19 May 2016

Heritage Lecture first event in restored Great Hall

After five years the newly restored Great Hall at The Arts Centre will open its doors to the public onWednesday 8 June 2016 with a public lecture. Fittingly the lecture will feature two notable heritage and architectural experts, Peter Lovell of Lovell Chen Melbourne and Alec Bruce of Wilkie and Bruce Christchurch.

The 2016 Heritage Lecture is held in conjunction with the Canterbury Heritage Awards, with the Ceremony for the biennial event taking place in the same venue on Thursday 9 June.

Dr Anna Crighton, Chair of the Canterbury Heritage Awards, says “This is a special event in which two eminent speakers, one local and one international, will each give a personal view on the changing past of our architectural heritage into what is now perceived as an uncertain future. The lectures are a must see for all those interested in architectural history.”

Key note speaker Peter Lovell is a leading heritage consultant, active in building conservation and cultural heritage management across Australia. He is a passionate supporter of Australia's architectural heritage, and in more than 35 years of professional activity has played a significant part in the development of heritage practice. He is a founding director of Lovell Chen Architects & Heritage Consultants, a firm that leads the field in design and development in heritage contexts.

Mr Lovell’s lecture will be of particular interest to Christchurch heritage enthusiasts as he discusses urban heritage in the 21st Century. Using Melbourne as an example, he will explore the issues around changing perceptions of what makes up the cultural heritage of a city and how that should be managed. Much like Christchurch, the heritage of Melbourne is no longer limited to buildings constructed in the distant past and embraces, or is attempting to embrace, a far more recent and complex past.

Attendees will also hear from Alec Bruce, a director at local Christchurch architectural firm, Wilkie and Bruce. Post-earthquakes, Mr Bruce has been assisting several major institutional clients with earthquake recovery; perhaps most notably with Christ’s College, the subject of his lecture. The school plays a large part in the history of Christchurch and as a campus is a truly unique grouping of buildings with some truly iconic gems from the late 19th century and early 20th century. Mr Bruce’s lecture will focus on the earthquake recovery from the architect’s perspective and the design of the recently completed Miles Warren Building – a finalist in the Awards.

The lecture, sponsored by The Warren Trust, will run from 6.00pm – 8.30pm Wednesday 8 June. Tickets are $10 with light refreshments served – for more information visit www.heritageawards.co.nz. Tickets for the Awards Ceremony on 9 June are now sold out.

ENDS

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