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TO HAVE AND TO HOLD
Public arts organisation NVA presented new ideas for architectural conservation linking the past, present and future, including their proposal to partially restore one of the UK’s greatest modernist buildings, St Peter’s Seminary, Cardross, designed by Gillespie, Kidd & Coia 1966. The Seminary was presented through the film Space and Light Revisited, screened at the church of Santa Maria Ausiliatrice. In 1972 filmmaker Murray Grigor had celebrated the life of the seminary in a short film, Space and Light. For Space and Light Revisited, he returned in 2009 to the derelict, graffiti-ridden buildings with cinematographer Seamus McGarvey, to direct an exact shot-for-shot remake with the two films finally being shown simultaneously on a split screen. A lively debate on the future of St Peter’s linked the radical roots of Ruskin’s conservation theories and their influence on the great Venetian architect Carlo Scarpa. A book ‘To Have and To Hold’ was then published, expressing value in the current ruination of St Peter’s Seminary and supporting its incremental restoration. Credits: Project Lead: NVA Design team: Avanti Architects NORD ERZ Landscape Architects
Image: Tom Kidd
Image: The Glasgow School of Art
Image: The Glasgow School of Art
WHAT WAS GAINED FROM TAKING PART Presenting the story within a global architectural narrative helped us to appreciate its importance and was the first sign of governmental validation for NVA’s unusual approach to arts-led regeneration. It was useful for the Scottish-based participants to recognise the depth of support for saving such a landmark design when much 20th century architecture is facing erasure. Bringing in academics from mixed disciplines helped to position NVA’s approach to consolidation and partial repair versus full restoration. This informal debated approach to developing knowledge consensually on key themes formed the basis for the Invisible College, which we established as a future field station on the actual site in Scotland. Following the Biennale, NVA’s plans gained traction and we began the long road to raising significant funding and political support. Creatively we also drew inspiration from the exhibition of Lina Bo Bardi’s ideas of a ‘humble architecture’.
Image: Neil Davidson
Invisible College event, Kilmahew woods
Invisible College event, Kilmahew woods
Image: courtesy of NVA
Image: Neil Davidson
Invisible College event, St Peter’s Seminary
Running time: 18 mins
Invisible College event, Kilmahew Castle
Image: Neil Davidson
_ Space and Light Revisited is a double-screen presentation of Murray Grigor’s award-winning film of 1972 on the architecture of St Peter’s as a working seminary. In 2009 Grigor returned to the now vandalised ruins with the cinematographer Seumas McGarvey to recreate, as far as possible, a shot-for-shot remake of the original film. The film was presented as part of the To Have and To Hold event at the Venice Biennale.
WHAT WAS GAINED FROM TAKING PART Presenting the story within a global architectural narrative helped us to appreciate its importance and was the first sign of governmental validation for NVA’s unusual approach to arts-led regeneration. It was useful for the Scottish-based participants to recognise the depth of support for saving such a landmark design when much 20th century architecture is facing erasure. Bringing in academics from mixed disciplines helped to position NVA’s approach to consolidation and partial repair versus full restoration. This informal debated approach to developing knowledge consensually on key themes formed the basis for the Invisible College, which we established as a future field station on the actual site in Scotland. Following the Biennale, NVA’s plans gained traction and we began the long road to raising significant funding and political support. Creatively we also drew inspiration from the exhibition of Lina Bo Bardi’s ideas of a ‘humble architecture’.
Image: Neil Davidson
Invisible College event, Kilmahew woods
Invisible College event, Kilmahew woods
Image: courtesy of NVA
Image: Neil Davidson
Invisible College event, St Peter’s Seminary
Running time: 18 mins
Invisible College event, Kilmahew Castle
Image: Neil Davidson
_ Space and Light Revisited is a double-screen presentation of Murray Grigor’s award-winning film of 1972 on the architecture of St Peter’s as a working seminary. In 2009 Grigor returned to the now vandalised ruins with the cinematographer Seumas McGarvey to recreate, as far as possible, a shot-for-shot remake of the original film. The film was presented as part of the To Have and To Hold event at the Venice Biennale.
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Masterplan: 1 Kilmahew Castle 2 Whin dyke and waterfall 3 Swan Pond 4 Japanese Garden 1. Kilmahew Castle 2. Whin dyke and waterfall 5 Woodland Cabins 3. Swan Pond 6 Seminary Complex 4. Japanese Garden 7 Western approach 5. Woodland Cabins 6. Seminary Complex 8 High arched bridge 7. Western approach 9 Former courts 8. tennis High arched bridge/ new moat 9. meadow Former tennis courts / new moat 10 Upper10. (flexible growing) Upper meadow (flexible growing) 11 Lower11.meadow (camping) Lower meadow (camping) 12.Garden Walled Garden complex 12 Walled complex 13. Low double bridge 13 Low double bridge 14. Confluence of burns 15. Entrance / parking 14 Confluence of burns 16. Entrance portal 15 Entrance / parking 17. Carman Road 18. Stables Block (workshops and storage) 16 Entrance portal 17 Carman Road 18 Stables Block (workshops and storage)
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Seminary building overview: Restoration Temporary weather protection Safety guarding/hoarding Public access Weathertight events space
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Drawing: ERZ Landscape Architects
Drawing: NORD \ Avanti Architects
Image: HEMEDIA Invisible College event at the allotments in the walled garden Image: Neil Davidson
Image: James Johnson
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Masterplan: 1 Kilmahew Castle 2 Whin dyke and waterfall 3 Swan Pond 4 Japanese Garden 1. Kilmahew Castle 2. Whin dyke and waterfall 5 Woodland Cabins 3. Swan Pond 6 Seminary Complex 4. Japanese Garden 7 Western approach 5. Woodland Cabins 6. Seminary Complex 8 High arched bridge 7. Western approach 9 Former courts 8. tennis High arched bridge/ new moat 9. meadow Former tennis courts / new moat 10 Upper10. (flexible growing) Upper meadow (flexible growing) 11 Lower11.meadow (camping) Lower meadow (camping) 12.Garden Walled Garden complex 12 Walled complex 13. Low double bridge 13 Low double bridge 14. Confluence of burns 15. Entrance / parking 14 Confluence of burns 16. Entrance portal 15 Entrance / parking 17. Carman Road 18. Stables Block (workshops and storage) 16 Entrance portal 17 Carman Road 18 Stables Block (workshops and storage)
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the masterplan:
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Seminary building overview: Restoration Temporary weather protection Safety guarding/hoarding Public access Weathertight events space
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Drawing: ERZ Landscape Architects
Drawing: NORD \ Avanti Architects
Image: HEMEDIA Invisible College event at the allotments in the walled garden Image: Neil Davidson
Image: James Johnson
UPDATE ON THE FUTURE OF KILMAHEW / ST PETER’S Finding value in the changes that have emerged across the 144 acre former estate over recent decades, the plans are based on combining partial restoration and reclamation with new design to produce a stunning new arts venue and educational facilities. NVA intends to collectively delve into the grounds and the buildings’ past and disinter things that are relevant to their current evolution. Investigation is conceived as an exchange that invites people to actively take part in its evolution as well as enabling them to see outstanding performances, concerts and exhibitions.
Running time: 23 mins
Proposed interior events space
_ In December 2013, NVA’s The Invisible College held an event titled Next Steps In The Reinvention of St Peter’s Seminary and Kilmahew at Summerhall in Edinburgh. Ed Hollis of the University of Edinburgh and member of The Invisible College team discussed some of the issues that have been explored, and Hayden Lorimer of the University of Glasgow and member of The Invisible College team discussed some of the research undertaken so far.
Image: James Johnson
The entire site has been donated to NVA by the Archdiocese of Glasgow, with the next step being the removal of windblown asbestos from the main complex. When this is completed we will start to see the first possibilities for how the raw space can be used, with a high-profile environmental animation and launch event in spring 2016.
Proposed interior events space
Image: James Johnson
UPDATE ON THE FUTURE OF KILMAHEW / ST PETER’S Finding value in the changes that have emerged across the 144 acre former estate over recent decades, the plans are based on combining partial restoration and reclamation with new design to produce a stunning new arts venue and educational facilities. NVA intends to collectively delve into the grounds and the buildings’ past and disinter things that are relevant to their current evolution. Investigation is conceived as an exchange that invites people to actively take part in its evolution as well as enabling them to see outstanding performances, concerts and exhibitions.
Running time: 23 mins
Proposed interior events space
_ In December 2013, NVA’s The Invisible College held an event titled Next Steps In The Reinvention of St Peter’s Seminary and Kilmahew at Summerhall in Edinburgh. Ed Hollis of the University of Edinburgh and member of The Invisible College team discussed some of the issues that have been explored, and Hayden Lorimer of the University of Glasgow and member of The Invisible College team discussed some of the research undertaken so far.
Image: James Johnson
The entire site has been donated to NVA by the Archdiocese of Glasgow, with the next step being the removal of windblown asbestos from the main complex. When this is completed we will start to see the first possibilities for how the raw space can be used, with a high-profile environmental animation and launch event in spring 2016.
Proposed interior events space
Image: James Johnson