Restoration Works Started by Hamish Ogston Foundation-Funded Experts and Trainees at Roxburgh House, Kolkata
Philip Davies, Founder and CEO of the Commonwealth Heritage Forum (fourth from right) meets the team on the ground at the Old Herbarium, AJC Bose Indian Botanical Garden, Kolkata, 7 January 2023. [Image Courtesy of CHF; Photograph taken by Soumen Bose]
Experts and a group of 5 trainees and 2 interns under the Commonwealth Heritage Forum’s Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Commonwealth Heritage Skills Training Programme, funded by a £4.5million grant from the Hamish Ogston Foundation, recently commissioned a Vision Statement for the Roxburgh International Hub Project in the AJC Bose Indian Botanical Garden. This Commonwealth heritage conservation project envisages repurposing Roxburgh House, the Old Herbarium and the Old Seed Store, to create a visitor destination within the Garden, in what will be a major regeneration of this unique heritage site, which has in recent years fallen into disrepair.
On 7 January the team met with Philip Davies, Founder and CEO of the Commonwealth Heritage Forum, who visited Roxburgh, to meet the team on the ground and discuss progress being made on the scheme. The trainees will now propose financially and environmentally sustainable options to increase access to the gardens which will contribute towards the completion of the Vision Statement commissioned by the Commonwealth Heritage Forum before the project moves forward to the beginning of physical works.
From the 13-15 January, a training workshop at Roxburgh saw the participation of the 5 trainees and 2 interns, who learned about precinct mapping and the process and methods required to increase public access to the gardens. The trainees were also given instruction to understand how people living locally to the gardens view them and its potential, including the relationship of the gardens within the wider urban context.
The Trainees, supported by the interns, will now propose financially and environmentally sustainable options to increase access to the gardens. This work will contribute towards the completion of the Vision Statement commissioned by the Commonwealth Heritage Forum.
Meet the team:
Rupert Mann: Training Lead
Rupert Mann is a built and cultural heritage specialist in urban environments. He has a background in ethnography, community-led advocacy for improved heritage protection, community engagement, participatory design for public space upgrades with marginalised groups and a wide range of experience related to the management of heritage assets including regulatory reform, governance, drafting law, heritage list and conservation area creation, along with advocacy, post-crisis reconciliation and traditional repair skills and capacity-building.
He has lived and worked in Myanmar with the Yangon Heritage Trust over the last 10 years and has worked with remote tribal groups in Papua New Guinea, Australia’s first nations; in Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Cyprus. He is also a writer whose work focusses on alternative heritage through long-form journalism and photo essays.
Ashruti Singh: Trainee
“I have completed a Bachelor's in Architecture and I am currently pursuing a Master's in Urban and Regional Planning from IIEST, Shibpur. Being born in the city of Lucknow, heritage has predominantly been a part of my everyday life. I have a love for old structures and monuments. In addition to being an advocate for conservation and history, I am also interested in climate change, public policy, and visual art. I have experience working on the technical and design aspects of architecture, as well as research, and creative writing. My interest lies in participatory research and documentation, and I strive for a career that would create a meaningful impact on the lives of other people.”
Sreya Paul: Trainee
“I’m from Sankrail, Howrah, West Bengal, India and I graduated in Architecture from OmDayal School of Architecture. At present, I’m pursuing post-graduate studies in Urban and Regional Planning from IIEST, Shibpur. I’m very excited to join this project as the location is very close to my home and I’ve visited it many times. I’ve seen how over time it has degraded. As my house is also a very old building, I have an emotional connection with heritage buildings. So, when given the opportunity to work on this project I didn’t have any second thoughts about it.”
Mohit Kumar Singh: Trainee
“In 2018, I majored in Architecture with a strong emphasis on urban planning. I enrolled in IIEST Shibpur in 2021 for my master’s in Planning. Prior to starting this course, I had 2.5 years of professional experience in a public sector company that works on large-scale construction projects, primarily for the government. As an architect in this firm, I was part of a team that worked on projects such as the Naval Base for the Indian Navy in Karwar, Karnataka, and the Indian Coast Guard Academy in Mangalore.
“Professional experience has given me more confidence and helped shape my attitude toward the profession. However, my fascination with older and heritage buildings has created an inquisitiveness because I believe they are both beautiful and structurally complex. I'm hoping that this workshop in collaboration with Roxburg will be beneficial and add a new direction towards conservation works.”
Pamela Barua: Trainee
“I am a resident of Kolkata, also called the City of Joy, located in the state of West Bengal, India. I completed my schooling at BDM International, Kolkata. Presently I am a student at the Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur (formerly Bengal Engineering College), pursuing my Masters in Planning (Urban & Regional).
“I graduated as an Architect from the same institute. Living in a city with heritage roots in the British Colonial era has helped pave my interest and historical buildings have always fascinated me. They speak of the bygone period- giving us the chance to perceive and experience what was there before our generation and how different the time was. Conservation of old heritage structures is our chance to keep this interaction between the past and present alive. I am intrigued and I am looking forward to gaining experience in this field.”
Jyoti Sarkar: Trainee
“I am a Master's student in Planning at the Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur. I completed my Bachelor's in Architecture at Jadavpur University in the year 2021. I did my schooling at Aditya Academy at Barasat. I have lived in Bamangachi, near Barasat, a suburban area since childhood. Living in a village and traveling to the city every day for college has always fascinated me with the changes and similarities that have helped me develop an interest in architecture and planning. I am also interested in heritage and conservation work which was sparked when I did drawing as part of the curriculum of architecture in Jahaz Mahal, Mandu, Madhya Pradesh, and an old residential house near Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur.”
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Two architectural interns have already started work with the architectural practice, Alleya & Associates, on all aspects related to the Roxburgh, helping to draft plans and assisting the staff with coordinating a conservation management plan. These are paid positions, and both interns are in post until April 2023.
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Shagun Kapur: Intern
“I hail from the City of Joy - Kolkata. My interest in architecture developed over my high school years when the contrast in the skyline of the city, ranging from ever-present colonial buildings to the new-age contemporary constructions caught my attention. I completed my undergraduate studies in architecture from Manipal School of Architecture and Planning, Manipal in the year 2020.
“During my course of study, heritage buildings piqued my interest with their intricate details and engineering. Since then, I have been involved with various heritage conservation projects in and around Kolkata, and when the opportunity to work on Roxburgh House amidst the vast Botanical Gardens, presented itself, I was instantly drawn in. The Roxburgh International Hub project resonates with the kind of work I see myself being involved with throughout my career, and I believe that this learning experience will prepare me for my future in heritage.”
Sneha Das: Intern
“I am an architect and heritage enthusiast, based in Kolkata. I completed my undergraduate study in Architecture, and I am currently pursuing an M. Tech degree in Infrastructure Design and Management from IIT Kharagpur, India. My undergraduate thesis titled "Metamorphosis of a Riverine Edge, Kolkata: Bridging Urbanity with its Industrial Heritage" was selected for the COA National Awards for Excellence in Architectural Thesis 2020.
“My present research area focusses on the retrofitting and rehabilitation of masonry structures in Indian heritage context. My interest in sustainable architecture combined with heritage conservation led me to work with Alleya and Associates, and that further presented the opportunity to work on the Roxburgh International Hub project, helping me to strengthen my academic interests with practical experience. I am thrilled to be involved in the restoration of the Roxburgh House and I am certain that these 5 months will be an unparalleled experience.”
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This project to regenerate the building and grounds at Roxburgh House is just one of 20 to be undertaken as part of The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Commonwealth Heritage Skills Training Programme. Launched in May 2022 at the Commonwealth Secretariat, Marlborough House, and in celebration of Queen Elizabeth II’s lifetime of service to the Commonwealth, this programme aims to equip young people across the Commonwealth with the skills needed to conserve locally and internationally important buildings and sites. Over an initial five-year period, the Programme will focus on those countries where local stakeholders make clear the need is greatest, and where there is little existing capacity to support or manage heritage at risk.
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For further information on this Programme, see The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Commonwealth Heritage Skills Training Programme website: https://www.chstrainingprogramme.org/
For more information on our Heritage initiatives, visit: https://www.hamishogstonfoundation.org/heritage