Derby Assembly Rooms: Letter of Objection to Derby City Council
The Nottingham and Derby Society of Architects (NDSA) are local and elected representatives of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). We are writing to express the objective professional views on behalf of the NDSA regarding the proposed application for the demolition of the Derby Assembly Rooms, submitted in August.
We disagree with and oppose the proposed application for the demolition of the Assembly Rooms and wish to argue, that despite it not being recognised, it stands with historic value to Derby and its people.
We have read through the reports and data collected in the planning application and our comments will draw on points made to help create fair discussion during the final application decision process.
As an introduction, the Assembly Rooms was designed by to Casson, Conder & Partners (CC&P) with Jenkins Potter as the Engineers, in association with the Borough Architect's Department after the previous 18th century building was destroyed by a fire. A design competition included world famous James Stirling among the submissions. The winning firm was specialized in the design of adaptable auditorium spaces and venues (other notable work by CC&P include the university buildings in Cambridge, and the Elephant and Rhinoceros Pavilion at London Zoo which is now grade II listed).
This raises the question as to why the Assembly Rooms has been deemed unworthy of listing when it expresses on a much larger scale the architectural style and language of CC&P, such as the exposed concrete frame, large ground floor bay windows, and enclosed, cantilevered spaces at the first floor level.
Up until the fire on March 141\ 2014, the Assembly Rooms hosted regular events, most notably Take That, Iron Maiden and The Smiths in concert, not to mention the plethora of plays and pantomimes.
We would, therefore, like to put forward three key aspects to consider against demolition and for preservation and renovation.
1 . Architectural significance of the Assembly Rooms and Brutalist Style of Architecture
Urban Realm
The Assembly Rooms is located within the Cathedral Quarter in the Derby City Centre Conservation Area. In this dense urban fabric, three major open spaces contribute to the creation of places for social interaction: The Cathedral 'piazza', Market Place and Corn Market. Whilst the Market Place has evolved since the Norman period, it still retains a sense of enclosure, with the Assembly Rooms forming the Northern edge opposite the 19th century Guildhall and the contemporary Quad.
We would argue that removing the Assembly Rooms completely will substantially alter the form of the Market Square without a clear alternative proposal, as the site will lose the northern massing and its active frontage. This would also be against the guidelines for development in the Conservation area as 'new development must retain and reinstate tight close-knit development', and 'create a feeling of enclosure'. Again, without clear alternative, this cannot be confirmed.
The Heritage Statement acknowledges that the building is 'worthy of being identified as a non-designated heritage asset due to its architectural and historic interest' and 'the total loss of the Assembly Rooms does amount to harm', of a substantial scale.
The loss of the building either in part or completely, should therefore be weighed against the public benefits of retention and renovation.
Architectural Style
The architectural style of the Assembly Rooms is 'Brutalist', which is defined by limited use of materials providing a 'raw' finish to the facades. Whilst many brutalist buildings are constructed of reinforced concrete as a primary material, the definition of the style, however, is wider than that and not exclusive to that material. It also came to reflect the creation of simple, honest, and functional buildings that accommodate their purpose and activate their location (https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Brutalism).
The composition of volumes in quick succession, generates a sense of progression of positive to negative spaces. The openness at the ground floor, created by the arcade and large bay windows, is in striking contrast with the enclosed, cantilevered form above. Here, the wide glazed horizontal front is fragmented in a fluctuation of vertical mullions spaced at different intervals, which we recall is based on a musical composition, and comparable to the facade of St Marie de La Tourette by Le Corbusier (and one of the only examples in the UK).
It is disappointing therefore that the Assembly Rooms was issued with a Certificate of immunity in 2016, on the basis that the dominance of brick is in contrast with the 'Brutalist ethos of creating impact and texture through raw concrete'; and the building was considered as lacking in 'finesse' compared to the other works by the same practice.
As one of the most prominent examples of this style and the attitude it reflects in the East Midlands, the Assembly Rooms forms a cornerstone within the city's urban realm would be a great and significant loss if demolished.
2. Environmental Footprint: 'The greenest building is the building already built'.
The planning statement explains that the demolition will follow best practice "to ensure the most effective and high-standard management of waste and materials generated from the proposed demolition/' yet 63% of all the waste generated annually by the UK comes from construction. On June 27th 2019, the UK government passed a law requiring the UK to end its contribution to global warming by 2050 by bringing all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero. According to the UK Green Building Council, the built environment sector must reduce its emissions to play its part in limiting global temperature increase to 2°C by 2050. Amid a climate emergency, it is essential that we think 'reuse first, new build second'.
Therefore, any measure against the prevention of waste generation is the first step towards achieving UK's 2050 goals. As part of its 2030 Climate Challenge, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has produced a Sustainable Outcomes Guide which recommends targeting zero construction waste diverted to landfill, and which elaborates that prioritizing deep retrofit massively reduces resource extraction waste.
The proposal undermines this, and any waste created through demolition will have a negative impact on the national carbon footprint reduction goals.
3. Social Sustainability
One of the most important aspects of the building is the associated memories that people ascribe with it. The Assembly Rooms are, for Derby, a cultural manifestation in an architectural form. It has a collective memory in that it is a landmark, identifying the city much like the Silk Mill or the Market Hall. Although it is currently exempt from formal listing, it is a part of the city's post WW2 heritage and identity, it is a symbol of building a New Britain whilst representing the welfare state and creating affordable spaces for all.
Not only do the Assembly Rooms have a collective memory it has individual memories associated with it too. Whether that be the first time you saw Take That, a family Christmas trip to watch Dick Wittington or where your children had their debut Amateur Dramatic Performance or better still the university graduation ceremony.
In the end, the NDSA wish the best for the city of Derby and do not want to see a repeat of the Derby Hippodrome or for a prominent city-centre site to remain vacant for decades like the scar that has been Becket Well Lane. We hope that the Council will read these comments with care and respect. We expect the guidance for the rejuvenation of the Assembly Rooms to evolve over time but it is time to put the council's interests on path to getting the economy going again, especially in light of the economic crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Furthermore, it's easy to look at things from a monetary cost point of view to justify decisions, much like a developer would. However, we believe that we need to lead firstly from a mind-set that focuses on the environmental cost above all else. That way we can hope to meet the 2050 deadline and be proud to leave a better world for our children.
In conclusion, we advocate for a serious rethink of the current proposal particularly with regard the heritage asset the building provides, the sustainable long-term energy strategy for the city and the built environment. By retaining the built capital and renovating it, the Council can instigate a new life to the city's economy more quickly.
Joshua von Fragstein & Michael Hodgson
For and on behalf of the Nottingham and Derby Society of Architects.