Cultural Heritage
At Atkins we think of the historic environment as a resource that we put to work in our development proposals for new housing, city centres, parks and regeneration areas.
Our archaeologists and conservation specialists explain how historic buildings and spaces reflect the character and soul of a place and how they can be cared for so that they can be enjoyed by future generations. We help to revitalise historic town centres, bring public parks back to life, and develop buildings of the future that complement and distinguish our older structures.
People love history and archaeology. The success of television programmes that tell us about the past - how our buildings, towns and landscapes have developed - show how important people consider these issues to be.
Our heritage and the historic environment are positive forces. They have a great deal to contribute to how we live as individuals and as a community, they tell us how our most valued assets, features and places have developed and why. Understanding the history of a place helps explain its character, its vitality, and the quality of its environment.
Recent work for the National Trust, undertaken by Atkins and the Institute of Field Archaeologists and London Metropolitan University, has looked at the way in which the historic environment leads to socio-economic benefits such as improved health and better education. People like to live in a historic environment, and, in addition, historic places provide attractive locations for people to visit.
Working on castles and colleges, museums and motorways, houses and hospitals, factories and farms - in the UK and overseas - Atkins delivers advice and solutions to public bodies such as the Ministry of Defence and English Heritage, as well as to many private clients. Our experienced team of archaeological building and conservation architecture specialists guide clients through the planning process, dealing with the constraints and regulations. They also work closely with designers, architects and communities to put heritage to work where it is needed most - in the creation of sustainable communities of the future.
Current and recent projects include the World Heritage Sites in Liverpool, the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey in London, and Bahla Fort in Oman. Our major study for the Department of Culture Media and Sport into local authority provision of heritage services will inform the White Paper for the forthcoming Heritage Bill and was discussed in the recent House of Commons Select Committee report on heritage protection.
We have also established a leading reputation in twentieth century heritage. We work closely with English Heritage to build on Atkins’ leading role in the shaping of our modern environment, including the heritage aspects of the nuclear industry, military sites, highways and railways.
For instance, we have recently completed ‘Images of Change: A Field Guide to the 20th Century Landscape’ about to be published by English Heritage. It explores the profound transformation in the English landscape as a result of car culture, population expansion and movement, intensification of agriculture, and industrial and technological change.