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Unit of study_
ARCH9083: Conservation of Modern Buildings
2025 unit information
This intensive unit is a practically focused introduction to the techniques and bodies of knowledge essential to conserving modern buildings and their materials. Expert conservation architects and tradespeople will describe and lead practical demonstrations of techniques in conservation. Students will be challenged to assess and understand forms of decay and to prescribe appropriate interventions to mitigate and prevent such decay. They will have the opportunity to work with materials and inspect work underway on real conservation projects at culturally significant buildings. This unit provides an overview of key issues in building conservation as well as a close-up view of the conservation of modern buildings. The unit explores the distinctive materials used in Twentieth Century architecture, such as reinforced concrete, as well as modern building systems such as glazed curtain walls and stone cladding systems. The unit will assist students to recognise different uses of these materials, understand the basic tools and techniques required to assess their condition as well as the best practice approaches to their conservation. Upon successful completion of the unit of study, students will be able to: Understand the behaviour of a range of modern building materials; Recognise threats to modern building materials; Record a building in drawings and photographs; Document and assess the condition of the fabric of a building; Develop an approach to conserving the fabric of a building that considers a range of parameters, including sustainability, that goes beyond traditional conservation thinking.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning
| Study level | Postgraduate |
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| Academic unit | Urban and Regional Planning and Policy |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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None |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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None |
| Assumed knowledge:
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None |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. understand the underlying technology and characteristic behaviour of several key materials and construction systems found in typical 20th century buildings
- LO2. recognise threats to building materials and systems from moisture, wind, chemical and biological attack and other forces that lead to the deterioration of building fabric
- LO3. understand how to weigh the relative importance of conservation objectives against, safety, sustainability and asset value
- LO4. make a simple recording of a building using drawings and photographs
- LO5. document and assess the condition of the fabric of a building
- LO6. develop a realistic approach to conserving or renewing the historic fabric of a building.
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
There are no availabilities for this year.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Intensive February - March 2025
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Block mode | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.
