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.
