Wire report
Sir Donald Insall obituary
Conservation architect whose projects included restoring and renewing Windsor Castle after the devastating fire of 1992 Donald Insall, doyen of conservation architects, who has died aged 100, was very clear about the distinction between preserving buildings and conserving them. “Preservation,” he pronounced, “is what you do for marmalade.” Though Insall could see the value of preservation, he was an adroit conservationist rather than a stodgy marmalade maker, always seeing how historic buildings could be revived and put to new uses. Marshalling teams of architects, craftsmen and builders, he brought Windsor Castle back from the brink following the devastating “ annus horribilis ” fire of 1992. The exacting rescue scheme encompassed a range of strategies, from complete restoration to renewal in spirit. “As well as keeping things as they were, or putting them back as one thinks they were –
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Conservation architect whose projects included restoring and renewing Windsor Castle after the devastating fire of 1992 Donald Insall, doyen of conservation architects, who has died aged 100, was very clear about the distinction between preserving buildings and conserving them. “Preservation,” he pronounced, “is what you do for marmalade.” Though Insall could see the value of preservation, he was an adroit conservationist rather than a stodgy marmalade maker, always seeing how historic buildings could be revived and put to new uses. Marshalling teams of architects, craftsmen and builders, he brought Windsor Castle back from the brink following the devastating “ annus horribilis ” fire of 1992. The exacting rescue scheme encompassed a range of strategies, from complete restoration to renewal in spirit. “As well as keeping things as they were, or putting them back as one thinks they were –
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According to The Guardian’s source item, Sir Donald Insall obituary, Conservation architect whose projects included restoring and renewing Windsor Castle after the devastating fire of 1992 Donald Insall, doyen of conservation architects, who has died aged 100, was very clear about the distinction between preserving buildings and conserving them. “Preservation,” he pronounced, “is what you do for marmalade.” Though Insall could see the value of preservation, he was an adroit conservationist rather than a stodgy marmalade maker, always seeing how historic buildings could be revived and put to new uses. Marshalling teams of architects, craftsmen and builders, he brought Windsor Castle back from the brink following the devastating “ annus horribilis ” fire of 1992. The exacting rescue scheme encompassed a range of strategies, from complete restoration to renewal in spirit. “As well as keeping things as they were, or putting them back as one thinks they were –
Context
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Primary source: Sir Donald Insall obituary via The Guardian. VINI cites and links the source; it does not reproduce the publisher’s full article text without rights clearance.
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- Sir Donald Insall obituaryThe Guardian - 2026-10-21T14:05:07+00:00
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