The city of Bath has appointed its first ‘Architect in Residence’ thanks to £60,000 donation from the Medlock Charitable Trust.
The 18-month pilot scheme is an innovative collaboration between the University of Bath and Bath and North East Somerset Council, and will see the development of guidance for design excellence in the UNESCO World Heritage City of Bath, and contribute to the city’s heritage and net zero ambitions.
The appointed architect is award-winning Bob Allies, co-founder of the Allies and Morrison architectural firm. Bob has worked on many major developments and has a keen interest in how settlements of any scale can evolve by building on their historic form and identity.
Commenting on the post, he said: “This is such a far-sighted initiative, putting architecture and urbanism at the top of the agenda through the appointment of an architect-in-residence. The Council’s commitment to achieving the highest quality of design not just in the world heritage site and its setting but in the wider region of north-east Somerset is really significant, and I’m delighted to have been appointed as the first person to take up the role. I hope together we can make a difference, and I would like to think that this might, in the long term, provide a template for other towns and cities throughout the country.”
The Medlock Charitable Trust is led by David Medlock D.L., a businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He commented: “The city and the University mean a great deal to me. I’m proud to support this initiative, which will protect the Outstanding Universal Values of this double-inscribed World Heritage Site.”