A Laboratory Manual for Architectural Conservators
After his appointment as director of ICCROM in 1977, Sir Bernard FEILDEN proposed to emphasize the interdisciplinary character of conservation by introducing scientists to field work and architects to laboratories. Consequently it was decided to introduce a series of laboratory exercises designed for the needs of architectural conservators and conservation architects in the program of the International Architectural Conservation Course at ICCROM.
The present publication can be seen as an outcome of this initiative. It should be conceived as an introduction to the work in an architectural conservation laboratory, aimed at helping the reader to understand the character and behavior of building materials, their identification, and the diagnosis of their state of conservation. It is believed that this manual would be useful not only to courses in conservation, but also to schools of architecture and engineering, as well as institutions interested in establishing a low-cost architectural conservation laboratory.
The material included has been drawn from different sources, and thanks are due to the many ICCROM lecturers and experts who have contributed to it. The training programs of the Scientific Principles of Conservation Course, run at ICCRCM under the direction of Giorgio TORRACA, and the Istituto Centrale del Restauro in Rome provided a basis. The first selection and preparation of exercises was undertaken by Simonetta PERONI, then assistant to the Architectural Conservation Course. Since 1984, this material has been completely revised, expanded, further elaborated and edited by Jeanne Marie TEUTONICO, who has dedicated much time to the development of laboratory training in the Architectural Conservation Course at ICCROM. She has been assisted by Cynthia ROCKWELL and Monica GARCIA in the editing and publication of the manual, and by Mehr Azar SCHEIL in the line drawings and graphic presentation.
Special thanks are due to the Finnish Government whose financial contribution made the publication of this manual-a reality.