Tom Davies will defend his PhD thesis "The Architecture of the Ordinary: Redefining protection and the role of communities in the future of Brutalist heritage". The defence will be held in English.

Programme

10:00 am: Trial lecture
Theme: Activism as a research methodology in the study of building heritage: The expert citizen versus the citizen expert. 
 


12:00 pm: Defence

Attend the lecture and dissertation online (aho.cloud.panopto.eu).

Abstract

Tom’s thesis ‘The Architecture of the Ordinary: Redefining protection and the role of communities in the future of Brutalist heritage’ is about Brutalist housing and its heritage as place and community. Notably, considering how such places and communities are perceived and managed through terms such as ‘significance and heritage values’ and how this might be developed as part of sustaining them as places to live. Its application is through post-war housing, variously described as Brutalist or Structuralist, considering their qualities as ‘place’ and the roles played by their communities in sustaining them. The study seeks to gain a better understanding of their heritage significance, care and management, which also has wider application for the care of other places and communities.

The full abstract and submitted version of the doctoral thesis will be available on ADORA closer to the defense date (aho.brage.unit.no).

Biography

Tom Davies is a buildings archaeologist who works with conservation and community engagement. He presently works for Nordland County Council helping manage the Vega Archipelago World heritage property and the protected Lofoten fishing town of Henningsvær. Recent projects include contributing to Heritage Impact Assessment for the UNESCO World Heritage property of the Vega Archipelago, consultancy for Arcadis Consulting UK and BSA Heritage, developing historic building documentation methods for the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVA) and running a freelance heritage consultancy, Sylvkallen Heritage.

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Supervisor
Associate Professor Even Smith Wergeland

Co-supervisor
Professor Luis Diaz
Associate Professor David Roberts


Adjudication committee
1st opponent: Professor Sally Helen Stone
2nd opponent: Associate Professor Daniel Johansen
Coordinator: Associate Professor Halvor Weider Ellefsen