. the elimination of communal rooms and services from groups of dwellings) and the authoritarianism and paternalism of public housing management. Paper 7 on housing associations is also relevant here. 4 discussion of the contrasting building forms generated by leasehold and freehold development under capitalism has been withdrawn by the authors at this point pending further work on the inter-relationship of density, ground rent and construction costs. (Eds.) In this context the proliferation of stylistic variations in speculative housing is seen not as a weakening of the generic form but as a kind of Product. differentiation applied within it. (Eds.) Dear Novemberist, sense.) Production '. os Reproduction promised, notes from our last session (6/Feb/80) Justin/ John McK uLLExekxayprauekex and Doug offered approaches for the critical analysis of Alexandra Road; J/J vacked seminar Sessions, for instance on one particular piece of erticism (case study) or on a mode of criticism (ideology) or on a comparison (South Woodham Perrars before and after). Through seminar papers we can & pet ushy to agreement on'{me thodology for the group. It was suggested that Jane Darke talk about her paper. She declin hurxuze she is unhappy with the Althusserian Base/Superstructure model it uses, having read EB, P Thompson's critque ( in ‘Poverty of Theory'.) The paper also needed to further unpack the notion of zeitgiest/ concensus model, she said, and show more clearly how buildings reflect: the dominant class rather than the spirit of the age. So Doug talked about his diagram which attempted to locate archi in relation to production and reproduction (usei in the Althuss-< see Cynthia Coekburns "The Local State'. Althusser Suggests that the management of society is now located in lieoloszic institutions as firmly as in state apparatuses, Habermas (The Leritimation Cyisis') reckons that modern capitalism is constantly fretting itself in a twist by rising expectations without meeting them and must therefore continually ideology; an inversion of social relations; ie, the Opposite of real tegitimise its activity ideo from jos 31 DAVENANT ROAD N19 01-272 7556 7/2/80 b legitimators!.... a matrix with parts that don't fit ana therefare cause legitimation problems? Education is ang essential part in ideology, and linke to notions of professionalism. See Johnsons "Professions and Power." In dicussion Lipman's category of total architecture was linked back | to the ideclogy of professionalasm and of patronage; architects here offer a coherent and orderdd image which can be distinguished and | separated from other forms; as identifiable objects. Look at Coin Strret / Posters Hammersmith to investigate contradictions between total architecture and community. There was some criticism of Dougs diagram in that it applied that everything linked back, and was directly related to the repression necessary for the continuation of capital. Although capitalism can j be seen as the current dominant mode that pervades all ways -of life, | aspects of it can also be appropriated by other groups besidesthe iominant | class and used against capitalism; moreover, repressive controls often embody contradiction — housing for instance may be in the service of capitalbutitalsorepresentsarealvictorySOFteyorengClgSeee hnuxxzngx c 7S Someone suggested looking at John Bergers analysis of culturxal appropriation wix“apitzk by capitalism in "Ways of Seeing" or Raymond Willians "Country and the City" or Mark Girouards "Country Houses", which shows how architectural styles reinforced social relations. Architects lesign bhildings that other people make; economics will affect style, however architects retain a degree of artistic autonomy. : But any criticxsm from the group should not fall into Nop*dateinedy gohsiscgere" presuming these asethetic choices to h-ve a separate existence from political reality; elegance relategs to economy an obsession with consistency and order relates to reproduction; a coherent visual world somehow implées a coherent social order..... does that mean that architects should design disorder? Within a exptizx capitalist mode of production attempts at disorden/ worker or user participant (with wuz disorder architecturally'showing' participation) are undertaken within the traditional power structure; this could be seen as a relative autonomy that is merely repressive tolerance 5 allowing worker control at unimportant levels to release frustrations which might otherwise lead to real class struggle. Vernacular in council housing indicates this sort of gloss, as does conservation, p Fp Lots of love Jane and Doug promised to produce reading lists; Jane surgested anything by the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies at Birmingham (particularly "Women Take Issue") for useful methodologies. SereSEe UTE -eae FEEge ee wD We then dicussed Alexandra Road; Jane had sail eatlier that in that case architecture had been usea to lemitimatée x housing on,a site which should never have been used for that purpose. She also sugsested that the group should not place judgement on the estate; that in the end it was the occupiers opinion that mattered. We agreed that the object was not to give (or not give) a seal of approval tb Alexandra Road. ; But were we after the same things? Do we want to investigate the process of production of the building? Do we want to form opinions? Should we investigate more fully other processes ( the deskilling of the building iniustry for instance — which in turn relates back to the artisic autonomy allowed to architects and the 2 privileged position therefore gained)? Gah the WHR wrrovet- asyecti f oneheteohie whet, ave Yahkew Pr grvdiot ebentire? We agreed to use Alexandra Road in order to develop our levels of architectural criticism. : Hach person is therefore asked AT THE NEX2 MEETING to produce a statement outlining how they might undertake a study of Alexandra Road, NEXT MEETING IS fUES 4 MARCH at 5 Dyeyden Street, -imda London WC2 at 7pm NOVEMBER GROUP Meeting - 2th March,1980 MINUTES: Alternative approaches suggested- Present: Graeme, Sue, Fran, Jos, Celia, Justin, Denise, John, Emez & Nezdet, Adrain & Sunand. “ We discussed the relation of Neave Brown to Camden architects dept.- how were his ideas accepted ahd how far did they reflect Camdens housing policy at the time? Justing had spoken to Corin Hugh-Stanton, who was chairman of the Camden Housing Committee during \#his period, and who had offered to talk to us about it. His view was that AR Wag too particular - why not look at Camdens redevelopment programme for 3 arneas- i) Gospel Oak, designed before the Archs Dept was set up, and before the cost yardstick, in 3 phases. ii) - Marchmont St Comprehensive redevelopment - similar to AR but never completed as it was too large for-phasing._— iii) Alexandra Road - consciously designed so that it had to be completed. Camden are about to publish a confidential report on the politics of AR. To examine the politics of form and the politics of style - There was further general discussion about the choice of Alexandra Road (AR) as the subject of a particular study - no special papers were presented. Teymur discussed a student scheme of ‘building analysis' he had tutored at Southbank Poly - which was particularly relevant as they had taken 4 housing schemes around and including AR, but the conclusions were too personal — he thought it was more important to discuss methodology further than focus on one scheme - but his material may be useful to us. Agreed we would do both. To examine other schemes generated by the same brief, in the manner of John McKeans Essex University Study- For AR could also be seen as a management programme, both as finished product with its social relations, and as process, with the social relations of its production. for instance, why is the site zoned as it is, with uninteerrupted housing and isolated blocks of social services apendares - childrens homes etc at the ends? Adrian/Jos disoussed the review by Bob Maxwell - they preferred criticism of the built form ‘as/ found" rather than levelled et the conschousms of the designer re. Maxwells approach. To examine urchitectural writing/criticism as a form of ideology - architectural reviews as 'products' - Celia questioned to what degree design and style had to do with spatial organisation, and asked whether a comparative study of AR with Darbourne % Darkes Essex Road scheme would be useful - the schemes had cifferent 'forms' and 'styles' - but the spatial organisation may heve the same social consequences? Graeme commented that the concern of the group, he felt, was to look at building as product rather than as process - to examine 3 schemes:would be more a study of the politics of housing provision.- and are the specific political circumstances relevant anyway? Could it be more a problem of design ideology and form? In answer to Teymur, Adrian stressed that it was impossible to do one ideal analysis- we could only do ‘interpretations from a point of view.' NOVEMBER GROUP Meeting - 24th March,1980 MINUTES: Alternative. approaches suggested- There was further general discussion about the choice of Alexandra Road (AR) as the subject of a particular study - no special papers were presented. Teymur discussed a student scheme of ‘building analysis' he had tutored at Southbank Poly - which was particularly relevant as\they had taken 4 housing schemes around and including AR, but the conclusions were too personal - he thought it was more important to discuss methodology further than focus on one scheme - but his material may be useful to us. Agreed we would do both. Adrian/Jos disgussed_the review by Bob Maxwell - they preferred criticism of the built form *as{ found' rather than levelled at the conscdousress of the designer re. Maxwells a Broach. Present: Graeme, Sue, Fran, Jos, Celia, Justin, Denise, John, Emez & Nezdet, Adrain & Sunand. : We discussed the relation of Neave Brown to Camden architects dept.- how were his ideas accepted ahd how far did they reflect Camdens housing policy at the time? Justing had spoken to Corin Hugh-Stanton, who was chairman of the Camden Housing Committee during \this period, and who had offered to talk to us about it. His view was that AR Was too particular - why not look at Camdens redevelopment programme for 3 areas- i) Gospel Oak, designed before the Archs Dept was set up, and before the cost yardstick, in 3-.phases. ii) - Marchmont St Comprehensive redevelopment - similar to AR but never completed as it was too large for-phasing.— iii) Alexandra Road - consciously designed so that it had to be completed. Camden are about to publish a confidential report on the politics of AR. To examine other schemes generated by the same brief, in the manner of John McKeans Essex University Study- To examine the politics of form and the politics of style - For AR could also be seen as a management programme, both as finished product with its social relations, and as process, with the social relations of its production. For instance, why is the site zoned as it is, with unintecrrupted housing and isolated blocks of social services apendares - childrens homes ete at the ends? To examine urchitectural writing/criticism as a form of ideology - architectural reviews as 'products' - Celia questioned to what degree design and style had to do with spatial organisation, and asked whether a comparative study of AR with Darbourne «= Darkes Essex Road scheme would be useful - the schemes had eifferent 'forms' and 'styles' - but the spatial organisation may heve the same social consequences? Graeme commented that the concern of the group, he felt, was to look at building as product rather than as process - to examine 3 schemes-would be more a study of the politics of housing provision.- and are the specific political circumstances relevant anyway? Could it be more a problem of design ideology and form? In answer to Teymur, Adrian stressed that it was pupassi ble to do one ideal analysis- we could only do ‘interpretations from a point of view.' Further questions to be answered - |\[ References for Alexandra Road: Next Meetings: Monday, 24st April,i980@ Cullinans Office i Monday 28th April,1980 DYA P.S. 7d Dy cenastann Road, at 7.30 (entrance from yard) @ UCL at 7.00 with Corin Hugh-Stanton - discussion Room 4.01 One ‘point of view' was a Hillier-type spatial analysis. Doug is doing one for AR, Jos could do the corner blocks near AR, and Justin could do a comparative scheme such as Essex Road. Sunand presented some plans of AR site layout with some press comments. He asked whether the stress on technical criteria such as the "noise problem'could be exaggerated - a further justification for the formal approach of Browns scheme — it had not been stressed to the same degree in the tower blocks. Neave Brown wanted to - JONES, Ed,article in AD, Vol 48 nos 8-9, 1978 (issue on France)on Fleet Road HUGH-STANTON, Corin, article in Buildine Design, Sept/Oct 1978 together with anonymous reply a week later BANHAM, Reyner, articlein New Sotiety, approx August, 1978. BROWN, Neave, article The Forms of Housing in AD, Sept, 1967 JONES, Ed, article in Architects Journal 8th Sept.19/6 MAXWELL, Bob , Architectural Review, Aug,1979 review of scheme "rework the London terrace! (compare with Hillier analyses of typical terraces) create ‘a model of democratic architecture! a Team 10 approach — create ‘streets as machines for delivering people.' John suggested a_short-¢ t of looking at press cuttings on AR in Camdens Dept. Graeme sugrested setting! up a working Barty to find a 'framerork for action'. This was agreed anf Justin, Jos, Graeme & Sunand agreed to meet and report back. Justin sugeested re-reading Jane JACOBS, The Death and Life of Great American Cities. Why so much play space, breaking-up the 'parks'? What is Camdens policy on direct access from housing to public space? What were the problems with site boundaries - was the incorporation of the Ainsworth Estate complicated by the handover of GLC housing stock to Camden? Check the date of the setting up 6f the Architects Department Who designed the tower blocks? What was the role of SAG Cook? What was the role of the building companies? There seemed to be & lobby in the Architects Dept for formal solutions, and a need for a scheme to be a\pace setter - was this scheme AR? What were the contemporary commnents-in-the local and national press:on the scheme? \ John McKean would be very glad to have any comments on a piece he wrote in the AJ recently on two Hampshire Schools. He would be pleased to see argued responses using his piece as a taking off point for a discussion about the assesment of buildings for and by the architectural profession sent to the AJ for publication. The Buildings Editor would be keen on receiving this sort of material. If a number of considered comments could be offered to the AJ it would help raise the level of discussion usually found in its pages. Can we also bring some considered views on the piece for discussion at the next meeting. P Pp was inevitable and that , rather than att mpt value judgem problems of relating words to drawings tempt to develop a more democratic ter hi were more informing, ' is ie le however naysre seen as existing @ precondit to change would be Se sions and ieneicee to form a newPAGnineT sae which conchudes ds and terms in _and to S was impossible, invariably tied to partichlar convention alyse the editorials of views over lue to this problem. Nec had done to the captions of the Aalto ex Robin would also an Lipman ‘Architectur t there the devel should read Willter'e (An4+na?)\ ©O study how technological Iknowledce was us ersective over the last 70 ye rs. To of "innovatio . On the one hand was the stock in trade of architects, their '‘imagination’. If this were not a he been superceded by other ‘technical’ ion was that there was noreal innovation in echnolory was cevelpoed eieeraetne profession, applied this Imowledge to bufliings. 1t there are two basic kinds of prof Imoul which can be learnt from books and procedurised, erminate' Imowledge, which concerns judgement, sensid i with precedents. It can only be learnt by personAL cultural tradition. ‘Innovation’ is a fairly recent ae al justification. ects had little part to5 plas except when it s distinction separated science from out the paradox of Corb rendering blockwork buil1dir concrete, whiile FLY concealed his sophisticateds orvi pecific technologies were adopted for simple aesth ic sugeested that ‘technical’ knowledge is usua}ly more derminate' knowledge, which is essentially consse particular tools ract een Nash Recrnneeic promenade, Regency building. G vere sinilar © those apenas in lity’, munich is not Conficmed by act 3. Straig¢ htenness was seen as monotonous and Sorinnt curvefreesthebuildingfrommechanistivicassoSas Fron down and rationalistic, it is formal and well-craft the actual construction of the cross walls themselves, Tac Nec wondered if there was a process of innovation in council| which could then be applied to the private sector. It may be wers pega innovationwentfrompublictoprivate(egtowers, , but there was also a reverse process where social onl the wivate to the public. Apparently Dick Hobin argues is used-to suit the needs of the building industry, rather% consumers, and hés made a study of Camden with that in min talk to tenants groups and the mainkexannte manen crent tried to obtain contract and cost files, but while the continues, there is little hard info available. Nec will use his student work in a manner prallel to Robin > patterns of concepts, but he requires the development of a ¢ will exanine only written work, and not the scheme itself. Prorxa 1 July Sunand & Graere/John tp present outline 12th August Nec ditto 16th September Dousiee/ouatin ditto Ay} m All neetings on Turesday at 7.00 at 57d Jamestown Rd, Arm ACS ce 1? © bcd ona NAM NOVEMBERISTS Very belated (v. sorry) notes on Meeting held of 15th July 1980 PRESENT: Nec, Graeme, Sunand, Adrian, Justin, Celia, Robin, Renata, Alexi, Ron. As previously arranged we began to discuss our individual specific findings in an attempt to concentrate our efforts. Sunand's investigations of tenants' views based on interviews. Housing Department Easy to pun estate but any problem can become a big problem because of size of estate;first tenants selected: graffiti-free perhaps largely because of evening patrolling demanded by insurer of the glass lifts. Big issues include - cats (dogs are banned) heating (erratic and complicated) Other issues include - old people v. kids (noise) cross ventilation difficult in A block internal kitchens unpopular Out of sight car parking unpopular upper gallery in A block floods no more and probably less than its share of management resources to run it. Tenant Rep. "Street" Seems to work, e.g. 6 p.m. on a nice evening; Considerable "pride" in estate -"Costa del Rowley", i.e. more Mediterranean hotel image Tourists can be a drag; A definite success. Novemberists!' Comments: than Council estate; To what extent is the "popularity" due to lavish expense and great attention and good management? Compared with other Camden estates, Alexandra Road demands Is Alexandra Road draining off "good" tenants and thus leaving Abbey Road to collect all the "problems"? A tide of desirability - check child density - what is anti- social behaviour especially when thereis a high degree of self-surveillance? The rent rebate system tends to destroy rent as a regulator. Newness versus design - Frankenberg's work and Milton Keynes experience could help. How does the design eliminate the ventilated lobby and satisfy means of escape requirements? NAM NOVEMBERISTS How does the domestic space "read" to the occupants? Do all estates necessarily enjoy popularity for only a limited time and therefore encourage movement from one estate to the next? Do Camden analyse their estates and if so how? They do not use the DoE kit. While social control on an estate is based on private propery ideology, many tenants' associations want "good management." There was a necessarily unresolved discussion about the need for a theoretical framework for such work but much appreciation of an empirical '‘ear.' Check out John Mason - DoE's historical management study. What is the particular knowledge that causes the design profession to exist and how does that relate to the building produced? What can architects keep for themselves and what can be ‘made more democratic.'? (Technical v indeterminate knowledge, etc.). Does historical precedent inform context does the design of housing happen? Is there a false apposition between ae solving and the modification of precedents? llow is Alexandra Road an incorporated bit of a city? How is Alexandra Road a "type" of estate? Next meeting was held on August 12 at 7.30 p.m. The one after will be held on September 16 at 7.30 p.m. at 57d Jamastown Road, London NW1. page 2 design? And in what Graeme raised some areas of interest to be developed with John which included: NAM NOVEMBERTSTS I. Presentation by Doug Smith a) Site layout. Alpha analysis shows that the strest has been ‘overconstituted! while the park is ‘unconstituted' i.e. all access to dwellings is from the street, and even maisonettes with gardens adjacent SUMMARY OF MESTING, 14th October, 1980 NAM Annual Conference will be held in Edinburgh 7th - 9th November. Details from 01 272 0580 after 6 p.m. Doug presented the analysis of Alexandra Road he has so far completed in two parts: firstly, the contrast between Alexandra Rd's street and a traditional street and secondly, an analysis of the estate and dwelling layout based on Bill Hillier's techniques. A brief summary of the analysis is presented below. a tanitneLD Next Meeting of Novembrists will be held on Wednesday 19th November at 7.30 p.m., 57D Jamestown Road, NW1. At that meeting we will discuss the group's achievements so far and future directions, Attended by : Adrian} Robin; Jos; Nec; Graeme; Giles; Doug; Sunand; John M~.; Alexi Ellis' article in On The Streets (Ed. S Anderson) compares the physical and social characteristics of a traditional street with the transformed street system of new council estates as follows: The traditional street is part of 4 continuous system in which buildings and road form a united element; change can be accomm- Odated along the edge by changing ind‘ vidual buildings; little social information is carried; it is dense and permeable i.e. one can get anywhere along it; it provides a rich encounter system for random_and unstructured events. By contrast, the transformed street System of new council estates is made up of islands and barriers which cannot absorb change; less ground coverage; less permeable sparsely spaced buildings; undifferentiated left over spaces; concentration on object to object relationship, not object to topography; high level of social information is carried usually about a single use on the site; unstructured events are eliminated; houses are off the street; controlled by state agencies; visitors are conspicuous; women are isolated; children's play is isolated (either from adults when play occurs in open space or from children when play occurs in flats); old people require special facilities; space is designed to separate and control people whether in the form of blocks of flats or garden cities. i) Pratitional street vs Alexandra Road Doug suggests that the pre-demolition wide streets of Alexandra Rd bounded by large semi-detached é@xellings approximates Ellis' des- cription of an untransformed street while the new 'street' has little to do with the traditional pattern - it doesn't G0 anywhere, ds not continuous with the rest of the city, and, although most Gwellings are reached via the street, no front doors are situated on it, Hillieresoue Analysis (abbreviated summary - details & diagrams from Doug) yi di) Hillieresoue Analysis ~- The uninitiated in the Group had some difficulty with the assumptions and language (jargon) of the Hillier analytical system (dogma). b) Dwelling layout Analysis of room configuration leads to the conclusion that for all dwelling types save 1 bedroor flats, the kitchen is consistently the ‘deepest! space. Doug concludes that Neave rown's ideal house design is that of a "Hampstead dinner party space' in which the kitchen, and by implication the woman, has been isolated from other activities in the dwellivg and is under the 'control' of the male-dominated spaces through which the kitchen is reached. Since this is an obviously disfunctional arrangement for other activities such as childcare, Doug concludes that the arrangement has come about for symbolic value. The kitchen has become the inner sanctum. The carefully detailed finishes emphasise its symbolic importance, II. Discussion i)Traditional street to the park have no direct access to it. This has several effects: the park is of little value to the residents; the street and hence the residents are highly controlled; the. street is oppressive to non-residents. The ‘axiality' of the design i.e. the fact that long range vistas of the scheme are provided, indicate the importance of the scheme and invite public use. - It was felt that Ellis! description idealised traditional street form and life in a way which conformed neither with physical reality nor residents! attitudes to the street which was in fact often viewed as noisy, polluted, unprivate. = John pointed out that other designers have justified different designs by alluding to traditional street values which they were purportedly emulating e.g. Smithsons' Golden Lane comp- etition entry defining street as a place where milk floats could go. : - The stepped section of Alexandra Ra was in itself a form which differentiates it from traditional streets. - This difficulty was increased by the fact that no Hillier analysis is yet available of more conventional housing to facilitate comparisons, and by the fact that some of the key relationships depend on non-intuitive results reached with aid of computerised calculations. - Anxieties were also voiced on the validity of developing a spatial language which does not include the people using and controlling the space. - Jos summarised the main implicit assumption. of the analytical ' scheme as the Goal of creating an open spatial system in which all routes are open to non-residents. The analysis is therefore concerned with entries and accessibility from one space to another. It disregards other factors such as distance, scale, héight, volume or other spatial qualities, and icnores quality of materials, finishes or style. It cannot accomuodate the concept of who controls boudaries at this stage. a) Site layout bd) Dwelling Lavout ~ Et was pointed out that at this stage, the language is still being devised, definitions are being altered, and further° developments can be expected. Only 2 other residential developments have as yet been examined: Boundary St and Marquess Rd, ~- Doug's conclusions seemed to have been corroborated by Sunand's findings from discussions with resident repres- entatives and housing management i.e. the street seems to work as a focus of unstructured activity while the park is underutilised and definitely not loved. - The implied causal relationship between ‘axiality' (long vista) and attraction of visitors and tourists to places like Alexandra Rd was disputed. ~ The need for comparative analysis with other dvellings was mentioned several times - The argument that the kitchen location has symbolic import needed to be considered against the argument that the location was determined purely by functional requirements, i.e., Given the constraints of (usually) single aspect dwellings with Parker Morris standards the kitchen must be located toward the back of the dwelling with access through living or dining areas. ~ The concept of ‘control! of spaces and implied extension to control of female by male requires clarification since it appears as either environmental determinism or a simple case of a pathetic fallacy. ‘ ——— - The discussion didn't really end there but continued in one of the local pubs. However by that late hour no thought was given to the minutes... See you at the next meeting, 19th November. Apologies from: Adrian Present: Robin, Sunand, Doug, Nec, Alexi, Celia, Justin, Graeme. NAM'S NOVEMBERISTS 1ST BIRTHDAY MEETING - NOVEMBER 19TH 1980 The meeting started with a report from Giles (not present) on the recent NAM Conference in Edinburgh, noting its mood of militancy in reaction to the current climate and its decision to concentrate opposition to the dismantling of the welfare state. A report from our group was submitted though only as a written Paper which was not discussed very much. What reaction there was tended to scepticism about the relevance of work in Architectural Theory - albeit engaging political economy — at a time when rather more fundamental issues were at stake. Giles and John had defended the work of the group, pointing out that it was vital not to abandon the field of theory to the mainly reactionary gurus currently enjoying vogue. The meeting felt that our report was an accurate description of the group's work so far - its necessary briefness highlighting our lack of focusbut failing to do justice to the great Geal of interest and fresh thought that this first year's meetings had generated. There was a general discussion about the group - its past and the problems of its future. Sunand and others felt that the 'academics' had the time to Pursue these interests, and did background work anyhow, while the 'practitioners' did not. Doug and Graeme explained the similar difficul- ties for the 'academics' especially for those on Hillier's course. There were diverse views on the need/desirability for producing finished work. Nec felt that given the different approaches of members, we should fix our aim On @ presentation in 6 months and then deal with the editorial problem. Alexi reminded us that we need not (/should not?) confine ourselves to Alexandra Road. Adrian who could not attend had sent a message to the same effect. It was finally agreed to Produce draft papers (not outlines of the work that would lead up to a Paper). It was decided that we should present the papers at an all-day session on Sunday March lst Starting at 10 a.m. at Justin's house, 54 Southwood Lane, London N6. Tel: 01-348 0735. All members should bring some drink and some dish/food to share. : it was decided to hold a pre-meeting at 7.30 p.m. on Thursday 19th February at Jacques Wine Bar, Tavistock Square, London WCl, to allow pre-distribution of Papers. This is strictly voluntary and allows people to work in their preferred way. Members should bring 18 copies of their papers typed with a large margin to allow room for others to comment either on 19th February or on lst March. If you do not/cannot bring your paper on the 19th, please write by then to Sunand and Robin with a 2-line description of your theme to allow some ordering of the day. t is intended that this one-day session will permit the group to assess its future direction or indeed existence! We edited the list of members as~follows:- Denise Arnold 85 Grove Lane London SE5 703 9896 Jos Boys 31 Davenant Road London N19 Justin De Syllas 54 Southwood Lane London N6 Adrian Forty c/o Bartlett School of Arch. Gordon Street London WCl Jane Darke 173 Rustings Drive Sheffield S1l 7AD 0742 66 l4o Benedict. Foo 44 Grafton Terrace 272 7556 348 0735 London NW5 Graeme Geddes 13 Curtis House Morecame Street London SE17 John McKean 7O Thornhill Road Barnsbury Square London Nl Robin Nicholson 7 Highbury Place London N5 485 2267 Giles Pe body 48 Sutherland Square London SE17 703 7775 Celia Scott 3 Mall Studios Tasker Road London NW3 485 2689 Nec & Emel Teymur328 9550 31 Lauradale Road&8&3 4061 London N2 633 7170 Renate Prince 83 Fitzjohns Avenue London NW3 435 4278 Sunand Prasad 125 Grosvenor Avenue London N5 485 2267 Douglas Smith 17 Delancey Street London Nwl 267 8268 Julia Wilson-Jones 48 Sutherland Square London SE17 703 7775 633 8340 703 7140 387 7050 ; 607 0700 Alexi Marmot 58 Woodsome Road London NW5 John Murray 37 Landrock Road London N&8& 485 6341 340 359 > Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Novemberist 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 November 1979-1981 https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/30fc6eb4f053fce58877841f6edb5fb4.pdf 3dc62fbb1209cce5ab0c110de3b2a69a 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 SAC Conference 1979 Subject The topic of the resource Schools of Architecture Council (SAC) Festival of Education, Sheffield (file) Description An account of the resource ARCHITECTURAL Alvin Boyarsky, B Arch (McGill).MRAP (Comell) MRAIC Square London WCIB 3ES 01-676 0974 3. Se<ptember 1979. To: Ted Cullinan. Cedric Price, Louis Hellman. John Toomey (Covent Garden) Richard Rogers. Colin Ward, John Murray. (NAM) Rob Thompson. (ARC) Geoffrey Markham. (RIBA Student) John Maule McKean. (SAC) ARCHITECTURE Best wishes, Brian Anson. I would be most grateful, and it would help a lot, if we could all meet to have a drink to discuss the Festival in some detail. I would like to suggest any evening of the week beginning 23 September, and could I begin by suggesting Monday 24 in the basement of Percy Street at 6-30? SCHOOLS OF ARCHITECTURE COUNCIL. I feel I owe some explanation as to wh y i have taken the planning so far with- out your full involvement, and I'd like to do that when we meet. Would you let me know if $5 can make this date? I can be reached either at the AA or at home - 3903280. + ASSOCIATION SCHOOL OF Festival of Education - Sheffield, I enclose the information presently being printed in Liverpool; the actual pamphlet will be ready by the 14 September and certainly by the time we meet. The Schoo! is run by the Architectural Association Incorporated, a com, No.171402. Its registered office address is as above. The AA {Inc} is also pany limited by guarantee and registered in England under @ registered charity under Section 4 ofthe Charities Act 1960, / /: WHOSE EDUCATION IS IT AN) ’ \o hifectural Education. NAY Festival o PEACH DATE iiME The School of Architecture, Arts J Wednesday 28 November to Friday 30 Welcoming ceremony of 45 mins. - | Prof, Gosling and student: welc: 1 hefficld school. ChairomfaSnAC: welcore tothe movement Ted Cullinan: RIBA Education Commiutice NAM spiyhesman. Richard Rogers, Hellman: welcome with adrawing. Cedric Price. Rob Thompson. Percy Sircet Atelier and ARC. Picgramine p PROGRAMME: Programme presented on arrival. The aim is flexibility and participation. Formal structure will be minimal. The concept is a market place of ideas in education. The opportunity is to tear down barriers, dissolve prejudice and expose worn out el ‘big names’ have been invited, but as participants, to be student rt whichever is appropriate at the time. Always the theme will be archi- ural education. Listen to the famous on the subject, Do idols have fect of clay? Hear the unknown. Whose education is it anyway? Events will occur simultaneously Fixed events will be few (if any). Move from one to the other. Take your pick or just float. Time will not rule this festival, it will rol] on. “.. . some of us get our second wind at midnight . ..” Cedric Price PARTICIPATION The skeletal structure of the Festival exists; it is very strong. Now we want your participation. We want you to bring the market place ideas. Have you anexperiment a presentation; a slide show; 2 play. Fill in the box below and send us details by 3 November (nothing considered after that date). COST Students £5. All others £10. OAP’s and children under 14, free Sheffield architectural students. Free. ACCOMMODATION: Through the generosity of the Sheffield students and others, we will have aschedule of ‘put you up’ accommodation, but this will be limited and you are urgently advised to make your own arrangements in the first instance. Please respond quickly if you wish to be put on the accommodation list. Festival fee must be enclosed before you are considered, For accommodation contact: Mark Parsons 112 Denison Street Beeston Nottingham Tel: 0602 222494 : FOOD: There will be no official catering, but it is expected that students will set up ‘food tables’ with cheap food for sale. Other arrangements may be made with the Sheffield Students Union. SALE OF LITERATURE: The Festival is a perfect opportunity for students and others to publicise the vast array of pamphlets, magazines, posters and manifestos on architectural matters that exist throughout the country. So set up a stall and sell your writings. INVITED PARTICIPANTS: Jim Stirling, Norman Foster, David Green (former Archigram), John Murray (NAM), Prof. Alan Lipman (NAM), Hans Harm (Einthoyen), Conrad Jamieson (scourge of the architects), Derek Walker, Walter Segal, Tom Wooley (Support), Anne Delaney, Alison Smithson, David Wilde (Big Red Diary), David Brock, Ron Weiner (‘Rape and plunder of Shankill’), Rod Hackney, Jane McDonald, Ian Todd, Dr. Roland Gunter (Eisenheim), Hubert Puig (la Canard Suavage), Jim Johnson (Assist), Anatole Kopp (Vincennes), Gordon Graham (ex President RIBA). m Wednesday, University i| | ‘ | ; Ce ue / tnAprilthisye1awraselectedfotheCi pe hoolsofA Council, the student delegates, with a fi 1 fi if and a few h ads, sade this possible. Thus an unbroken «! { 1. ds chairing SAC was swvered, 1aminofficefortwoyearsmd y¥ «) 1student SAC, the joint body of al 38 school he UK and Ireland, hasbeen deseribed by Proof, Dayid Gosling of the Sheffield schoo! “| The only democratic body inarchit. as . etural education — more demo- with the vast majonty being students. Comn or else they become servile. es can only govern themselves, But something went wrong with SAC. It became moribund, the majority of the community (students and staff) became bored, then indifferent, finally they forgot it. It was not difficult to sce why. Each school has three delegates at the annual conference — the head, a staff member and a student. 38 students represent &,000 students in the community; 38 heads represent themselves. It is ibsurd! And what for — what can SAC do? Brian Anson cratic than the RIBA and ARCUK cominittecs concerned with «ducation heads of schools, staff members and students. ..” Phe movement isbarely eight years old — an infant compared to its SO yearsold American counterpart, the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (sith which SAC now has strong links). It grew out of the former “Heads of Schuols Group’, an adjunct of the RIBA. Its foundation was radical and its objective \ +s independence, for many of its creators its ultimate goal was the contro! of archi tectural education out of the hands of the RIBA and ARCUK. Their aspirati were right, SAC is a nafionwide ‘conin ity, a hering of nearly 10,000 people My election platform was quite specific. I emphasised the potential of the student body; experience in various forms of action and organisation, Tam not cynical about the student body. On the contrary, I belicve they represent a vitality and idealism which no one has ever tried to tap. Iwould have a similar optimism in the staff and heads, but let us start first with the students.” Let us tap this enormous fount of energy. Iwould make aconcerted diive to reach the mass body of students. Despite long and bitter My first job as Chairman was to present proposals for radical change in the repre- sentative structure — each school electing 1 head, 2 staff and 3 students, an equal power structure of learning and teaching. It was greeted with violent antagonism from some quarters, strong approval from others (including some heads) and other radical proposils to democratise the movement (again from some heads). The issue is alive, and its debate can bring SAC alive. Ultimately that is for us to decide as a community“and before we do that we must organise, as democratically as possible. 1 believe we must organise our own education — to break the influence of the profession which presently controls us; whose education is it anyway? This we can do from the strength of our 10,000 strong community of brilliant teachers and brilliant students, but it will take organisation and long-term strategy. If we tap the potential of our own community, the ideas for SAC are legion, in this letter Ioffer but a few. The SAC Executive has already started to organise the sponsorship of an international lecturer to travel the UK. SAC could sponsor students and staff to take time off to operate in other schools, thus disseminating the knowledge we have in our community. We urgently need a body capable of experimenting with ideas not yet readily acceptable in society; SAC could fulfil that role. Whatever else SAC could become an ‘ideas bank’ for architectural education. The ideas are there in their thousands — you have them! Our principal role as a community is to unearth them, disseminate them and use them forachange. There is now a permanent SAC office at 10 Percy Street, London WC1. But the postal address and tel. no. is the Architectural Association. I hope you will consider this office your own and Iwould welcome communication from any of you, particularly your ideas for SAC. Remember, in the last week of November, al roads lead to Sheffield — I hope to see you there! programme, see details enclosed. (Please give as ful details as possible on separate sheet, space required, Address/ Tel. No SAC FESTIVAL OF EDUCATION. NOVEMBER 1979 All enquiries to Architectural Association, 34/36 Bedford Square, London WC]. Telephone: 01 636 0974 TED CULLINAN ‘Draw it please’ Participate in continuous drawit with overhead projector. Richard Co Cedric... ROGERS WARD PRICE ‘Whatever happened to Polyark, What IS a schoo! of architecture?’ IOUN TOOMEY/AUTHUR DOOLEY. ‘Workerass Peachers!’ I/We wish to participate in the cre tion of the Festiv t, special effects, duration of ev STUDENT/STAFF GROUPS — NATIONWIDE. Ixperimental concepts HELLMAN *Let’s make education laugh’. Cartooning on the spot. ) SAC FESTIVAL OF EDUCATION, NOVEMBER 1979 il enquiries to Architectural Association, 34/36 Bedford Square, London WC1. Tek phone: 01 636 0974 /We wish to register as a participant at The Sheffield Festival and encl the ppropriate fee of... 2... (Students £5, others £10) cheques to*SAC Festival Account’. 1/We wish to be put on the accommodation list Name:. et School/Year ertesusns@emehowesaescsccseansspvanheosaau SAC Exccutive Committee 1979-80 Addr Chaisman: Vie Treasurer/Sec Reserve . Coopted Coopted Co-opted Covpted Co-opted Coopted Tcl. No:. ian Brian Anson(st.) JainT 1s (s) John McKean (st.) Henry Booton (st.) David Breakell (s) Wilson Briscoe (h) Geoffrey Broadbent th) Dennis Berry (h) George Cameron (s) Andrew Cunningham (s) Michael Darke (h) Mike Duriez (st.) David Gosling (h) Ted Happold (h) Geoffrey Hast Pedro Gt James Kackinnon (st.) Geoffrey Markham (s) Tom Markus (h) Ken Martin (h) Cho Padamsce (h) Mark Parsons (s) Alison Poulter (s) Alan Smith (st.) David Walters (st) Architectural Ass jon Canterbury N.E.LP Leeds Liverpool U. PNL Portsmouth Kingston Liverpoo) Poly ham Manchestez Poly Edinburgh Univ Shefficld Bath Hull AA Dundce RIBA Strathclyde Liverpool Poly. Hull Nottingham Manchester Univ. Oxford Plymouth One student vacancy due to resignation of Janet Kicboe, Heyiot Watt - (h)he(sat)sdtaff,,(st)student a festival of architectura Richard Colin Cedric... ROGERS WARD PRICE ‘Whatever happened to Polyark. What IS a school of architecture?’ Chairman: V. Chairman Treasurer/Sec: Brian Anson (st.) lain Douglas (s) John McKean (st.) Henry Booton (st.) David Breakell (s) Wilson Briscoe (h) Geoffrey Broadbent (h) Dennis Berry (h) George Cameron (s) Andrew Cunningham (s) Michael Darke (h) Architectural Association Canterbury N.E.LP Leeds Reserve Co-opted Liverpool U PNL Portsmouth K Co-opted Liverpool Poly. Birmingham Manchester Poly Edinbu Co-opted Mike Duriez (st.) David Gosling (h) Ted Happold Geoffrey Hasl. Pedro Guedes (st.) James Kackinnon (st.) Geoffrey Markham (s) Tom Markus (h) Shefficld Bath Hull AA Dundee RIBA Strathclyde Co-opted Co-opted SAC Executive Committee 1979-80 One student vacancy due to resignation of Janet Kieboc, Heriot Watt HELLMAN ‘Let’s make education laugh’. Cartooning on the spot. Ken Martin (h) Cho Padamsce (h) Mark Parsons (s) Liverpool Poly Hull Nottingham Manchester Univ. Oxford Plymouth (h) head, (st) staff, (st) student TED CULLINAY: ‘Draw it please’ Participate in continuous drawing with overhead projector. STUDENT/STAFF GROUPS — NATIONWIDE. Experimental concepts JOHN TOOMEY/AUTHUR DOOLEY. ‘Workers as Teachers!’ ducation at-:++--» Co-pted Alison Poulter (s) ’ =_ = mea eeaaa aeeewwrrare SAC FESTIVALOF EDUCATION. NOVEMBER 1979 All enquiries to Architectural Association, 34/36 Bedford London WC1. Telephone; 01 636 0974 PLACE: DATE: TIME: The School of Architecture, Arts Tower, Sheffield University. | Wednesday 28 November to Friday 30. i Welcoming ceremony of 45 mins. — 12 noon Wednesday. Prof. Gosling and student: welcome to the Sheffield school. Chairman of SAC: welcome to the movement. Ted Cullinan: RIBA Education Committee. NAM spokesman. Richard Rogers. Hellman: welcome with adrawing. LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN My election platform was quite specific. | emphasised the potential of the student body; My first job as Chairman was to present proposals for radical change in the repre- sentative structure — each school electing 1 head, 2 staff and 3 students; an equal power structure of learning and teaching. It was greeted with violent antagonism from some quarters, strong approval from others (including some heads) and other radical proposals to democratise the movement (again from some heads). The issue isalive, and itsdebate can bring SAC alive. SAC, the joint body of al 38 schools in the UK and Ireland, has been described by Prof. David Gosling of the Sheffield school, as cratic than the RIBA and ARCUK committees concerned with education — heads of schools, staff members and students. ..” The movement is barely eight years old — an infant compared to its 50 years old Ameri T the Asociation of Collegiate Schols of Archi (with which SAC now has strong links). It grew out of the former ‘Heads of Schools Group’, an adjunct of the RIBA. Its foundation was radical and its objective was independence; for many of its creators its ultimate goal was the control of archi- tectural education out of the hands of the RIBA and ARCUK, Their aspirations were right. SAC is a nationwile ‘community’, a gathering of nearly 10,000 people with the vast majority being students. Communities can only govern themselves, or else they become servile. But something went wrong with SAC. It became moribund, the majority of the community (students and staff) became bored, then indifferent, finally they forgot it. It was not difficult to see why. Each school has three delegates at the annual conference — the head, a staff member and a student. 38 students represent 8,000 students in the community; 38 heads represent themselves. It is absurd! “Let ustapthisenormousfountofenergy.|wouldmakeaconcerted drive to reach the mass body of students. Despite long and bitter experience in various forms of action and organisation, I am not cynical about the student body. On the contrary, I believe they represent a vitality and idealism which no one has ever tried to tap. Iwould have a similar optimism in the staff and heads, but let us start first with the students.” Ww a permanent SAC office at 10 Percy Street, London WC1. But the is the I hope you will ay of ACCOMMODATION: Through the generosity of the § of ‘put you up’ accom to make your own ments in the first instance, Please respond quickly if you odation list. Festival fee must be enclosed before you are considered. For accommodation contact: shefficld Students Union. Mark Parsons 112 Denison Street Beeston ottingham Tel: 0602 222494 FOOD: There will be no oficial catering, but it is expected that students wil set ‘food tables’ with cheap food for sale, Other arrangements may be made with ents and others, we be limited and you are urgently advised have a schedule And what for — what can SAC do? shetfield nov:28-30. 1979 PROGRAMME: Programme presented on arrival. The aim is flexibility and participation. Formal structure will be minimal. The concept is a market place of ideas in education. The opportunity is to tear down barriers, dissolve prejudice and expose worn- out cliches. Many ‘big names’ have been invited, but as participants, to be student or teacher whichever is appropriate at the time. Always the theme will be archi- tectural education. Listen to the famous on the subject. Do idols have feet of clay? Hear the unknown, Whose education is it anyway? Events will occur simultancously. | Fixed events will be few (if any). Move from one to the other. Take your pick or | just float. Time will not rule this festival, it will roll on. .some of us get our | second wind at midnight ...”Cedric Price. PARTICIPATION: The skeletal structure of the Festival exists; it is very strong. Now we want your participation. We want you to bring the market place ideas. Have you anexperiment, a presentation; a slide show; a play. Fill in the box below and send us details by 3 November (nothing considered after thatdate). Ultimately that is for us to decide as a community and before we do that we must organise, as democratically as possible. I believe we must organise our own education — to break the influence of the profession which presently controls us; whose education is it anyway? This we can do from the strength of our 10,000 strong community of brilliant teachers and brilliant students, but it will take organisation and long-term strategy. If we tap the potential of our own commu the ideas for SAC are legion, in this letter I offer but a few, The SAC Executive h already started to organise the sponsorship of an international lecturer to travel tie UK. SAC could sponsor students and staff to take time off to operate thus disseminating the knowledge we have in our community, We urgently body capable of experimenting with ideas not yet readily acceptable in soc SAC could fulfil that role. Whatever else SAC could become an ‘ideas INVITED PARTICIPANTS » Norman Foster, David Green (former Archigram), John Murray (NAM), architectural education. The ideas are you have them! ise! ate them and use Our principal role as a coi them for change ty is to u nan (NAM), Hans Harm (Einthoyen), Conrad Jamieson (scourge of s), Derek Walker, Walter Segal, Tom Wooley (Support), Anne Delaney, Alison Smithson, David Wilde (Big Red Diary), David Brock, Ron Weiner (‘Rape and plunder of Shankill’), Rod Hackney, Jane McDonald, lan Todd, Dr. Roland Gunter (Eisenheim), Hubert Puig (la Canard Suavage), Jim Johnson (Assist), Anatole COST: Students £5. All others £10. OAP’s and children under 14, free. Sheffield architectural students. Free. ies), Gordon Graham (ex President RIBA). There is postal address consider this office your ow particularly your ideas for SAC SAC FESTIVAL OF EDUCATION. NOVEMBER 1979 enquiries to Architectural Association, 34/36 Bedford Square, London WC1. Telephone; 01 636 0974 Festival and enclose the ers £10) cheques to’ SAC Dear Colleague, In April this year I was elected to the Chairmanship of the Schools of Architecture Council, the student delegates, with a little help from some staff and a few heads, made this possible. Thus an unbroken chain of heads chairing SAC was severed. 1am in office for two years and my Vice-Chairman isa student. come together! I/We wish to register Associa communication from Ihope to We wish to thank the RIBA student section for the financing and printing of thispamphlet. y, other schools, SALE OF LITERATURE perfect opportunity for students and others to publicise the ets, Magazines, posters and manifestos on architectural matters tthecountry. Sosetupastallandsellyourwritings tel, no, WHOSE EDUCATION IS IT ANYWAY? — A 3-DAY Festival of Architectural Education. Cedric Price. Rob Thompson. Percy Street Atelier and ARC. Id | |j } j | any tellman Thanks for? coming to the meeting om Monday night. I believe it was a further Success and produced additional ideas for the Festival. I know you appreciate the way I'm trying to develope the whole idea - to create participation amongst ourselves at each stage. This is already happening. Initially we brought in Cedric, Ted and John Toomey; from last Monday night we had added NAM and ARCYand, through Geoff Markham, the RIBA. I was only disappointed that Richard Rogers and Colin Ward didn't arrive. Hopefully there's normal reasons for their absence, but if not, I'd appreciate any help you can give in persuading them to get seriously involved. ¥¥¢ Schools of Architecture Council. Sheffield Festival. 1979. John Murray (NAN) Louis Hellman. Rob Thompson. (ARC) John MCKean (SAC) Geoffrey Markham (RIBA) copyte blerotry ad Pee Buda, ee tb I've already had positive response from some of the ‘invited participants’. Walter Segal is grateful to be included and, if back from Canada in November, Gane Will certainly be at Sheffield. David Green is enthusiastic and Gordon Graham told me personally that he'll definately be there. I'm confident that the majority of those on the list will be enthusiastic especially as we build up the atmosphere to the event. You know, of course, that that list is distinctly ad-hoc; any further 'names' you can persuade to attend (and pre-publicise their intentions) would be very welcome. Through Cedric, Ellis Hillman has already shown enthusiasm. I really am glad the press came. Feter Buchanan of AJ seemed particularly enthusiastic and I think it's vital that we keep him interested. Somehow or other between now and mid-November, the festival has to grow into an exciting possibility expanded from SAC. We need to get into published ideas, personal statements and quotations, letters to the press etc. Lou, could you think of a cartoon (or better still, a series of - like you did on CG) for AJ at the appropriate time? Can I confirm that you all agreed to produce your own bit of the programme and can we agree it should be designed to go into the ‘usual plastréc bag' or information pack. —7 “oriseadly, A4. Now that the academic year is about to start I shall begin to concentrate on the Sheffield end of things - the spaces (which I've already studied once in detail) the hardware, the participation of the Sheffield community etc. In addition I'll concentrate on the overall programme into which your details fit. I'll keep you informed. I trust we all agree that there must be a ...thing, cencept or question ... which holds the assembly together. Everyone I've spoken to says that the guestion already posed ‘WHOSE EDUCATION IS IT ANYWAY?", is that ‘anchor’. But firmed up - Cedric's comment ‘or was it just a question of style?" Then, of course, the formality (and the more I think of it, I see it must be very formal) of the SAC session, will direct the assembled energy to one or two fundamental questions. Thus the press can afterwards say that, not only was an incredible energy released in Sheffield, that now has to be converted into a power, but also that the Sheffield crowd made their views quite clear on a few basic issues. eee teSecuitinen Doane Gos Shafeld)- Kew Mowtur - There is the auestion of what further national publicity is needed. We could (with some confidence) leave it at that. Two things to finish off this brief note: A million thanks again for all your help. We have the pamphlet (10,000) which has SOME vagueness but which is not all that vague. Further pore it's vagueness is somewhat covered by the fact that it is deliberately stated thet the programme will be presented on arrival. Then there is the press which will add information to the pamphlet but still leaving a slight air of mystery. Finally there is the damned question itself - it couldn't be more blunt ‘Whose education etc'. With such interesting people already on the pamphlet I know I'd make it up to Sheffield if I was a student. PersonallyIdonotlikecompetitiontoomuch,butusedwitheee as help. Why don't we set up a schools (and others) poster competition for the Festival. The individual posters can be used in the schools and the whole 38 plus designs can be judged at the Festival. This is a minor example of partic- ipation working as it's happening. The press could advertise the competition. You will understand of course that a host of other ideas have already been S discussed and are ready to be put in hand - tours of Sheffield; the local Yorkshire media, the community groups and general public.....do we see any reason why we shouldn't invite the appropriate government departments? But some more,could be issued. The SAC Executive agreed that we should try to get each schod1 designing it's own poster, maybe pushing a bit more data or adding to the publicity by varied, unusual and high class graphics. During my lengthy tel. conversation with Walter Segal he made the point that I need to gather together people whd{ebmmitted to this Festival and who will be seen to be helping each other - from that our strength will come. i like to think that we are on the way to creating The second point is even more important. For me the key idea is participation from the community of architectural education. We can plan and organise to create variety and avoid chaos, but we will fail unless we remember that something has got to happen at Sheffield about which we will not know until it happens, For me that's what the first stage of participation is all about; if we miss out that stage then it's all phoney. that unity. Crp PRESS | Prop. Man Lippia (Conaip) gue I rt ‘WAiped pevyujpantt bas reSperfed $ Lrg Foal be Aelighfect to 60! 4 bd LLD-UPovis 0D FAR. LAY oF: HO |row bORM ae Ad a et gess 1 eR tact - MID-NOV _ Z Cote:| ag eve | eee CostesRUM BEScHADLS Zon . = j Cent By We.28:Ove: ieohes ——ad pve VIO | Cord | pits €45 Su Onef ae es t Coy $ AS | go" ee etieaee) Ea Vena’ wey @ =<eh«/ NW\ V ‘By Novi 3)5T Shock2 ink g Bod ' oraie, Tay Cur / Ceofer —_eee & To: Ted Cullinan Cedric Price bousis Hellman Yohn Toomey Richard Rogers Colin Ward John Murray Rob Thompson Geoffrey Markham John Maule McKean. ® Sincerely, : 34-36 Bedford Square London WCIB 3ES 01-636 0974 17 Sept: 79. SCHOOLS OF ARCHITECTURE COUNCIL. Festival of architectural education. ARCHITECTURAL ASSOCIATION SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE Chairman: Alvin Boyarsky. B.Arch (McGill).. M.R.P. (Cornell), MR ALC The School is run by the Architectural Association Incorporated, a company limited by guarantee and registered in England under No.171402. Its registered office address is as above. The AA (Inc) is also a registered charity under Section4 of the Charities Act 1960. I enclose the pamphlet - 10,000 of which will shortly be distributed throughout Britain and ireland. I look forward to seeing you at 6.Opm (not 6-30 as I originally stated) in Percy Street basement on Monday 24 Sept. for a wee drink and a talk. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Brian Anson 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 03 September 1979