Research Project

Edgar Wood (1860-1935) has been increasingly recognised as not only a notable Manchester (UK) architect but also a significant contributor towards the development of European Modernism. However, the delay in appropriate recognition resulted in many of Wood’s buildings being unrecognised for their heritage value and consequently listed on the ‘Heritage at Risk’ register due to a lack of care and maintenance. Set within a contemporary re-awakening of Wood’s importance, this research considers the intangible practices that have influenced and informed an ‘Edgar Wood Renaissance’. It evidences how various initiatives supported by Heritage Lottery funding, the Edgar Wood Society, Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council, the Middleton Civic Association, and other passionate individuals, has facilitated the synthesis of tangible and intangible heritage - foregrounding Wood’s work and supporting the restoration, adaptation, and ongoing use of his buildings by the local community. This research therefore evidences how intangible heritage practices have contributed towards a contemporary re-appraisal of Edgar Wood’s work and its re-positioning within the collective memory of contemporary society.

Project Details

Author(s)

Dr Johnathan Djabarouti

Project Start Date

September 2018

Project End Date

September 2021

Partners

Edgar Wood Society, David Morris

Collaborators

https://edgarwoodsociety.org

Research Outputs

Journal Articles

Djabarouti, J., 2020. 'Listed Buildings as Socio-material Hybrids: Assessing Tangible and Intangible Heritage Using Social Network Analysis', Journal of Heritage Management, 5 (2), pp. 169-190.

Conference Papers

Djabarouti, J., 2020. ''The lively development of tradition': Edgar Wood, restoration and intangible heritage', 8/7/2020 - 10/7/2020, in Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Heritage and Sustainable Development (HERITAGE 2020), 01.

Djabarouti, J., 2020. 'Between feelings and things: intangible heritage from within the built heritage paradigm', Association of Critical heritage Studies 5th Biennial Conference: ACHS FUTURES 2020, University College London, UK, 26/8/2020 - 30/8/2020.

Presentations

Djabarouti, J., 2021. 'The impact of intangible heritage on architectural and building conservation practices in the UK: a socio-material outlook'.

Project Staff