WS2 - (Workshop 2) Conserving Earth and Timber Vernacular Architecture: Traditional and Scientific Approaches to its understanding and conservation

Saturday, October 3, 2020

10:00 AM – 3:00 PM MDT

CE: 12

Sponsored By:

Workshop Organizer(s)

Marilyn Williams, CAHP, MA

Heritage Consultant
Marilyn Williams Conservation

Workshop Presenter(s)

Patrick Allard

Owner & Principal Artisan
Ecowalls
Marie Anker, Ph.D.

Director of Cultural Heritage Management
Nidaros Cathedral Restoration Workshops in Trondheim, Norway
Claudia Cancino

Senior Project Specialist
The Getty Conservation Institute
PC

Peter Caron

The Housewright Edmonton
Dave Chalmers

Owner
Chalmers Heritage Conservation Ltd.
BD

Becky Dahl

Archivist & curator
Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village Alberta Culture, Multiculturalism and Status of Women
Andrew Fearon, AIC-PA

Chief Architectural Conservator
Materials Conservation
John Lehr

Senior Scholar
University of Winnipeg
Susan Macdonald, Bsc (Arch) B Arch, MA (Conservation Studies), ICCROM, RIBA, PIA

Head of Buildings and Sites
The Getty Conservation Institute
DM

David Makowsky

Director
Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village Alberta Culture, Multiculturalism and Status of Women
Camilla Mileto

Professor
Universitat Politècnica of València
Mojgan Nejad

Assistant Professor
Michigan State University
Evan Oskierko-Jeznacki

Doctoral Student Fellow
University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Design Department of Historic Presrvation
Evan Oxland, MSHP

Architectural Conservator
DFS Architecture / CENTRUS
Suzana Radivojevic, PhD

Wood Scientist
Ligno Logic LLC
Marco Rezende, Arch

Distinguished Full Professor
School of Architecture at Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (Brazil)
Hajo Spaethe, applicable BSc. Wood Science University of Hamburg and University of Freiburg, Germany

Masters of Wood Science
University of Alberta (Canada) & University of Freiburg (Germany)
John & Michael Sinclair

Owners
Sage Restoration
Fernando Vegas

Professor
Universitat Politècnica of València

This 3-day course has been approved for 12.0 hours HSW.

We are a virtual conference but are keeping the focus on Northern Alberta! This workshop will showcase the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village which was established in the 1970s to interpret the early Ukrainian settlements of east central Alberta. The village features over 40 restored vernacular buildings constructed from 1895 to 1930 using traditional building methods brought from present-day Western Ukraine.

Regardless of geographic location or cultural origins, conserving vernacular architecture follows a similar process. It starts with an understanding of the building’s form, construction methods and materials, and how they were shaped by the customs and traditions of their builders. Conservation treatment strategies can then be developed, guided by this understanding, and by the growing body of knowledge in conservation. Implementation requires practitioners who are knowledgeable and skilled in traditional methods as well as documentation best practice. This workshop offers insight into this process using local and international case studies and perspectives. Virtual site tours allow participants to observe ‘close-up’ examples that illustrate the classroom sessions.

Day 2 and 3 classroom sessions focus on the conservation of earth and timber, respectively. Sessions include an overview of construction methods around the globe, deterioration mechanisms encountered with each, and appropriate values-based conservation treatments. Other subjects include the non-destructive structural diagnosis of timber in earthen architecture, monitoring hygrothermal performance of traditional materials, and research on the performance of wood coatings.

Demonstration and ‘hands-on’, practical aspects of the workshop are led by local craftsmen and materials specialists who will provide participants a virtual experience with traditional earth plasters, and daubing and finish coats as used on timber structures, in combination with lime-based coatings. Discussions include the intrinsically sustainable nature of vernacular materials and craft.

Day 3 Saturday, October 3
10:00am - 10:10am - Day 3 Welcome and Introductions

10:10am - 11:45am - Conservation of timber materials and structures

Overview of vernacular timber architecture - Marie Anker
Timber deterioration mechanisms - Suzana Radivojevic
Mechanisms of exterior wood coatings / Wood conservation treatments.
Local case studies - Comparative performance research of exterior wood coatings in Alberta - Evan Oxland//Hajo Spaethe/Dr Wolodko
Cedar shingle coating research, Washington Parks - Suzana Radivojevic

11:45am - 12:00pm - Break

12:00pm - 12:30pm - Virtual visit of building materials in archives collections - curator Becky Dahl

evolution of building materials & coatings for various construction eras - Peter Caron

12:30pm - 2:30pm - Craft methods 3 Demonstration coating materials on earth & timber structure

Demonstration & hands-on using 1890s Grekul Homestead buildings - traditional coatings used on mud plaster - Peter Caron
Lime coatings used by early Ukrainian settlers for building and maintenance; sourcing, mixing and preparation; evolution with later construction periods
prepare and apply authentic lime-wash from the period to dried earth render

Learning Objectives:

Summarize and sequence at a high level, the steps, expertise involved in conserving vernacular earth and timber architecture from the range of international case studies presented.
Determine the level of understanding required for a vernacular earth and timber site before detailed investigation can proceed.
List the types of in-depth investigation or research that may be used to inform the conservation a vernacular earth architectural site.
Explain how a site’s heritage values and condition are used to guide the development of conservation policy.
Gain experience (virtually) with the practical considerations of craft practice such as the sourcing, mixing, preparation and application of traditional materials on timber and earthen structures.
Describe how the use of traditional vernacular materials is both authentic and intrinsically sustainable.