Drawn by: Carolyn Samko, 2nd Year Student, 2006

Research and Documentation

Case Studies

Case studies of historic resource places and their conservation planning approach is an important exercise in determining best standard practices implemented. During the course of the school term various field trips to conservation projects will take place. Case studies scheduled include:

• Darwin D. Martin House, Buffalo, New York
• Osgoode Hall, Toronto, Ontario
• Gooderham & Worts, Toronto, Ontario
• Clinton Brown and Associates, Buffalo, New York
• Industrial Archaeology, Niagara Falls

Conditions Reporting

This program will explore the identification and the evaluation of the importance of both interior and exterior elements. Identification of the sequence of primary and secondary spaces, features and finishes, will be undertaken as well as the assessing of previous alterations and deterioration. Once careful assessment and documentation has been completed, work can begin on the task of determining which elements should be preserved or salvaged. In cases where previous work has changed the character of a structure irrevocably, it is vitally important to know what elements and procedures should be taken to salvage important original details such as baseboards, floors, doors and windows, plaster, original trim and other elements that give voice to the original building.

Evaluation of Historic Properties                           

Many techniques have been developed for evaluating historic properties.  The intent of this course is to illustrate how each property must be approached with an open mind, and various technique applied depending on the intrinsic and associative values of the site.  Whether a building, an industrial structure, a landscape, or an archaeological site, there is often a need for a quick decision about what kind of research or documentation technique is most appropriate.  Some sites are in immediate danger, or have fragile components.  At other sites, resources are limited.  This course will use case studies to examine how evaluation can occur both in the short-term and the longer-term.  Students will be given a case study of their own to develop their evaluation skills.

Finishes and Paint Colour Analysis

This course will introduce the students to the analysis and understanding of historic finishes, particularly paints and varnishes.  Students will be given some basic background on the evolution of historic finishes, including binders, pigments, and carriers.  They will learn some of the techniques for taking samples, analyzing layers, and understanding the sequence of colours and textures.  They will use case studies to understand how a variety of samples can be used to suggest early colour schemes, and how this information is combined with other kinds of research to establish the evolution of historic properties. 

Stark House Management Plan     

This course will use the Stark House in [name of town] as a case study for developing a management plan for conservation and reuse of a historic property.  This early 19th Century house is remarkably intact, but is currently vacant. The course will begin with a research and documentation phase, with students undertaking a variety of related activities dependent on their own skills and interests.  This will include some basic measured drawings. Students will then develop a Statement of Significance, based on the research findings.  They will then consider conservation options, including preservation, restoration, and adaptive reuse.  Once the preferred option is chosen, a more detailed design and implementation program will be developed.

Willowbank: Finishes Workshop

This workshop will use the area conservation project at Willowbank as a case study for hands-on treatment of existing and proposed historic finishes.  This course will use previous information and additional investigation to explore original design intentions, current conditions, and options for conservation.  The preferred option will be developed in detail and implemented as part of the course.

Conservation Planning

Conservation Planning

This course will guide students through the development of conservation plans for historic places.  The starting point for plan development is the values identified through research and documentation. Using cultural landscape theory, students will apply the principles of both commemorative integrity and ecological integrity.  Commemorative integrity has been used primarily in developing plans for historic resources, and ecological integrity in plans for natural resources.  The course will address ways of integrating these approaches, based in part on aboriginal perspectives on understanding and managing cultural landscapes.  The planning process will consider protection, enhancement, and sustainability as key concepts.  

Cultural Landscapes           
           
This course will introduce students to the concept of cultural landscapes.  This concept is increasingly used as a basis for both theory and practice in the conservation field.  The course will examine the development of cultural landscape theory, both in Canada and abroad, and its increasing use by the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO and others as a basis for understanding and protecting important historic sites.  It will look at ways in which it unites cultural and natural resource conservation, and the importance of aboriginal perspectives in developing this more holistic approach. Students will undertake exercises in documenting cultural landscapes, writing statements of significance and proposing conservation approaches.  This course is a prerequisite for working on management plans for various historic properties, including Willowbank itself.

Dundurn - Historic Structures Report      

This course will use the Gardener’s Cottage at Dundurn National Historic Site in Hamilton, Ontario, as a case study for developing a historic structures report.  Students will be divided into groups, according to their skills and interests, to analyze and research different issues.  They will then combine their findings to arrive at a more holistic understanding.  Part of the intent of this course is for students to appreciate the advantage of different perspectives and disciplinary approaches in appreciating and understanding historic places.

Legal. Zoning and Code Issues     

This course will consider a variety of legal, zoning and code issues that affect the use and development of historic properties.  The course will introduce students to municipal, provincial, and federal roles in regulating and encouraging conservation activity.  Students will be introduced to the recently revised Ontario Heritage Act, the Provincial Policy Statement, relevant planning regulations including environmental assessments, the role of municipal zoning bylaws, and the National and Provincial Building Codes.  The intent of the course is to provide students with a basic understanding of the regulatory environment that affects the conservation field, and to recognize areas where heritage properties are given special consideration.

Managing a Restoration Project

This course will discuss various approaches for managing a restoration project.  The focus will be on the implementation phase in conservation or restoration work, the phase when there is physical intervention on site.  Students will discuss the role of various participants, including conservation consultants; conservation architects, landscape architects, and engineers; other designers; interpreters; archaeologists; general and specialized contractors; specialized material suppliers, specialized trades, recorders, and others.  There will also be discussion of various project delivery options, including design-bid-build, design-build, project management, construction management, and phased implementation.  The intent of the course is to explore different options for managing a restoration project and highlighting the role of various participants.  Case studies involving historic properties will be used.

Masonry Buildings - Analysis & Conservation     

This course will look broadly at the issues surrounding the understanding and protection of masonry buildings.  It will include understanding some of the key developments in masonry building materials and technologies, and some of the typical conservation problems that arise over time.  Students will learn about ways of documenting and analyzing conditions, both structural and cosmetic, and will be guided in developing conservation strategies.  The course will include field trips to examine masonry buildings, to record some of their defects, and to propose solutions. 

Part 11, Ontario Building Code

This course will examine the special role of Part 11 in the Ontario Building Code, when dealing with the conservation, restoration and adaptive reuse of designated heritage properties.  The course will discuss the history of Part 11, and explain its performance-based approach to dealing with existing buildings.  Students will become familiar with how it is applied, and how it can be used when dealing with specific types of code compliance issues.  The course will include case studies.

Sustainability - Quantitative & Qualitative Approaches

This course will introduce students to the basic issues of sustainability.  It will take a qualitative as well as quantitative approach, and consider sustainability as an issue that deals with both cultural resource conservation and natural resource conservation.  It will examine how historic properties are being dealt with in current discussions of sustainable design, including the LEED approach and its application to designated historic properties.  Students will use case studies to explore how conservation issues can be addressed in a sustainability framework.

Traditional and Alternative Energy Systems        

This course introduces students to the role of different energy systems in the heating, cooling, lighting and operating of historic properties.  It will consider both traditional approaches and contemporary options, including new technologies that allow for sustainable design.  The course will consider how the design of buildings was affected by available energy systems, including issues of thermal mass, building envelope design, buffer zones, and seasonal use patterns.  Students will apply this understanding in designing conservation and adaptive reuse options for historic properties. 

Willowbank Management Plan                              

This course will use a cultural landscape approach to develop an overall management plan for the Willowbank estate.  The course will tie into existing research findings, and will take advantage of other parts of the curriculum that use Willowbank as a case study.  The management plan will begin with a variety of research and documentation exercises, addressing the house, the grounds, and the broader setting.  It will emphasize an ecological approach to understanding the estate both over time and in its present context.  There will then be the development of a Statement of Significance, tied to the guidelines set out in the new Canadian Historic Places Initiative.  This will lead to a discussion of conservation options suitable for protecting the identified values, and the development of a conservation plan based on the appropriate option.  The recommendations will be both philosophical and technical.  The proposed plan will be presented to the Willowbank Board of Trustees for comment and direction, and then revised accordingly and resubmitted.  The approved plan will become the basis for specific conservation activities at the residence in the winter term.

Craftsmanship and Project Implementation

Advanced Carpentry

This program will allow students to further their carpentry skills through hands-on experience. Working with master carpenter faculty member students will implement a carpentry project at Willowbank Estate or Bluma and Bram Appel Barn.

Advanced Joinery

This course will give students joinery experience through a hands-on implementation project. The selected project will incorporate traditional wood joinery techniques and will be implemented at Willowbank Estate and or Bluma and Bram Appel Barn.

Advanced Masonry

This advanced masonry course will explore the general origins of stonewalls, what they have become, and methods and strategies drawn from many different disciplines that are being used for their conservation.  Students will be instructed in the value of new stone structures that are in harmony with historic practices and best standard principals in masonry conservation.  This course will facilitate students to recognize the diverse features of stonewall construction; including footings, various layout patterns, and the selection of appropriate stone and mortar.

Stained Glass Implementation Project

This course will introduce students to the conservation of stained glass windows. Students will gain hands-on experience in conservation techniques within the context of modern ethics and standards of practice. Working with master craftsman faculty member students will implement a project at The Grand Victorian in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Willowbank: Area Conservation Project

This course will take the approved Willowbank management plan and develop an area conservation plan for one particular area.  Students will learn how to apply the principles of the overall management plan to designing a detailed conservation approach for a single room or area.  The detailed plan, once developed and approved, will allow physical work to proceed.  The physical work will be carried out as an implementation project, using hands-on restoration and conservation skills under the guidance of faculty and staff. ollowbank.ca