Sanderson, L., Stone, S., Lee, SJ., 2017.

Bakewell : Some Ideas

"Buildings, like poems and rituals, realise culture."
(Henry Glassie, 1990)

Bakewell, in the Derbyshire Dales, is a distinctive market town in the heart of the Peak District. It is located on the River Wye, just 13 miles from Sheffield and less than 40 from Manchester. The town is bustling but well kept, busy but not to big to anonymous. It is very much part of the tradition of small northern towns, in that it is not too quaint, not too industrial, and not too exclusive. The town has embraced its industrial and agricultural past and looks to a future that encourages and enables thriving and successful development.

The buildings unashamedly abut the streets; they stand proud and robust. This aesthetic is emphasised by an architecture, which has evolved as a response to the climate and the weather. Materials such as limestone, sandstone and gritstone are employed because they can withstand the strong valley winds and rain. The town's hard facade is juxtaposed by intimate alleys and courtyards, which punctuate the urban centre.

These ideas about architecture and design in Bakewell attempt to highlight the character of the town and explore some key principles and standards for building within the urban environment. This is in the hope that it will aid any future developments in the town, with the intention of encouraging the production of the highest quality buildings and spaces, while promoting local distinctiveness and identity.