HERITAGE INSIGHTS

The Burra Charter’s ‘do as much as necessary, and as little as possible’ is a useful discipline, but in Melbourne and Sydney it is too often used as a polite shut-down. If we cannot explain what is actually ‘necessary’ — and for what outcome — ‘as little as possible’ becomes a comforting default rather than a test. Keep the maxim. Stop using it as a veto stamp. Identify the real risks to the place, then design the tightest intervention that genuinely addresses them without er

When new architecture meets old in Sydney or Melbourne, the gap between them is never just empty space — it’s a design tool. A recess, screen, or setback makes it clear what is historic and what is new, allowing each to be understood on its own terms. Like a pause in music, separation gives weight to what comes before and after, encouraging reflection rather than confusion. Far from wasted space, these gaps honour history, sharpen design, and let contemporary interventions co

Ensuring that transition between significant fabric and an addition is vital to the success of a heritage project.

Managing Change, Not Freezing Time Municipal rules aren’t new. As The Past and Future City  (Stephanie Meeks and Kevin C. Murphy, 2016) reminds us, even ancient Assyria had planning edicts: If ever any person living in the city pulls down his old house and builds a new and the foundations of that house encroaches on the royal processional way, they shall hang that man upon a stake over his own house. By comparison, even the prickliest design review in Melbourne or regional Vi

Touring the Past is delighted to announce the opening of its Blue Mountain’s ‘field office’. This exciting news means we are able to...

Getting heritage pre-purchase advice is crucial if you plan to invest in a heritage property.

The heritage management system enacted by the NSW Heritage Act 1977 has matured alongside the ascendant economic creed of our era,...

Heritage conservation areas (HCAs) are a planning tool used to manage change across whole streetscapes and neighbourhoods, not just individual ‘heritage’ buildings. They shape what is acceptable in terms of scale, form, materials, and how new work responds to an established character. Most works within an HCA will trigger heritage considerations, but good outcomes are achievable when proposals are shaped early, grounded in a solid understanding of the precinct, and executed w

How hard is it to escape from places. However carefully one goes they hold you – you leave little bits of yourself fluttering on the...