Barbados Roebuck Street Heritage Skills Training Programme

In January 2023, the Commonwealth Heritage Forum partnered with Tulane School of Architecture, New Orleans, and the University of the West Indies to deliver training for over 40 young people from the Caribbean, UK, and US to build capacity and help safeguard heritage at risk in Bridgetown, Barbados. The students developed skills in building documentation and condition assessment, contributing to a report and interactive map outlining the context and condition of buildings on and around Roebuck Street, Bridgetown, including recommendations for their adaptive re-use.

The training, which began in January 2023, was divided into three stages:

Documentation - the students surveyed 313 buildings within the Roebuck Street area. Various techniques, from laser scanning and photogrammetry, to archival research and traditional photography were employed to understand the architectural and historical significance of the area. Buildings were geo-referenced, with all underlying survey data incorporated into a GIS mapping effort.

Conservation – this phase included condition assessments and culminated in a conservation management plan, identifying areas needing immediate intervention.

Interpretation – proposals for a walking heritage trail, museum panels, and exhibits were developed to foster public engagement, re-connect communities to their rich cultural inheritance, and promote stewardship of Roebuck Street's historical environment.

Roebuck Street is within the UNESCO World Heritage Site. It probably derives its name from ‘The Roebuck Tavern’, c.1670, one of the first taverns established in Bridgetown. The area was the commercial hub of Bridgetown in the nineteenth-century, with owners living above their shops on the street. Over the years many of the buildings in this area have been neglected, meaning there is an urgent need for a sustainable plan for restoration and ongoing care.

Access the Roebuck Street Heritage Survey here.

You can find out more about the students and their experiences during the training via our earlier posts, here.