The Martin Hill architectural archive: Appraisal report

Transcription

1 The Martin Hill architectural archive: Appraisal report Executive summary: The Martin Hill architectural archive is a privately-held collection, housed in Tawa. A simple donation to the Library cannot be contemplated for reasons of size and scale. A unique opportunity for architectural research is being presented to the University. The recommendation is therefore that substantial Marsden funding be sought by the University for architectural research and for processing and storage. Space within the School of A&D, donation of the collection to the University, and conditions of use should be developed with the funding application, and be contingent on its success. Nicola Frean Special Materials Librarian 24 March 2004

2 Background Mr P. Martin Hill is a semi-retired architect who had contacted Professor Gordon Holden about a possible future home for his private collection of material on the history of architecture and design in NZ. The collection was mentioned at last year's strategy meeting with Gordon Holden, Christine McCarthy, Elizabeth Russell, Nicola Frean and Robin Skinner. Following correspondence between Professor Holden and Mr Hill, a small group from VUW made a preliminary visit on Sunday 7 March. The group consisted of Nicola Frean (Special Materials Librarian, who took photographs), Robin Skinner (A&D) and Rachel Lilburn (SIM). While no commitments were made, we did express interest in the research potential of the collection, and an intention to explore within VUW possibilities for its storage and resourcing. Summary: This paper outlines the scope of the collection and its potential as a research resource. It concludes that the collection is too large for the Library given current resources, but should be pursued as a cooperative project among relevant sections of the University. It suggests applying for a Marsden grant to cover 1) a senior researcher to produce a publication giving a finding aid and critical assessment of the collection and 2) resources for its re-shelving and cataloguing. Content: 1. Published material - c. 11 ranges of 30 shelves each, c330 linear metres 'Approximately 1,300 books on building and architecture found in New Zealand some dating back to the 1700's. Additionally a few hundred building catalogues'. This includes collected historical items and part of Mr Hill's own professional library. It is stored on mobile (compact) shelving in Mr Hill's workshop/garage. Mr Hill maintains a numerical listing (a copy has been sent to Robin Skinner) and fragile material is wrapped individually. Items have been purchased over the past 15 years few for more than c$150. Robin Skinner considered it would be impossible to amass a similar collection at present as prices have risen considerably and much material is sold offshore. He will explore the extent to which this material duplicates existing A&D Library holdings, but noted during our visit that:

3 There are some examples of rare New Zealand twentieth century works of which there are only one or two few copies in NZ libraries. The book collection has mostly been collected in New Zealand and could be described as books used in New Zealand. This is one of the collection s special values. Many of the works are technical books typical of those used by builders and practitioners in the nineteenth and, to a greater extent, in the early twentieth century. This material is often not held by New Zealand libraries. With the current trend book selling via the internet, it would be near impossible to gather a collection of books used in New Zealand now. Ownership signatures indicate that some works can be traced to the libraries of architects and builders. 2. Wallpaper and design collection- c.20 metres? Approximately 500 samples of wallpaper collected from houses throughout central New Zealand, 700 rolls of wallpaper recovered from the belongings of two [Wairarapa] painters and decorators of the 1920's, and several books containing 1000 samples of wallpaper from the 1900's. Much of this material is yet to be processed. However it will form a rich primary resource for research, as Mr Hill has documented the addresses, dates and order of wallpaper layers from specific houses.

4 3. Building artifacts c40 linear metres? 'Several hundred parts from houses throughout central New Zealand including such items as eaves, brackets, handrails and balusters, framing, vents, doors, fireplace surrounds, weatherboards, mouldings, chimney pots, drains etc' These physical artefacts are voluminous and present longterm conservation challenges; it might be necessary to create digital surrogates. 4. Business archive c 5 linear metres? While Martin Hill had not originally considered including the archives of his practice in this collection, he was interested by this idea and thought that other Wellington architects would be interested in depositing their records also, and might consider donating funds to care for them long-term. Tricia Walbridge (VUW Foundation) should be included in further discussion on this point. It is worth noting that AU received Lotteries Grant Board funding for their Architectural Archive. Research potential Parts of this collection are a rich primary resource for research into New Zealand (particularly Wellington) architecture, New Zealand design, urban environment and cultural studies, preservation architecture... The publications support the primary collections and would be time-consuming and expensive to replace. Links to existing research collections The Architecture and Design Library already holds the archives of the Gray Young Architectural firm. The J C Beaglehole Room holds the early archives of the New Zealand Institute of Architects. VUW Facilities Management holds the non-current records of architectural work for the VUW campus.

5 No Wellington institution is collecting actively in this area, although the Alexander Turnbull Library, Te Papa and Wellington City Council are potential collectors. In Auckland and Canterbury, the Universities have active collecting policies for their regional architectural archives; Hocken Library collects for the Otago region. The University of Auckland Architectural Archive is the most pro-active: it holds the later records of the New Zealand Institute of Architects, has an active exhibition programme (also available online), and uses the architectural archive strongly in promotion. Resourcing Martin Hill is reluctant to see the collection broken up, and breaking the collection would reduce its value to researchers. The collection is currently stored in four locations on Mr Hill s property the mobile shelving, workshop shelving, a former wash-house, and a schoolroom which has been moved onto the site. It is estimated that square metres would be required for its storage elsewhere, perhaps more if a reference service area is to be included. Provision must be considered for future additions to the research collection, if it is at all possible that the collections of other Wellington architects might be added. In addition to the normal requirements for archives storage (stable temperature and humidity, protection from pests, fire, flood, theft, damage through use etc), architectural archives require extensive resources: space for map cabinets (which cannot mount up too high), large tables for researchers to use, future IT support for CAD material This collection is too big for the Library to undertake, given existing resources. As the major research users would be in A&D, it would be inappropriate to commit J C Beaglehole Room resources (already fully stretched and in an uncertain state pending the RB Development). A&D Library resources are already fully committed. However, it is understood that the School of A&D may be prepared to set aside space in a new area of their building. Rather than lose a rich potential research resource, I suggest that it be treated as a cross- University project and an application for Marsden or other funding be prepared. Examples of appropriate research classification codes recognised by Marsden follow below: Heritage and conservation History of the built environment Interior and environmental design Architecture and urban environment This application should be for: 1) A researcher to prepare a detailed finding aid and report on the collection 2) Funding for shelving, moving and cataloguing the resource. Longterm, obviously the University will need to be prepared to contribute to some extent in terms of space and staffing. In return, it could gain a high profile centre for ongoing research products across a range of disciplines, and links to many networks in the wider community.