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SESSION 2: Eric Pattison, October 30 th 2010

SESSION 2: Eric Pattison, October 30 th 2010. Historic Houses as Museums Irving House Case Study Applying the Standards & Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada. House Museums and their Interiors.

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SESSION 2: Eric Pattison, October 30 th 2010

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  1. SESSION 2: Eric Pattison, October 30th 2010 Historic Houses as MuseumsIrving House Case StudyApplying the Standards & Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada

  2. House Museums and their Interiors • 20th century drive in North America to preserve and present “important” homes. • Rise of leisure time and family touring • Formation of local historic associations, “service clubs” and community volunteerism • “Young” new world history gaining recognition • Original historic families fading away

  3. Range of historic houses become museums for • variety of reasons. • Mansions - whole towns - log cabins • Donated, bought or preservation covenant • Public-owned sites and parks • Threatened with demolition • Relocation to “heritage zoos” • Motivated by “centennials” of historic events • Creation of “living” historic districts • Tourism and economic development

  4. Examples Glensheen, Min. Craigdarroch Castle, Victoria Fort Langley, BC

  5. House museum interiors: • What is original and/or significant • Intact historic interior: furniture, art and fittings • Various degrees of historic integrity

  6. More as-found historic interiors

  7. House museum interiors • Recreating/reconstructing interiors • Authenticity and public expectations • Exhibits and interpretation

  8. Irving House Case Study • Built in 1865 by Capt. William Irving • Daughter’s family undertakes substantial interior changes, 1887 to 1903 • “Modernization” by remaining siblings 1910s (plumbing and electricity) • Acquisition by City of New Westminster as a “house museum” in 1950 • Operated by Native Sons & Daughters until 1980s • Now part of New Westminster Museum & Archives

  9. Conservation of Irving House Interiors: • Project Sequence • Phase-1 Initial assessment and project scoping • Interior Heritage Conservation Plan • Phase-2 Detailed research and recommendations • Historic Finishes & Features Report: A Plan for Conservation & Restoration • As-found Drawings (including interior details) • Accessibility Audit & Recommendations for Improvement • Restoration HVAC Assessment Interim Report • Fire Protection & Equivalency Report • Building Envelope Interim Report • Blower Door Test/Envelope Air Leakage Evaluation

  10. Phase-3 Contract Documents • Detailed scope of work, design drawings and specifications for all disciplines Phase-4 Implementation • Factors affecting conservation (on going operations, budgets, materials, trades, etc.) • Procurement, site management, sequencing trades • Phasing of work • Public engagement/use

  11. Phase-1

  12. As-found conditions

  13. Phase-2

  14. As-Found Dwgs.

  15. Applying the Standards & Guidelines • International policy context • Athens Charter, 1931 • Venice Charter, 1964 • UNESCO, historic monuments as works of art not just historical evidence • ICOMOS, 1965 • custodian of the doctrine of the build heritage field • World Heritage Convention, 1972 • UNESCO international treaty • cultural and natural heritage

  16. Burra Charter, 1979 (Australia) • rise of values-based heritage conservation • Appleton Charter, 1983 (Canada) • concept of cultural resources/landscapes • New Orleans Charter, 1991 (structures & artefacts preserved together) • Nara Document, 1994 (Japan) • rise of authenticity (physical and cultural) • Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitation, Restoring and Reconstruction Historic Buildings, 1995 • developed by US National Parks Service

  17. Canadian policy context • National Historic Sites and Monuments Board, 1919 • Parks Canada • administers national historic sites • Federal Heritage Building Review Office (FHBRO), 1984 • Various provincial heritage working documents, Acts, etc. 1988-1999 • Commemorative Integrity Statements, 1994 (Parks Canada) • Heritage Conservation Act, 1994 (BC)

  18. Historic Places Initiative (HPI), 2001 • National system of heritage conservation • Canadian Register of Historic Places • Statements of Significance • Standards and Guidelines, 2003 • Financial support • Commercial Heritage Properties Incentive fund (ended) • Tax incentives (?) • A Canadian National Trust (?) • Increase in public, industry and government knowledge and acceptance of heritage conservation imperative

  19. Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada • Broad-based working group – industry, property mgm’t, heritage groups, all gov’t levels • Draws heavily on US, Secretary of the Interior’s Standards • Common professional conservation practice standards and associations of consultants • Consistency required to administer national conservation programs • Also served to create a level playing field for towns, cities, provinces and federal sites

  20. Irving House – Statement of Significance

  21. Irving House – Statement of Significance

  22. Overall Irving House interior conservation is a restoration project. Conservation approach varies for individual rooms, finishes, features, furniture and objects. Same principles apply at different scales of intervention or treatment.

  23. Conservation “all actions or processes that are aimed at safeguarding the character-defining elements of a cultural resource so as to retain its heritage value and extend its physical life. This may involve “Preservation,” “Rehabilitation,” “Restoration,” or a combination of these actions or processes.”

  24. Preservation “the action or process of protecting, maintaining, and/or stabilizing the existing materials, form, and integrity of a historic place or of an individual component, while protecting its heritage value.”

  25. Preservation at Irving House

  26. Rehabilitation “the action or process of making possible a continuing or compatible contemporary use of a historic place or an individual component, through repair, alterations, and/or additions, while protecting its heritage value.”

  27. Rehabilitation at Irving House

  28. Restoration “the action or process of accurately revealing, recovering or representing the state of a historic place, or of an individual component, as it appeared at a particular period in its history, while protecting its heritage value.”

  29. Restoration at Irving House Photo: IHP0058

  30. Standards

  31. Guidelines (Interiors)

  32. Guidelines (Interiors)

  33. Guidelines (Interiors)

  34. Other Considerations • Health and Safety • Accessibility • Energy Efficiency • Environmental New Westminster, 1864 Photo: NWPL279 Irving House, c.1888 Photo: NWPL254

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