The IHBC has just launched an online searchable database listing submissions to the institute’s celebrated annual Gus Astley Student Award (GASA), adding another valuable online resource for anyone interested in places, how they evolve and how we manage and change them.
The IHBC’s Projects officer Fiona Newton described the development: ‘This is an important archival record for the IHBC’s increasingly prestigious Student Award. And as a user already, I have found it especially practical and accessible as it’s not just a list of entrants but a useful and usable research database that allows for sorting and searching’.
Bob Kindred MBE, Vice Chair of the IHBC’s Education Committee and Chair of the Gus Astley Trustees, said: ‘In establishing the GASAs, the members of the institute were conscious that some very good work was already being done by post-graduate students and that this needed wider recognition. The awards aim to do that and the output listed here demonstrates the breadth of investigation and analysis completed.’
‘In some cases the submissions demonstrate novel enquiry, original thought, careful evaluation and useful, often practical conclusions. In others, exemplary studies of notable individual heritage resources or building types have been undertaken. Furthermore, the IHBC has been privileged to have a sequence of distinguished judged to validate the standard of the submissions.’
‘This work needed to find a wider audience, which this web page helps fulfil. I am also delighted that it has already been possible to publish abridged versions of some of the best past submissions in Context and in the international Journal of Architectural Conservation, while we are hoping to do more to place suitable submissions in the public arena in future.’
‘At a time when there is uncertainty about heritage resources and refreshing the supply of heritage skills in the profession, the GASA submissions are an affirmation the sector’s ability to provide future expertise.’
For the GASA award site see: LINK
For the Database see: LINK
To send feedback email gasa@ihbc.org.uk
To see more history search the IHBC’s NewsBlog archive, now with more than 6000 news items dating from its inception in 2007 see: LINK
To get a better understanding of the IHBC’s web services see our WebStarter at: LINK which also has a mobile friendly version at: LINK
