Correspondence: Anthony Walker, Consultant to DLG Architects, 11-29 Fashion Street, London E1 6PZ, UK

¹is a chartered architect and an Architect Accredited in Building Conservation. He is a consultant to DLG architects, where he was a founding partner, and retired as senior partner in 2005. He currently provides conservation advice and assessments as well as expert witness services to a number of different practices for planning inquiries. He was made a visiting professor at Kingston University and lectures regularly at the Architectural Association and the University of York. He has a special interest in twentieth century buildings and has contributed papers on the conservation of modern materials to conferences in the United Kingdom and abroad.

Received 23 February 2009; Revised 23 February 2009.

Abstract

A listed building of any period, or one that contributes positively to a conservation area, will require an appraisal as to its management and maintenance. Buildings of the twentieth century which are now eligible for listing pose many unforeseen challenges because, and this applies particularly to those built after 1950, they are only just being assessed. Considerable risks can arise for the owner and/or a consultant producing an appraisal of a twentieth century building for purchase, alteration or adaptation. In this paper, the significant and widespread changes in buildings of this period are outlined, together with strategies for management of the risks inherent in buying or altering a potentially listable building, or one adding positive value to a conservation area.