The Office of the Victorian Government Architect in Australia provides strategic advice to the government about architecture and urban design. It supports government with advocacy and advisory initiatives, including design review, collaborative workshops, design quality teams, desktop reviews and input on briefs. One of its aims is to encourage awareness of the role of good design in protecting, enhancing and layering contemporary legacy in heritage places.

Key Steps — What to do

1. Understand the heritage and cultural significance of the place.
2. Engage heritage experts and allow sufficient time for research of existing heritage and cultural fabric and design supported by documents, including conservation management plans.
3. Seek advice from appropriately qualified designers and assessors.
4. Ensure early and creative consultation between the architect, heritage advisor and the relevant statutory authority.
5. Encourage design innovation in new additions to heritage places to help reduce long-term maintenance costs and environmental impacts.
6. Be aware that the procurement strategy will affect the design and define processes to protect the heritage fabric, design intent and quality.
7. Creatively incorporate existing building fabric which is heritage listed and of contributory character into new developments and recognise the benefits of embodied energy in existing materials.
8. Respect the existing built form, streetscapes and urban design as well as the intangible values of the former natural landscape and potential cultural heritage.
9. Consider the scale, form, materials, finishes and where possible functions of building elements in new developments.
10. Ensure that the documentation for a heritage place is available and current. Develop a ‘live’ conservation management plan.

Paul Rappoport – Heritage 21
19 April 2018

Reference:

Published by the Office of the Victorian Government Architect ©2016 – The Office of the Victorian Government Architect Old Treasury Building Level 2, 20 Spring Street, Melbourne VIC 3002 PO Box 4912 Melbourne VIC 3001 +61 3 9651 6583 www.ovga.vic.gov.au