CPD
Ironmongery was part of restoration at Southwark Cathedral
I
t is remarkable that we are able to appreciate the ancient architecture of buildings over hundreds of years after they’ve been constructed. Most of these ancient structures owe their prolonged lifespan to the art of heritage conservation, ironmongery, and architecture. However, while we recognize that ironmongery is indispensable to the world of restoration, most architects get to it at a much later stage of the process than they should. Here’s why it is essential to make these arrangements from the inception of your heritage conservation project.
Restoration role AI John Planck Ltd on the role of ironmongery in heritage projects and why architects need to think about it earlier
Crucial role The success of any restoration project is reflected in how you use your craft to enhance the finer structures of the building. The idea is to restore and prolong the life of the object while maintaining or enhancing its original appeal. Here is where ironmongery plays a crucial role. No matter what scale your project is, your first thought should be the procurement of raw materials. Given that a large number of heritage artefacts contain little to large amounts of metallic substances like iron, copper, and bronze, sourcing the right material for restoration is vital to maintaining the authenticity of the object. When you evaluate the changes you need to make to a given building, you’ll notice that a lot of it includes materials and products such as door handles, kitchen utensils, antique household items and more. All of these often need to be custom-made so they appear to be as similar to their corroded counterparts as possible. Additionally, the raw materials required might also take a while for the ironmonger to procure and then cast to match the original piece. Initiating this process from the very beginning will help you finish your project in a more systematic and timely manner.
28 • architectural ironmongery journal
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20/03/2020 14:51
