IN-PERSON London Heritages. Section A
Abstract
Thaxted is a small town in Essex with about 3,000 inhabitants. Its magnificent cutlers’ Guildhall, built at the turn of the XIV century, not only contributed to the town’s development but soon became a social and cultural heritage for the entire community. Despite its different uses over time, it has remained a public space at the residents’ service until today. This is our space: Thaxted is a research project investigating the role of public spaces in enhancing a sense of belonging, ownership, and safety. It focuses on Thaxted as a case study to understand how heritage preservation can support a safer and more inclusive community. The research is based on a series of preliminary visits to the town and the Guildhall, a participatory workshop (March 2025) involving 25 residents, a questionnaire open to all inhabitants (April 2025) and a roundtable (May 2025) with Parish Council and Essex County Council representatives to discuss the relevance of participatory actions and community engagement in preserving and regenerating urban heritage. One of the main research goals is to reaffirm residents on their importance as critical stakeholders. Furthermore, the project intends to contribute to policy changes that protect tangible and intangible public resources, underlining their fundamental role and support in the conservation and regeneration of heritage. Through the collaborative effort between local authorities, residents, and Anglia Ruskin University, the project finally aims to develop an opportunity for collaboration in better understanding positive development for heritage and the potential for a secure and prosperous urban environment.
Dr Carla Molinari is Senior Lecturer and BA Course Director at Anglia Ruskin University. She has published on cinema and architecture, on the notation of space and time, and on urban narratives. Before joining ARU in 2022, she taught at Leeds Beckett University, University of Gloucestershire, University of Liverpool, and University Sapienza of Rome. In 2020 she has been awarded a Paul Mellon Research Grant for her archival research on Gordon Cullen and in 2016, she was awarded a British Academy Fellowship by the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei for her research on Sergei Eisenstein.
Dr Giacomo Damiani (RIBA, ARB) is Co-Director of the Master of Architecture course at Anglia Ruskin University, where he teaches history and theory modules. Giacomo completed an UKRI AHRC-funded PhD at the University of Kent and is Passive House Certified Designer. His research considers the relevance of historical architecture for contemporary design by focusing on applied science, sustainability, circular design strategies and energy conscious design. Giacomo held research fellowships at the British School at Rome and Max Planck Institute for Art History and published in journals such as Early Science and Medicine and Papers of the British School at Rome.
Dr Antonio Blanco-Montero (RIBA, ARB, COAS, SACAP) is Senior Lecturer of Environmental Design and Sustainability and Interim Director of the BA (Hons) Architecture course at Anglia Ruskin University. In recent years, Antonio has been coordinator in research projects related to building resilience-strength against Climate Change for vulnerable communities in South Africa, funded by the UNFCCC and SANBI. As a Passivhaus Certified Designer, his research interest gravitates around the role of the built environment as a driver to enable sustainable futures, from low-carbon solutions and circular strategies to sustainable rural development as a feasible alternative to urban decompression and social upliftment.
2:15 pm - 3:45 pm
Wednesday 25th June, 2025