STEPHEN BOOKER
B.Sc.(Arch.), B.Arch.unsw M.Herit.Cons.USyd RAIA, APTi, AAA
CONSERVATION ARCHITECT AND HERITAGE CONSULTANT
Stephen Booker is an architect from Australia and director of the architectural practice carste STUDIO pty ltd. He specialises in heritage conservation, adaptive reuse, heritage assessments and design and management of new building interventions in heritage conservation areas or contextually sensitive localities in close proximity to items or places that are of cultural heritage value.
Stephen completed his undergraduate degrees in architecture at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, and his Masters degree in Heritage Conservation at Sydney University. He has also participated in heritage conservation management and physical conservation courses at the University of Canberra.
As part of his consultancy work, Stephen is an advisor to local government agencies including Port Macquarie Hastings Council and Kempsey Shire Council on the mid north coast of New South Wales, Australia. In this role he manages the conservation works in the district (local government area) and provides free technical advice to owners of heritage properties. He also consults with building designers and architects and development proponents on how they may best engage with the significant fabric of the place without detracting from its heritage values.
Australia has a wealth of early colonial buildings of masonry dating from 1800 onwards, as well as a large number of timber buildings from the mid nineteenth century onwards that are recognised as important cultural icons. Stephen’s conservation work has ranged across these building forms, types and construction techniques. He particularly concentrates on ecclesiastic buildings.
Stephen has undertaken historic research for his thesis in relation to a significant architect from the late nineteenth century, Mr Geo. McRae. He has also researched and written a paper on interpretation of historic places for his Master’s dissertation.
Stephen is a practical oriented architect who enjoys getting his hands dirty. His first taste of the work undertaken by Heritage Conservation Network was in the Slovenian town of Šmartno ob Paki in September 2008. He is now hooked on the type of work being done and has agreed to be involved in our future programmes working and learning.
He has travelled in Europe a number of times and is particularly interested in how cultures respond to their important places and manage them.
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