Measured Survey for Historic Buildings 2008

Measured Survey for Historic Buildings
Summer School
Wrest Park, Silsoe, Bedfordshire, Monday 30 June to Thursday 3 July 2008

Measured Survey for Historic Buildings Summer school 2008
 Accurate and appropriate measured survey data is a fundamental requirement for the effective conservation, management and understanding of our built heritage. Such data needs to be appropriate, timely and sensitive to the nature of the site and the interventions proposed.

An extensive array of differing measured survey techniques is available today, from traditional hand-drawn survey through to total stations, 3D laser scanners and other advanced digital methods. Both survey practitioners and those procuring survey need to know the range of techniques available and understand their benefits and limitations in any given situation.

This three-day intensive Summer School is designed to introduce the range of measured survey techniques currently available and to provide participants with both theoretical and practical instruction, focussing on the production of scaled drawings of selected buildings in the gardens at Wrest Park.

Instruction will be provided by English Heritage staff who have extensive experience in the use of both traditional and advanced methods of survey.

Course Aims & Content

The Summer School will take place over 3 days with an optional tour of the grounds taking place on the afternoon of Monday 30th June.

The principal aim is to provide a broad understanding of the processes and practices involved in the metric survey of historic buildings and ancient monuments. This will be achieved by:

Formal lectures
Lectures will cover measured survey techniques and the application and procurement of measured survey for conservation projects.

Demonstrations
Using the monuments in the grounds at Wrest Park, participants will be able to apply, or see the practical application of, the techniques introduced in the lectures.

Practical sessions
Participants will be able to engage in the practical application of measured survey techniques, as outlined below. CAD facilities will also be available to demonstrate the construction of survey drawings from fieldwork.

Measured Survey Techniques
The different measured survey techniques used by the English Heritage Metric Survey Team will be introduced and their application demonstrated by practical field sessions.

Measured Drawing
This fundamental skill will be demonstrated with a view to producing a measured architectural drawing.

Instrument Survey
Students will see how electronic survey instruments (total stations) can be effectively used to provide a framework for the production of the measured drawing. There will also be a demonstration of laser scanning and discussion of this relatively new technology in Heritage recording.

Image-based Survey
This term covers a range of techniques (photogrammetry, ortho-photography, rectified photography) which will be explained by demonstrations, practical sessions and viewing of the resulting data.

Procurement
Procuring measured survey from a third party contractor usually requires a specification and a brief to control the work. Participants will be shown why this is, and how to use these instruments to ensure the right product is procured.

Who should attend?
The course is intended to meet the needs of those already working in the field of buildings conservation who wish to develop a broader understanding of survey techniques, their application and the procurement of survey.

Outcomes
At the end of the course participants will have an understanding of:
• the majority of measured survey techniques currently used in the survey historic buildings,
• the suitable selection and application of appropriate survey techniques,
• CAD as the data capture, modelling and presentation environment,
• the issues to be addressed prior to commissioning a survey from a survey contractor,
• recent technical developments in this field of conservation.

Wrest Park
Wrest Park, in the guardianship of English Heritage, forms an ideal venue for the Measured Survey Summer School of historic buildings. Once the home of the de Grey family, Wrest Park today comprises a country house of the 1830s and an important garden landscape containing many fine buildings and monuments.

Course fee
The fee of £445 includes three nights B&B (Monday 30th June – Thursday 3rd July), lunch, light refreshments, evening meals and course documentation.

CPD
This course may be put forward under professional schemes for CPD:
• for IHBC members
• depending on the member’s Personal Action Plan, it may contribute to an IFA member’s CPD.

Course Administrator
Sarah Prince Tel: 01793 414809
Course Director
Jon Bedford Tel: 07730051106

Email: wrestMS@english-heritage.org.uk
Metric Survey Team, English Heritage, NMRC, Kemble Drive, Swindon, SN2 2GZ.