Scheme Outline
There are five units within the scheme;
- Cultural Significance
- Architectural and Aesthetic Qualities and Value
- Investigation, Materials and Technology
- Social and Financial Issues
- Implementation and Management of Conservation Works
Unit One: Cultural Significance
Understanding the cultural significance of a site is vital for successful conservation. This unit is designed to assess a practitioner’s expertise with respect to investigating and assessing the cultural, historical, social and emotional significance of a site, the importance of its architectural quality, spatial layout, use and significance of the physical fabric in order to make informed decisions about its treatment and protection.
Forms of evidence may include:
- Documentary research and its analysis
- Survey reports, measured drawings or photogrammetric surveys
- Design work, including specification
- Funding applications
- Applications for statutory and other consents
Unit Two: Architectural and Aesthetic Qualities and Value
Buildings and sites are valued because of their significance and representation to their current owner/user as well as local/national culture as a whole in the past, present and future. As a dominant factor with respect to value, architectural quality must be retained throughout and subsequent to any conservation work. Any intervention, however small, is likely to affect appearance and consequently value. This unit is design to assess a practitioner’s expertise with respect to recognising and assessing architectural quality and value in order that conservation work, whether it be a whole site or building element(s) is undertaken with full knowledge and appreciation of its potential impact upon existing architectural quality.
Forms of evidence may include:
- Building and/or area analysis through character statements
- Drawn and specified proposals
- Development of alternative proposals and analysis of options
- Funding applications
- Applications for statutory and other consents
- Reports on relevant issues
Unit Three: Investigation, Materials and Technology
Buildings and sites are valued because of their significance and importance to their current owner/user as well as local/national culture as a whole in the past, present and future and so successful conservation requires incorporation of additional technical factors to ensure that special values are protected. This could include balancing the need for current regulation conformity with its implications for the site and identifying, rectifying and minimising environmental and other deterioration. This unit is designed to assess a practitioner’s expertise with respect to condition surveys and investigation of defects, their symptoms and causes. It will also assess their ability to make balanced, defensible, if not inevitable decisions in order to resolve the physical, aesthetic and philosophical issues that may be present.
Forms of evidence may include:
- Technical reports
- Survey reports
- Structural appraisals
- Defects diagnosis
- Condition assessment and investigative reports
- Design work, including specification
Unit Four: Social and Financial Issues
Buildings and sites are valued because of their significance and representation to their current owner/user as well as local/national culture as a whole in the past, present and future and so any intervention should ensure that special values are protected. Within this context, the site along with its specific qualities and requirements are of primary importance and should be used to guide any methodology and strategy developed in order to support their conservation. This unit is designed to assess a practitioner’s expertise with respect to making balanced, defensible, if not inevitable, decisions and how these might impact upon significance and contextual values. Candidates should be able to show how thy have developed decision processes in order to resolve the social and economic issues that threaten the significance of a site.
Forms of evidence may include:
- Survey and valuation reports
- Feasibility studies and reports
- Reports on technical or legal matters
- Financial or economic appraisals
- Funding applications
- Applications for statutory and other consents
- Design work, including specification
Unit Five: Implementation and Management of Conservation Works
Buildings and sites are valued because of their significance and importance to their current owner/user as well as local/national culture as a whole in the past, present and future and so any intervention should ensure that special values are protected. Understanding the cultural significance of a site is vital for successful conservation and sensitive historical, architectural and archaeological issues will likely influence the aspects of construction such as schedule, contractors and specialist skills required. This unit is designed to assess a practitioner’s expertise with respect to implementing financial and managerial aspects of a conservation plan or project without damaging or compromising the cultural significance of the site.
Forms of evidence may include:
- Construction process risk analysis
- Contractual and tender documentation or reports
- Cost planning and cost control documentation
- Photographic and other records of the works on site
- Maintenance plans
- Monitoring and reviewing proposals/plans