Heritage Unlocked - Flipbook - Page 56
Contributor
biographies
Clare co-founded Wright
& Wright Architects,
specialising in buildings
for leading cultural and
higher education
institutions. She is
currently partner-incharge of a new court for
St John’s College,
Cambridge, a masterplan
for All Souls College,
Oxford, and the
remodelling of
Washhouse Court,
Charterhouse, London.
For over 30 years she has
played a central role in
shaping the practice’s
award-winning portfolio.
Clients include the British
Museum, National
Gallery, V&A Museum,
British Academy, Church
of England and several
Oxbridge colleges. Clare
also served on the English
Heritage Urban Advisory
Panel (now the Historic
Places Panel),
contributing to policy
development and
advising on proposals
within sensitive historic
settings. She serves as a
juror for awards
organised by RIBA,
RIAS, Civic Trust and
Arts Council England,
and has acted as an
external assessor at
numerous leading
schools of architecture.
She was awarded an MBE
in 2004 and elected to the
RSA in 2022.
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Heritage Unlocked
Karen Livingstone leads
the Fitzwilliam Museum’s
major redevelopment
and Masterplan,
transforming its
buildings and displays to
secure its future as a
social, cultural, and
research centre for
Cambridge and the
wider region. She
oversees the creation of
new displays and the
renewal of public
galleries, creating a
dynamic balance between
the great historical
buildings and new
interventions. Previously,
as the Science Museum
Group’s first Director of
Masterplan and Estate
(2011–2023), she
developed and delivered
a series of transformative
masterplans across its
five museums, including
the Science Museum in
London, recognised by
the Art Fund Museum of
the Year for its acclaimed
new permanent galleries,
along with Medicine at
the Wellcome Galleries,
and Science City 1550 1800 at the Linbury
Gallery.
Charles Smith, a heritage
professional for over 20
years, is the Policy
Director at Historic
England, where he leads a
department of 30 people
prioritising,
promoting, and enabling
development of public
policy that maximises
the contribution of
heritage to making
successful places. A
historian by background,
Charles started his career
as a caseworker for the
Victorian Society before a
stint working for the
Diocese of London,
ultimately leading
its Care of Churches
Team. A relocation up
north to Huddersfield
followed (where he and
his family still live), with
Charles leading the
conservation team at
Kirklees Council for four
years, before making the
move to Historic England.
At HE, Charles spent a
decade working across
the north, leading at
various times its
planning, listing, grant
aid and heritage at risk
work, before taking on
the national Policy
Director role last year.
