Published Date: 09 January 2010
By Ian Swanson
EXPERTISE from restoration projects in Edinburgh could help rescue
crumbling historic buildings in Cuba under plans drawn up by a city
architect.
Ian Parsons, who has his own practice in Morningside, hopes to set up a
charity to forge new links between Scotland and Cuba.
He wants to promote exchanges and training programmes in conjunction
with the Cuban authorities and encourage foreign inv
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estment in restoration projects.
Cuba is well-known for its colourful buildings in a mixture of
architectural styles.
Part of the capital Havana, like Edinburgh, has been designated a world
heritage site. But in many parts of the country the buildings are
collapsing through hurricane damage and neglect.
Mr Parsons said: "I went to Cuba for a cycling holiday and fell in love
with the place. The architecture, the landscape and the people really
impressed me."
But while he was impressed by the medical and educational achievements
in Cuba, Mr Parsons was upset by the decaying state of many buildings.
"I wrote to the British embassy in Havana about it and was invited to
give a lecture there. I met lots of prominent Cuban architects, planners
and academics. They were interested in the idea of some help from abroad
in repairing their historic cities. Having spent my life renovating
buildings in Scotland, I feel I'm in a position to help."
Mr Parsons has since been back to Cuba twice, met more people and is now
in discussions with the Cuban embassy in London.
"What I want to do in the short term is set up a charity. We have
carried out so much urban regeneration in Scotland, we do have a lot of
skills that could be shared.
"We have done all the things they need to do and we have made lots of
mistakes. They should come over and learn how not to make the mistakes
we have made."
He said an extensive restoration scheme had been launched in part of
Havana, but in many other cities there had been little repair or
restoration of their historic buildings for many years.
"There are many parallels with Edinburgh and Edinburgh's transformation
in the 1960s could be a model for many Cuban cities – a culture-based,
festival-based city economy.
"Edinburgh is recognised in Cuba as being a city of excellence and
therefore a good place to make contact with."
The Cuba Conservation Trust would be an international charity dedicated
to helping the Cuban people repair and conserve their urban and rural
environments in a sustainable manner.
"We would hope to start with a small project first, maybe renovating a
city block, beginning slowly and allowing working methods to evolve,
working with the Cuban authorities.
"We can also learn from the Cubans: their urban and rural organic
vegetable growing co-operatives are inspiring."
The project is looking for sponsorship to fund a project worker, the
establishment of the charity and the first construction work.
Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland secretary Neil Baxter
praised the initiative.
He said: "Scottish architects have a well-deserved international
reputation for conservation work. Ian Parsons's initiative for Cuba will
translate this Scottish experience into a quite different climate with
very difficult circumstances and a magnificent built heritage very much
at risk.
"His determination will help secure some of South America's finest
neo-classical urban architecture to the benefit of future generations
worldwide."
I'll be Havana go at fixing the crumbling landmarks of Cuba - Edinburgh
Evening News (9 January 2010)
http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/edinburgh/I39ll-be-Havana-go-at.5969149.jp
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