Mind the Gap: Bridging Conservation and New Traditional Architecture

Article by Georgia Cristea,

TAG Events Co-ordinator, in the Classic Planning Herald

An article reporting on TAG’s symposium Mind the Gap: Bridging the Gap Between Conservation and New Traditional Architecture, held on 16 June 2025, has been published in the latest issue of the Classic Planning Herald.

The piece reflects on the central questions raised during the event, notably the widening disconnect between conservation practice and new traditional architecture, despite their shared foundations in traditional knowledge, materials, and craftsmanship. It considers how rigid interpretations of twentieth-century conservation doctrines — particularly those derived from the Venice Charter — have, at times, encouraged contrast and discontinuity, contributing to the treatment of historic environments as static artefacts rather than as part of a living cultural continuum.

The article reflects on the central questions raised during the event, notably the widening disconnect between conservation practice and new traditional architecture, despite their shared foundations in traditional knowledge, materials, and craftsmanship. A key focus is the long-standing influence of the Venice Charter, whose principles have shaped international conservation practice for decades. The discussion considers how rigid or decontextualised interpretations of the Charter have, at times, encouraged contrast and discontinuity, contributing to the treatment of historic environments as static artefacts rather than as part of a living cultural continuum.

Drawing on contributions from speakers including Dr Matthew Hardy, Robert Adam, Ettore Mazzola, Jeremy Musson, and Francis Terry, the article outlines calls for a more flexible and context-sensitive approach to heritage. Particular attention is given to Francis Terry’s contribution, which addressed the civic and cultural value of continuity in design, illustrated through recent projects that combine traditional architectural language, skilled craftsmanship, and contemporary construction methods.

The article appears in Classic Planning Herald, Issue 8, accessible via this link.

Author: Georgia Cristea, RIBA Conservation Architect, TAG Events Co-ordinator.

Image credits: Traditional Architecture Group, Francis Terry.