MIM 436 - Introduction to Conservation Science

Course Objectives

1. To provide the basic knowledge of traditional building materials and their deterioration processes.
2. To define the scientific procedures and methods for the conservation of traditional building materials,
3. To provide the knowledge of the conservation techniques of historic building materials,
4. To give an ability to query, analyze and interpret the scientific and interdisciplinary methods that are used in the conservation science.

Course Description

The course aims to review the concepts of conservation and restoration, the perception of restoration in the 19th century and the evolution of the concepts of restoration and conservation at the beginning of the 20th century. The variety of usage of traditional building materials in historical buildings and the deterioration processes of these materials are the focus subjects of the course. Other topics discussed in the course content are traditional binders, renders and mortars, repair mortars, stone cleaning, stone conservation and the latest technology in practice of architectural conservation.