On Altering Architecture

ONALTERINGARCHITECTUREexploresthealternativetothesequenceofdemolitionandnewbuildingthatmakesuptheusualpracticesofarchitecture.Bringingtogetherideasofwhatmightconstituteatheoryofinterior,orinterventional,design,FredScottfillsawidegapintheliteraturecoveringtheevolutionofinteriorspace.Thisnewtextexaminesthecraftofalteringbuildings,reconsideringestablishedideasandpractices.Themasterworksofinterventionaldesignfoundinarchitecturalhistoryarecomparedandcontrastedinacompellingway,inordertoshowhowtheorymightbederivedfrompreviouspractice.ExtendingtheideasofViollet-le-Ducinparticular,viaStructuralism,thisbookaimstooutlinethecriteriaforanartofinterventionandchange.Beginningwitharehearsaloftheargumentsforworksofarchitectureremainingunalteredandsacrosanctversusthecaseforalteration,thephilosophyofconservation,preservationandrestorationisalsointroduced.Exploringthemanysocialandpoliticalissuesinvolved,thescaleofchangeisanalysed,suggestingthatprocessesappliedtotheindividualbuildingcanbeechoedattheneighbourhoodandcityscale.Ofinteresttothoseintheprofessionsofarchitectureandinteriors,townplanners,andstudentsinarchitectureandartschools,OnAlteringArchitectureformsabodyofthoughtthatcanbealignedandcomparedwitharchitecturaltheory.