OUR FADING HERITAGE

A collaborative project by Andrew Faulkner and Jemma Gunning capturing the beauty in our fading heritage.

Today the world is losing its architectural cultural heritage faster than it can be documented. Here in the UK, many important historic buildings and sites are facing abandonment and ruin having lost their original function through economic, industrial, environmental or social change. Many are also being adapted beyond recognition, or swept away entirely through development and infrastructure projects. While we have a formal system for managing our heritage, listed buildings in particular, mechanisms for ensuring their care often go unenforced and there are a staggering number of important buildings being lost to the forces of nature.

Our individual practices have been focused on derelict historic sites for some years and this collaboration enables us to formalise and develop our work, and to bring it to a wider audience. Our work celebrates the beauty often found in abandoned buildings and acts as portals into the past, offering glimpses of the life that reclaims the land once humans have left. We hope to make people slow down and appreciate the value we see in buildings that are left to fall into complete disrepair.