Our Built Heritage

In this episode I am joined by Karen Haller FRSA, a global expert in Behavioural Design and Colour Psychology. Shehelps businesses and design professionals use colour and design to support mental health, enhance well-being, and create positive, nature-aligned change. Karen consults and collaborates with companies looking for innovative solutions to social problems who seek new ways of improving the human experience in balance with nature. Her clients included architectural and design practices and leading global brands. She has helped hundreds of design professionals aroundthe world to deepen their knowledge of colour through her sought-after colour and design psychology courses and mentoring programmes. Karen is the author of The Little Book of Colour as well as being an in-demand media commentator,international speaker and awards judge. Karen shares her journey and how she became a colour phycology expert and how colour is more than how colour is placed around the colour wheel. Colour phycology is about how colour influences how we think, how we feel and how we behave based on a colour in isolation but also the combination of colours. We talk about how colours have changed and how purple meant death if it was used by anyone else but Julius Caesar as he deemed it exclusively his to use. How the materials that made the paint often resulted in what was deemed exclusive to the rich and whether it was affordable until acrylic paint was invented along with synthetic dyes producing the results of the more expensive materials however that may result in a level of toxicity that is not seen in the natural world when using natural pigments. We discuss considerations when applying colour and appropriateness of materials and the context of the setting whilst also addressing how we feel in the space considering peoples behaviours.We talk about trends and how it is not a new thing and it can be driven by scarcity like purple or the availability of it when purple becomes widely available. Human nature to belongand feel like we are part of it and trends plays into this. We chat about heritage colours in a heritage context and how it can impact how you feel. Along with how people’s decor can be driven by how much external stimulation people areexposed to which was heightened during COVID when people could not leave their home which resulted in more colour or in some cases less colour being used tosupport their wellbeing. It will be an interesting listen for anyone embarking on aproject and is looking for some guidance and anyone generally interested in older properties. If you liked what you heard it would be great if you canshare Our Built Heritage with anyone else you think will find it interesting and also subscribe so that you know when the next episode has been released. It would be amazing if we between us can raise awareness onour built heritage.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karen_haller_colourFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenHallerColourAndDesignLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenhaller WEBSITE DETAILSConsulting https://karenhaller.comFree design industry e-book https://karenhaller.com/free-10-myths-ebook Colour & Design courses https://karenhaller.com/courses Little Book of Colour https://thelittlebookofcolour.com Free first chapter https://thelittlebookofcolour.com/free-chapter

In this episode I am joined by Emma Fletcher, Director of Low Carbon Homes at Octopus Energy which focuses on delivering sustainable and affordable energy solutions for residential properties. Emma is also Chair of the Residential Professional Group Panel and a member of the Knowledge and Practice Committee at RICS, where she contributes to advancing best practices in residential surveying. Emma shares how her interests in properties and visitinghistorical sites and subjects at school influenced her journey. We chat about how buildings are driven by function and how historically the church would have played a central role both in terms of the community but also in terms of where buildings were located. We discuss how important health, wellbeing and warmth was in building design particularly since the industrial revolution and how these factors are still a fundamental consideration in building design today. Factors such as engineering, advances in technology and the choices in materials where the best they could afford, striving for excellence are all things we shouldcontinue to consider when designing buildings. Emma talks about owning a Grade 2 listed property and thechanges the building has seen over years and how each generation has left its mark. This resulted in some surprises being uncovered and how important it is to live in the building before making any changes so that you fully understand the building. We talk about Emma’s work in bringing the first rural district heat network to the UK and how this could help replace oil and help with rising electric bills. Emma shares her top tips on how to manage gas and electricity bills and make the most of lower tariffs at night and the benefits of solar panels and how they may be perceived by homeowners. We also discuss the usual challenges, common themes and misconceptions working in the heritage sector along with top tips when working with an older property. It will be an interesting listen for anyone embarking on a project and is looking for some guidance and anyone generally interested in older properties. If you liked what you heard it would be great if you canshare Our Built Heritage with anyone else you think will find it interesting and also subscribe so that you know when the next episode has been released. It would be amazing if we between us can raise awareness onour built heritage.

In this episode I am joined by Paul Mowbray, a Scottish award-winning craftsperson and artist who specialises in fine art, sculpture, wood carving and applied art. He has a comprehensive knowledge of the decorative arts, as well as a professional career working on many highly skilled craftsmanship projects and has crafted ornate decorationfor many renowned historic buildings. Paul has also featured in Country Life, The Guardian, The Times and Scottish Field magazine to name a few, and some of his decorative projects have featured on More4 and the BBC. Paul shares his journey into the industry and how his interests started at an early age and grew as his skills developed working with some incredible mentors and how some of his work ended up in America. It is inspiring how his hard work and dedication led him to work on some amazing projects in a multitude of disciplines.We talk about the importance of understanding the provenance of a piece and how it was crafted and thereforehow it should be cared for so that it remains relevant in today’s world. Paul and I talk about training opportunities, and the lack of them in some cases and how hard it can be to find opportunities to gain hands on experience but also some top tips. We also discuss the usual challenges, common themes andmisconceptions working in the heritage sector along with top tips when working with an older property. It will be an interesting listen for anyone embarking on aproject and is looking for some guidance and anyone generally interested in older properties.

In this episode I am joined by Angela Nicholls, a historianand published author whose interest lies in the provision of housing for the poor in early modern England, in particular the nature and variety of post-Reformation almshouses from the 16th century onwards. Angela’s book “Almshouses in Early Modern England”, addresses a neglected element of English welfare history, examining the role and significance of English almshouses in the period 1550 - 1725 and the contribution they made within the developing welfare systems of the time. We discuss the differences between history and heritage andhow they are both important when working on older properties. Angela explains the types of accommodation provided to poor people and how taxes paid for it. How the almshouses have changed and people’s attitudes to them and who might qualify for an almshouse plus parish houses and workhouses. We talk about the welfare system, particularly during the Victorian period and how Parishes looked after the poor and the physical boundaries they set around it. We also discuss the usual challenges, common themes andmisconceptions working in the heritage sector along with top tips when working with an older property. It will be an interesting listen for anyone wanting to knowmore about almshouses or you are embarking on a project and are looking for some guidance and anyone generally interested in older properties.

In this episode I am joined by Venetia Flint, a Material Broker and Commercial Partnerships Lead at Material Index, a leading platform providing the digital infrastructure for end-to-end material reuse in the Construction and Real Estate sectors, achieving a material reuse rate that is 10 times the UK average. With a BSc Hons in Real Estate from Oxford Brookes and five years experience in the Architecture & Design sector, Venetia has an understanding of both the commercial and creative sides of the industry. She connects valuable reclaimed assets with new projects, driving significant cost, carbon and waste savings.We talk about how Venetia got into the industry and how herexposure at a young age to older buildings and items generally planted a seed for the importance to reuse. We get into how Material Index can help companies and projects and that it is not just for older buildings looking to reinstatean item or seamlessly blend finishes but that it can be used from a ground up project where reusing materials on a new build can be just as important. Venetia outlines the approach they take when cataloguing the items and how important the past usages, location and condition is just as important as the dimensions to help tell a story of how and when it has been used and keep its history alive. We also discuss the usual challenges, common themes andmisconceptions working in the heritage sector along with top tips when working with an older property. It will be an interesting listen for anyone embarking on aproject and is looking for some guidance and anyone generally interested in older properties.

In this episode I am joined by Sarah Dowd, serial heritageand cultural entrepreneur, founder and chair of The Tricolor Collective, which is 15 years old this year, as well as Founder and Co-Managing Director of Les Raconteurs and host of “History FFS”, a podcast looking at the intersection ofhistory as seen through the arts. Sarah takes us on her journey of where her passion forheritage came from and how the stories her grandmother told her and the time she spent in England helped shape her view of the world and our connection with the past and also her study and carer choices and the various roles and companies Sarah has worked with and the support she has provided organisations through their challenging times. We talk about the meaning of heritage and how it is widerthan a building and how this informs how you should approach projects. We discuss the importance of collaboration and the need to think about how the endusers of a space will interact with it and how their needs have to be considered in the design process and not just the direct project teams and the funders perspectives – it needs to have an audience first mentality. We also discuss the usual challenges, common themes andmisconceptions working in the heritage sector along with top tips when working with an older property. It will be an interesting listen for anyone embarking on aproject and is looking for some guidance and anyone generally interested in older properties.

In this episode I am joined by Rory Keenan, a SeniorArchitect at Purcell where they offer architectural, master planning and heritage consultancy services. Purcell’s approach is based on thoughtful understanding of our shared heritage. Inspired by the qualities of each place, they design responsibly for future generations working throughout the UK and abroad. We talk about how Rory became an architect and the influence his mum and travel had on him and how the difference in training he received in Belfast and then London informed his view of design and architecture. Rory shares his thoughts on the training he received and how it is rare to start with a blank piece of paper and consideration always needs to be given to the existing environment.Rory describes the way he approaches a project and how heloves to get involved in the history, setting and surrounding area and how this informs how he approaches the design and specification and the importance of getting the right people involved in the project, especially when it is a traditional building and how a fireman’s pole may not be a great addition to your home. We discuss how advances in technology and lifestyle changesinfluenced design and architecture plus the usual challenges, common themes and misconceptions working in the heritage sector along with top tips when working with an older property. It will be an interesting listen for anyone embarking on aproject and is looking for some guidance and anyone generally interested in older properties.

In this episode I am joined by Benedict Ryan, Director at Charles Cooper, a Conservation, Restoration & Heritage Consultation Project Manager and Chair of the Young Irish Georgian’s- London Chapter.We talk about how Benedict got into the industry and theincredible projects he has worked on and how he approaches and project and building. We touch on paint analysis and how this may influence the design direction and how to train to be a gilder. We discuss the challenges, common themes and misconceptions working in the heritage sector along with the usual top tips when working with an older property. It will be an interesting listen for anyone embarking on aproject and is looking for some guidance and anyone generally interested in older properties.

In this episode I am joined by Russell Trudgen, Architectand Director at Arctic Associates, an award-winning Conservation Architects practice working with heritage properties based in West Yorkshire. They offer thoughtful conservation, restoration, adaption, and extensions of listed buildings as well as new buildings in historic and sensitive settings.We talk about where Russell’s interest in heritage came fromand how this then carried through into his work and the creation of his practice and the work he then focussed on. What might be involved when it comes to working with a traditional and listed building and the planning process andthe skills shortage. We look at some of the challenges faced, plus common themes and misconceptions when working in the heritage sector along with the usual top tips when working with an older property. It will be an interesting listen for anyone embarking on aproject and is looking for some guidance and anyone generally interested in older properties.

In this episode I am joined by Helen Whittaker, Director atBarley Studios where they have an international reputation for excellence in stained glass creation and conservation for cathedrals, stately homes, parish churches and prestigious secular buildings across the UK and beyond. Helen is an award-winning designer and maker of stained-glass windows and metal sculpture, directing restoration painting alongside her new design work. In 2024 Helen was awarded an MBE for services to stained glass creation and conservation in the Kings Birthday Honours. She has also recently published a book titled “Illuminating Stained Glass – Creativity, Conservation and Craft at Barley Studio.”We talk about how she got into stained glass and theimportance of work experience to hone her skills and her love of working with glass which goes beyond painting. She talks about the need to combine the skill with the artistry and how it has been on the skills at risk register and the demand for conservation and restoration work alongside new commissions. Helen describes how she works, and the processes involved when making a window.We discuss conservation vs restoration, the challenges,common themes and misconceptions working in the heritage sector along with the usual top tips when working with an older property. It will be an interesting listen for anyone embarking on aproject and is looking for some guidance and anyone generally interested in older properties.

In this episode I am joined by Antoinette Vandy, CEO &Co-founder of Agreka Build. A UK-based material innovation company that specialises in net-zero construction and regenerative building solutions. Their unique approach involves collaborating with farmers to transform agriculturalwaste into innovative, green construction materials. By repurposing waste into valuable resources, they aim to reduce environmental impact, support rural economies, and lead the transition towards a net-zero, circular economy inagriculture and construction.We talk a about Antoinette’s initial training as an architect and how she then went on to co-found a company focused on sustainable building products. We discuss how it can be used in buildings and some of the common myths that are around using natural products. We also discuss the usual challenges, themes and misconceptions working in the heritage sector along with top tips when working with an older property. It will be an interesting listen for anyone embarking on aproject and is looking for some guidance and anyone generally interested in older properties.

In this episode I am joined by Sarah Roller, Director ofPolicy & Public Affairs at Historic Houses, working on behalf of around 1,450 independent historic houses and gardens across the UK, to represent their interests to government and the wider heritage sector, as well as to support their learning, outreach and community programmes. Prior to joining Historic Houses in early 2022, she worked for History Hit, Trent Park House and Godinton House, in roles spanning communications, digital media and collections/curation work. We talk about how Sarah got into the industry and herthoughts on the sense of place and her love of learning how people connected with spaces and buildings, especially in a heritage context. Sarah shares her thoughts on interpreting a building andwhat information you may use to shape the story and how this informs our work. We also discuss the work she is carrying out to help shape policies to support people who work and own traditional properties, those working in the heritage sector plus those wanting to get into the industry. We discuss the challenges, themes and misconceptions working in the heritage sector along with the usual top tipswhen working with an older property. It will be an interesting listen for anyone embarking on a project and is looking for some guidance and anyone generally interested in older properties.