No abstract

is a London-based architect with experience leading and consulting on regeneration and development projects in different international contexts. Since 2011 he has worked as a sole practitioner providing architectural services to private clients and nongovernmental organisations through his company, Founded. When Sam Woodbridge arrived in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2009 to take up his post as design and construction manager for the Turquoise Mountain Foundation, among his first tasks was to clear the roads of rubble and debris1. Architectural regeneration projects, in contrast to new-build projects, often do not start out with a fixed brief, but instead develop their scope and focus from their context and stakeholder priorities. In Kabul's post-war environment of the late 2000s, the local community did not initially see much value in restoring a series of old buildings, raising the question of what value a foreign foundation with heritage interests at its heart could bring to such a context. The local community did, however, see how difficult it was to navigate rubble and debris-clogged streets, so this is where Turquoise Mountain started its work. Sam Woodbridge's account of his 19 months in charge of the restoration and regeneration of The Great Serai in central Kabul illustrates how a difficult post-conflict context with an initially averse local community was transformed into a successful regeneration project by drawing on a range of skills and experiences outside the traditional formation of an architect. Woodbridge's story highlights a series of regeneration practice principles and personal traits that enabled a young architect at the beginning of his career to meaningfully contribute to a successful regeneration project at the interface of building conservation and socio-economic development. The project was awarded a UNESCO Heritage Award of Distinction in 2013.[ INSERT FIGURE 12.1 HERE] Accessing work in heritage conservation and international development1 A note on authorship: While the project discussed here focuses on Woodbridge's experience of leading work on The Great Serai, it should be noted that the conservation approach for Turquoise Mountain's urban regeneration programme was a collective decision taken by the project partners prior to implementation. Any inference in the text of sole authorship over decisions taken by others or the group is unintentional.