Undergraduate Certificate of Higher Education in Historic Building Conservation 2017 -2019 | Institute of Continuing Education (ICE) 21/09/2023, 09:21

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Undergraduate Certificate of Higher Education in Historic

Building Conservation 2017 -2019

Madingley Hall, Madingley, Cambridge

Please note that the application period for this course has been
extended to 4 September 2017
The two-year, part-time Certificate of Higher Education in Historic
Building Conservation offers an introduction to the philosophy and
practice of historic building conservation, with an emphasis on
developing an understanding of the traditional crafts involved.

The course is taught by means of lectures, visits and field trips across East Anglia to view buildings and
practitioners at work. Lectures take place at Madingley Hall, a 16th-century manor house set in seven acres of
landscaped gardens designed by Capability Brown, and the headquarters of the Institute of Continuing Education.

What will I be studying?

The evolution of buildings from medieval to modern times runs as a thread through the course and you will receive
guidance on identification and recording and on the development of appropriate conservation strategies. The
objectives are:

to understand the development of the philosophy and ethics of conservation and the legislation and policy that
protect the historic environment.
to survey, record and analyse the development of historic buildings through the examination of their materials,
construction and style.
to learn practical techniques for conservation, repair and restoration, with the opportunity to experience the use
of traditional materials.
to be able to make informed judgements on conservation issues affecting historic buildings.

Each of the six termly units has a particular topic:

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Year 1
Unit 1: Conservation law and practice and vernacular architecture
Lectures and sites visits from Monday 9 October 2017 with a Saturday day-school on 9 December 2017

The first unit introduces the philosophical and legal frameworks for conserving the built heritage as a basis for
students to begin developing their own approaches to conservation issues. Students will also begin to explore the
close relationship between place, material and building crafts which is particularly evident in early and vernacular
architecture, using lectures and site visits. Students will develop practical skills in observation, analysis and
recording using a variety of techniques, through site visits and the maintenance of a site notebook

Unit 2: Church architecture (up to 1600) and buildings in stone

Lectures, workshops and site visits from Monday 8 January 2018 with two Saturday day-schools on 10 February
and 3 March 2018

The second unit examines in detail the use of stone as a building material, exploring the relationship between
geology, place, construction and style and students will examine more formal styles of architecture, in which stone
is most often a key element, particularly the development of church architecture up to 1600. This will be done
through lectures and visits to churches, a quarry and masonry yard, and through the examination of case studies.
Students will receive tuition to develop their skills in drawing and sketching for recording standing structures.

Unit 3: Building with traditional materials: timber, earth, lime, plaster and thatch
Lectures and site visits from Monday 23 April 2018

The third unit examines the use of timber in traditional buildings, including its sourcing and preparation, and
timber construction and repair techniques. Other traditional materials and techniques such as earth walling, lime
mortars and thatch will also be introduced. These topics will be covered through lectures, site visits and practical
demonstrations. Learning will be supported through continuing practice in analytical and recording techniques.

Year 2
The course resumes on Saturday 6 October 2018.

Unit 4: Early polite architecture and recording, analysing and specifying change to historic
buildings
Building on content from Year 1, Unit 4 will look more deeply into the philosophical and legal frameworks for
conserving the historic buildings, focusing on the concept of “place” and ways in which it can be analysed and
protected. Through lectures and site visits Term 4 will also explore the development of “polite” architecture and
associated materials and building crafts from the Tudor period onwards, considering Renaissance influences and
the development of the Baroque. Students will develop their practical skills in observation and analysis and
through a session covering writing specifications.

Unit 5: Recognising and dealing with structural problems in historic buildings, protecting and
managing designed landscapes and the emergence of industrial architecture
Unit 5 will look at important themes in architectural history, including Neoclassicism, early Victorian and industrial
architecture, and designed landscapes. Associated building materials, particularly metals, will be considered in the
lectures and site visits. Students will develop their understanding of structural and material failings in historic
buildings and repair solutions and wider strategies for the treatment of buildings at risk through the examination
of case studies.

Unit 6: The development of style from the late 19th century to the present day, the use of
modern building materials and techniques and conserving late 20th-century buildings

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Undergraduate Certificate of Higher Education in Historic Building Conservation 2017 -2019 | Institute of Continuing Education (ICE) 21/09/2023, 09:21

The final unit completes the overview of the development of architectural style from the late Victorian period,
focusing on the Gothic revival, through trends of the early twentieth century and the radical changes to design
philosophy and construction brought in with the Modern Movement. The use of modern construction techniques
using steel framing, curtain walling and concrete will be examined through lectures, site visits and the examination
of case studies. Students will be introduced to the important issue of development economics and its influence on
securing the successful repair and re-use of historic buildings. Students will develop their practical skills in
recording, through a session covering measured survey techniques, and will be introduced to heritage
management in the international arena.

Documents
Course guide, year 1

Unless otherwise stated, teaching and assessment for ICE courses are in English. If your first language is not English,
please refer to our Information for Applicants pages for further guidance.

ASK A QUESTION

Course dates

09 Oct 2017 to 31 Jul 2019

Course duration

2 year(s)

Apply by

04 Sep 2017

Course fee

£5,000

Course director

Sarah Buckingham

Venue

Institute of Continuing Education

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Undergraduate Certificate of Higher Education in Historic Building Conservation 2017 -2019 | Institute of Continuing Education (ICE) 21/09/2023, 09:21

University of Cambridge
Cambridge
CB23 8AQ
UK

Qualifications / Credits

120 credits at FHEQ4

Teaching sessions

Fieldtrips: 23
Meetings: 29
Saturday sessions: 9

Course code

1719CCR100

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