Building Conservation Projects - ARC00129M
Module summary
This module will provide an introduction to the conservation of buildings and the principles and practice in planning for practical maintenance, repair and conservation projects. Students will understand the materials, common problems and issues faced by historic buildings. Students will develop awareness of best practices in planning for conservation considering appropriate material and design based solutions.
Module will run
Occurrence | Teaching period |
---|---|
A | Semester 1 2025-26 |
Module aims
This modules aims:
- To provide an understanding of the principles and practice of historic building maintenance, repair and conservation
- To provide an understanding of the materials, common problems and issues faced by historic buildings
- To develop an understanding of best practices in planning for conservation considering appropriate materials, repair and design based solutions
- To be familiar with the wide range of roles, responsibilities and potential of bodies and individuals who have a role and interest in historic building conservation
Module learning outcomes
By the end of the module students should:
- Have a comprehensive understanding of the principles and processes of maintenance and repair of historic buildings
- Be able to critically evaluate the problems faced by historic buildings through condition assessment to identify common building defects and diagnosis of underlying problems
- Have a systematic understanding of knowledge and a critical awareness of a range of interventions appropriate for historic building repair and conservation and sources of specialist advice, guidance and funding
- Be able to demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, creating flexible approaches to conservation project planning and management using appropriate visual tools and techniques
- Be able to demonstrate a critical understanding of best practices for conservation project management and intervention considering appropriate material and design based solutions.
Module content
This module will provide an introduction to the conservation of buildings and the principles and practice in planning for practical maintenance, repair and conservation projects. Students will understand the materials, common problems and issues faced by historic buildings. Students will develop awareness of best practices in planning for conservation considering appropriate material and design based solutions.
Students will be engaged in material and design based workshops and will explore relevant buildings in York as examples of conservation project work drawing on our network of conservation expertise in the City of York and the wider region. Students will be introduced to the relevant literature and gain an understanding of the issues associated with repair, maintenance and conservation through focussed work on a case study site.
Indicative assessment
Task | % of module mark |
---|---|
Essay/coursework | 100 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
Task | % of module mark |
---|---|
Essay/coursework | 100 |
Module feedback
Formative: oral feedback from module leaders
Summative: written feedback within the University's turnaround policy
Indicative reading
English Heritage Practical Building Conservation Series (note this is a ten-volume series and you will be guided to the relevant volumes).
English Heritage (2013). Conservation Basics, Practical Building Conservation Series, Ashgate
Copsey, N. 2019. Hot Mixed Lime and Traditional Mortars: A Practical Guide to Their Use in Conservation and Repair. Crowood.