Photo Credit: Sarah M. Lee.
IWA is delighted to announce the appointment of Hugh Pearman as the new Chair of its Heritage Advisory Panel. As an experienced and celebrated journalist, editor, and author, he brings a background gained in a distinguished career and a deep commitment to preserving the architectural and engineering heritage of Britain’s inland waterways.
Hugh spent over three decades at the forefront of architectural journalism. From 1986 to 2016, he served as the architecture and design critic for The Sunday Times, and later as editor of the RIBA Journal from 2006 to 2020. His latest book, About Architecture, explores engineering and architectural achievements including those related to canal heritage. His extensive contributions to media and heritage have included roles on Arts Council England’s architecture advisory group, co-founding the RIBA Stirling Prize in 1996, and chairing the ‘Art for Architecture’ initiative at the Royal Society of Arts from 2000 – 2004. He was made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 2001 and his contributions to architecture and the arts were recognised with an MBE in 2019.
Beyond his professional life, Hugh is a longstanding IWA member with a personal enthusiasm for the heritage of Britain’s inland waterways, providing planning and architectural guidance for the Association’s London Region. He is the current Chairman of a campaigning architectural heritage charity, The Twentieth Century Society.
Commenting on his appointment, Hugh said:
The waterways network is a precious and rich working historical resource, available to all, linking urban and rural locations. It exists today because of the time and effort of the thousands who have worked to save and enhance it since IWA’s founding. It is now at a vulnerable moment. We need to be on high alert and make the strongest possible case for it as a key national heritage asset.
IWA recognises the challenges facing the UK’s waterways today. Historic structures are aging, climate change is exerting pressure on water management, and funding for conservation remains uncertain or inadequate. Hugh’s leadership arrives at a crucial moment as the Association works to safeguard the waterways from degradation or loss.
Under his guidance, the IWA Heritage Advisory Panel will continue collaborating with navigation authorities and other stakeholders to ensure that conservation and celebration of the network’s heritage remain a priority.
