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Industrialization of architectural components and technological advances have had a significant impact on how we design and build. These developments, resulting in mass-produced and panelized architectural components, have rationalized building construction. However, they often do not reveal the true potential of the inherent qualities of malleable materials. This research investigates the bespoke design potentials of combining a cementitious plaster, with a robotic spraying and forming process, and proposes an adaptive thin-layer additive manufacturing method for plasterwork. Research goals address an on-site construction system that is capable of performing continuous robotic plaster spraying on building elements. To support the understanding of the complex-to-simulate material behavior in this process, systematic studies and physical testing are proposed to be conducted to collect empirical knowledge and data. The goal is to explore bespoke surface qualities, with minimal waste, moving away from the modular and standardized form of the material. The paper presents the preliminary results and findings of the method that aims addressing the challenge of an adaptive construction system capable of performing continuous fabrication, for which mobile robots are proposed to be deployed.

The incorporation of new methods of heritage analysis belonging to other branches of science is currently providing very useful tools for the examination of preservation products. This paper outlines the use of spectral images as an alternative to traditional colorimetry measurements carried out with a spectrophotometer for the evaluation of color changes produced by consolidation treatments applied on polychromed plasterwork. Thus, for this investigation we used a total of 18 plaster test specimens which reproduce the techniques and materials present in plasterwork from the medieval era, on which a selection of six currently-used consolidants was applied. By doing this, we have proved that the use of this method over traditional colorimetry has several advantages, such as the analysis of spatial homogeneity or obtaining colorimetric data of the entire scanned surface.

This paper reports the characteristics of decorative incised plaster works of New Delhi, from historic monuments belonging to 13th to 16th century C.E. Visual examination of the historic plasterwork depicts that these are made of two layers; a base coat which is coarser in appearance and a finer finishing coat, which is the incised plaster layer. For making the intricate patterns in the incised layer, a thick coat of plaster is applied first and patterns are carved out before the initial set of the mortar, which later hardens to form a very dense microstructure. In order to consolidate and restore the deteriorated portions of the existing plasterwork, the characterisation of the original plasterwork was essential. This was performed by a comprehensive methodology including physico-chemical and microanalytical tests, which revealed information on basic physical properties, mineralogical composition, characteristics of different phases, and porosity and pore size distribution of the mortar. The results indicate that the incised plaster is made of air lime binder and siliceous aggregates. The mortar is characterised by a very narrow range of pore sizes of about 600 nm. The use of organic fibres and inclusions from an older mortar are also evident in the analysis.

In a previous study, a layer of limewash was detected over the gypsum plasterworks used to decorate different spaces of the Real Alcázar of Seville such as interior rooms, patios and outdoor galleries. In this paper its use is analysed, namely whether it improves the properties of the plasterworks and provides a protective effect, through accelerated weathering tests designed specifically to reproduce real environmental conditions. Plaster specimens with similar composition and physical characteristics to those of the original plasterworks were prepared. After the cure of the specimens, the application of a layer of limewash was made. Samples were subjected to weathering tests that consist of water absorption cycles (by capillarity and immersion) and drying. The results showed that the application of limewash did not improve the durability of the plaster significantly, although seemed to have a more protective effect against weathering by capillarity tests in the specimens prepared with a higher water/plaster ratio. In fact, after the immersion tests a great part of the limewash layer became detached, while in the plasterworks of the Real Alcázar this behaviour has not been observed. So, capillarity tests seem to be more adequate to reproduce the real weathering conditions of these ornamental elements.

The Paradise Garden is a constant feature in the Islamic world. As a result of its survival under Christian domain is its representation through the Mudejar plaster-works, especially in the court spaces nourished as a "qubba", where the tree of Paradise and an endless number of leaves and fruits invade the paraments, showing bright colours -golden, red, blue and black-., El Jardín del Paraíso es una constante en el mundo islámico. Fruto de su pervivencia bajo dominio cristiano es su representación a través de las yeserías mudéjares, especialmente en los espacios áulicos concebidos a modo de “qubba”, donde el árbol del Paraíso y un sinfín de hojas y frutos invaden los paramentos, luciendo brillantes colores –dorado, rojo, azul y negro-.

The application of performance-based fire safety engineering has enabled the conservation of a heritage building in New Zealand. McDougall House is a two-story heritage building which suffered extensive damages during the Canterbury earthquakes in 2010 and 2011. The scope of repair work carried out included the preservation and restoration of the building external facade, the restoration of the ornamental plasterwork ceiling within the Ballroom, the reconstruction of all damaged internal wall linings, the adaptation of the fireplace, and the reconstruction of the damaged chimney. The fire safety design adopted is the Verification Method C/VM2 with As Nearly As is Reasonably Practicable consideration for the heritage fabrics of the building. The combination of quantitative and qualitative analyses, including smoke and egress modelling, assessment of allowable unprotected areas in external wall for horizontal fire spread, and benefit versus sacrifice analysis on the heritage fabrics have demonstrated compliance with the ten design scenarios of C/VM2, retaining the majority of the cultural heritage values, and also improving the level of fire safety of the building.

La construcción de la iglesia del Colegio Mayor de San Ildefonso concluyó en su estructura básica en 1510. Pero las capillas laterales y las yeserías que decoran el templo empezaron a realizarse desde entonces. Las yeserías, especialmente, han sido estudiadas en varias ocasiones, pero hasta ahora ningún estudio había profundizado en las fuentes documentales de su realización. El presente artículo ofrece una novedosa perspectiva de dichos trabajos atendiendo a lo ya conocido y a la recogida, análisis e interpretación de los datos procedentes de esas fuentes.

State of conservation studies carried out before rehabilitation and restoration interventions constitute solid support to make decisions about architectural heritage. In this way, the study of historical plasterwork has been performed through non-destructive tests by measuring environmental conditions and surface properties, taking thermographic images, mapping risks by indicating cavities, cracks and metal fixings -among others- and checking the stability of the present polychrome. This method was applied in the plasterwork of the upper frieze of the Toledanos Room, in the Royal Alcazar of Seville, due to the relevance of the building and its decorative coatings, and established parameters to assess the state of conservation of both, the Royal Alcazar of Seville plasterwork and other heritage buildings with similar coatings. The compilation and analysis of all the results presented in this paper show a positive assessment of the stability and conservation of the frieze plasterwork. Thermohygrometric conditions and physical-mechanical properties are acceptable, vertical cracks – sometimes of large dimensions and also great depth-are stabilized and apparently do not affect the structural integrity and polychromies studied are mostly unstable and re-chromatics were widely used in previously inpainting to imitate reliefs inadequately.

This paper presents a study of the gypsum plasterwork of the Courtyard of the Maidens, in the Royal Alcazar of Seville, focusing the attention in the knowledge of its original polychrome decorations. The Courtyard of the Maidens is one of the constructions made by Pedro I (13561366) within the monumental complex Alcazar of Seville. The importance of the palatial city determined its inclusion in the World Heritage List of UNESCO in 1987, along with the Cathedral and the India’s Archive. His status as permanent residence of the Spanish monarchs has allowed its preservation over the time. However, it has been intervened several times since its construction. This succession of interventions is especially noticeable in the plasterwork of said courtyard, where successive pictorial layers and lime layers hide the delicacy of the relief and the remains of the original polychrome, which currently shows a greyish aspect quite different from the original aspect of the plasterwork back in the 14th century, in which colour prevailed. After an exhaustive revision of the bibliographical documentation and a thorough field study, the method continued with the collection of microsamples for their analysis with instrumental techniques for Cultural Heritage -among which we could highlight the stereoscopic microscopy, the polarizing optical microscopy, the scanning electron microscopy with X-ray microanalysis (SEM/EDX), the X-ray diffraction (XRD), the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and the gas chromatography (GC-MS). These techniques made it possible to identify the mortar composition, the characteristics of the pictorial layer and the binding media used; thus determining the existence of remains from the original polychrome, as well as the procedures for its execution.

Plastering is the plasterwork which is done manually with the effort of human in most of the parts of the world by plasterboard because of this there is a huge demand of labor which increases labor cost and finally, increases the cost of Construction. The quality of plastering mainly depends upon skill of labor. Hence plaster surface may or may not be smooth and even. The solution for the same is automating the plastering technique so that the cost of construction can be saved and plaster surface will be smooth. The plastering machine can plaster the wall the wall automatically faster with greater surface finish. Due to this overall plastering time and cost are saved.

In the cultural heritage preservation of medieval buildings, it is common to find plaster walls covered in lime, which previously were painted in polychromy. The conservation interventions usually try to remove the whitewash, whilst maintaining the original color of the painted wall as much as possible. However, there is no agreement on which cleaning technique best preserves the original appearance of the colored plaster. Different pigments found below the lime layer may behave differently depending on the cleaning technique used. Usually, colorimetric or photometric area-based measurements are carried out to study the color of the cleaned areas to compare with their original color, obtained from pre-made plaster probes. However, this methodology fails when the mean color difference is not enough to fully characterize the changes in texture and color appearance. This study presents a set of experiments carried out using two different pigments (cinnabar and malachite) covered with lime, and treated with nine different cleaning techniques on plaster probes prepared according to medieval techniques. We have studied the effect of the cleaning process on the color and the homogeneity of the samples using a hyperspectral imaging workflow. Four different analysis methods are presented and discussed. Our results show that the proposed analysis is able to provide a much more comprehensive and diversified characterization of the quality of the cleaning method compared to the commonly used colorimetric or photometric area-based measurements., Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness HAR2015-66139-P, European Union (EU) HAR2015-66139-P

Excavations on the site of the tower-house at Cathcart, demolished in 1980, produced evidence for the construction of the tower and associated barmkin, dated to the mid 15th century. No earlier structural remains were found but residual pottery suggests that the site was occupied prior to the construction of the tower. The interior of the tower was remodeled in circa 1630–40 in brickwork, an early dated example of the use of this material in Scotland, and decorated with elaborate plasterwork. The barmkin was dismantled and a new range of buildings added, also in the 17th century. Significant finds included an important clearance assemblage of local and imported ceramics, ironwork and glass from the partial demolition of the castle in the mid 18th century, deposited with assemblages of 17th-century plasterwork.

espanolEl Patio de las Doncellas es una de las zonas mas representativas del Real Alcazar de Sevilla. El trabajo que se presenta se basa en la evaluacion de tratamientos, desde el punto de vista colorimetrico, aplicados sobre probetas de ensayo realizadas a partir de los materiales identificados en dos elementos arquitectonicos decorativos de la zona sur-este de dicho patio: el alfarje de las galerias bajas y el paramento de yeso. Estos tratamientos consisten en la aplicacion de un barniz de proteccion con estabilizador ultravioleta, en el caso del alfarje, y en dos tratamientos de consolidacion, en el caso de las yeserias. Los resultados obtenidos han permitido constatar que todos los tratamiento aplicados sobre la policromia, en forma de capa superpuesta, provocan variaciones de color en la misma. Dicho cambio cromatico depende del numero capas que constituyen la policromia y del aglutinante empleado. Este ensayo servira de base para la eleccion de una propuesta de intervencion optima para las obras estudiadas, que incluya la posible utilizacion de barniz ultravioleta en el alfarje, asi como el tratamiento de consolidacion mas adecuado para las yeserias EnglishThe Courtyard of the Maidens is one of the most representative areas of the Royal Alcazar of Seville. The work presented is based on the colorimetric evaluation of treatments applied on test specimens made from the materials identified in two decorative architectural elements of the south-east side of the courtyard: the paneled ceiling in the lower galleries and the plasterwork. These treatments consist in applying a protective varnish with ultraviolet stabilizer, in the case of the paneled ceiling, and two treatments of consolidation, in the case of the plasterwork. The results have shown that all treatment layers applied on polychrome produce color variations. This chromatic change depends on the layers that comprise the polychrome and the binder used. This assay will form the basis for the choice of an optimal intervention proposal for the elements studied that would include the possible use of UV varnish on the paneled ceiling and the best treatment of consolidation for the plasterwork.

This work examines a polychrome plasterwork in one of the most important scalloped arches in the Ambassadors Hall (Salon de Embajadores), which is the most outstanding room in the Mudejar Palace of the Real Alcazar of Seville (Spain). Characterization by stratigraphy, XFR, XRD, and FTIR studies has supplied data on changes in the composition and colors in this building element. The research is complemented with historical information on the most significant interventions in this hall. Graphic analysis and the modeling of decorative geometric elements in 3D with BIM software were used to simulate its evolution from its original state. The results characterize the base plasterwork and the polychromies constituted by 1–3 microlayers with a thickness between 5 and 300 μm, formed of blue (19.88% Cu-azurite), vermilion (19.00% Pb-massicot and 5.34% Hg-cinnabar), and golden layers (68.93% Au). The colors were obtained through the use of mineral pigments such as azurite, cinnabar-litharge, and gold-leaf, respectively. The rich colors visible in this hall now have varied over time.

In the seventeenth century Scotland witnessed a flowering of decorative plasterwork. Examples range from elaborate hand-crafted ceilings in royal palaces to simple decorative casts embellishing modest rooms in town houses. This article maps the influences which impacted upon the stylistic development of this form of interior decoration during the transitional post-Restoration period.

The potential influence of pigments and aging on the identification of lipidic binders in polychrome plasterwork was studied. Model plasterwork samples were prepared considering different binders applied alone and mixed with several pigments and subjected to different aging conditions. The relative content of methyl derivatives of the fatty acids (FAMEs) were determined by GC–MS after transesterification and extraction in benzene. From the preliminary exploration using principal component analysis (PCA) it was concluded that the differentiation between the binders could be possible regardless of the aging condition and the pigments present. Then, linear discriminant analysis (LDA) using a stepwise feature selection was tested, comparing its performance with the use of FAME ratios. The LDA method provided a more objective classification tool, showing a predictive ability of 100% for egg and linseed oil and 84% for poppy seed oil and the mixture egg + linseed oil. Finally, both approaches were used to identify the binders present in several historical samples from two chambers of the Alhambra complex (Granada, Spain).

This work presents the results of the study of plasterwork decorations located on the stalactite vaults of the Hall of the Kings in the Alhambra (Granada, Spain) by means of Raman micro-spectroscopy. Field investigations were carried out in situ using a portable Raman spectrometer during a conservation campaign in a completely non-invasive manner. In addition, taking into account the results obtained, a well-directed sampling was carried out to obtain complementary information by means of laboratory studies. Despite several practical problems during the non-invasive field studies (like difficulties for probe positioning and vibrations of the scaffolding), almost all the pigments present in the decorations of the Hall were identified using excitation at 785 nm: cinnabar, minium, carbon black, natural lapis lazuli and synthetic ultramarine blue. In addition, evidence of different degradation mechanisms of the red pigments was obtained in situ. On the contrary, the identification of blue-greenish and green pigments had to be performed on microsamples using a Raman microscope with excitation at 514 nm in the laboratory. In samples with blue and green areas, azurite severely degraded to clinoatacamite was identified. These were probably the remains of the oldest blue decorations. In addition, a technique for green decorations consisting on copper chlorides mixed with a small amount of lapis lazuli was identified. Other degradation products, identified in the laboratory regardless of the color of the pigment, were calcium oxalates. Finally, the laboratory studies also enabled the investigation of the stratigraphy of the pictorial layers. In this way, the presence of re-decorations with overlaying layers of pigments even of different colors was revealed. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Christine Casey and Conor Lucey, eds. Decorative Plasterwork in Ireland and Europe: Ornament and the Early Modern Interior London: Four Courts Press, 2012, 266 pp., 32 color and 120 b/w illus. $70 (cloth), ISBN 9781846823213 In a 1977 JSAH review, Robert Raley praised Geoffrey Beard’s Decorative Plasterwork in Great Britain as “another contribution to the slowly building storehouse of literature concerning the important, but generally neglected, field of the builder’s art.”1 Yet the perceived necessity of a 2010 reprint of the volume, which would itself be lauded with the claim that “for those who are looking for a historic resource on the makers and styles of British plasterwork, look no further,” demonstrates the glacial speed at which this storehouse of literature is being filled.2 Despite a sizable proliferation of scholarship on eighteenth-century architecture and, especially, interiors, studies focusing on decorative plasterwork have continued to lag behind.3 Even while cheekily asking the question “Is stucco just the icing on the cake?” in the keynote with which Alastair Laing addressed the 2010 conference at Trinity College, Dublin, from which this edited collection has been formed, the contributors to this beautiful volume resolutely answer no. Coeditor Conor Lucey’s introduction frames the volume’s thirteen essays stemming from that conference and explains that “the purpose … was three fold: to investigate the currency of a shared decorative language across eighteenth-century Europe; to consider the Irish stuccoed interior, arguably the apogee of visual culture in this island during the Georgian era, within its broader continental contexts; and to reflect on the current state of scholarship within the field” (21). Lucey offers his hypothesis on what he terms “the problem” of the historiography of architectural decoration writ large (29). Here he focuses on its in-between status as both sculpture and craft. Lucey points out that the recent “revival of academic interest in craftsmanship as cultural practice” brings a greater currency to the study of decorative plasterwork than had more traditional theorizations of the study of the history of art …

This study is inspired by a revival of traditional stuccoes, plasterwork and recent research on plastering. It includes descriptions of old and new material production techniques with an expected long service life to minimize waste production. A detailed review of the stuccoes and plasters from historical construction treatises was carried out. Their constituents, as well as their functions were studied, and an equivalent eco-mortar was formulated. XRD, EDS, MIP, BET and XRF analysis of the mortars components provided their mineralogical, microstructure and chemical characterization. Petrographic analysis supplied data on the mortars voids. The effect of waste marble and limestone dust on physic-mechanical properties of the eco-mortar was studied in order to find better solutions for restoration interventions. The elastic modulus and compressive and flexural strength of each plaster layer was correlated with the cracking prevention capacity of the mortar. The coefficient of water absorption was estimated in order to study the water exchange behavior between the last two layers of stuccoes and plasters. Furthermore, their behavior with respect to humidity was studied.

This research involves an interdisciplinary study aimed at determining the origin of the Mudéjar plasterwork of the Patio of the Sun in the Royal Alcázar of Seville. A double methodology has been used involving, on one hand, a synthetic history based on the analysis and correlation of the graphic and historiographic documentation of this Patio and, on the other hand, a characterization of the plasterwork material using XRF, XRD, radiocarbon dating of vegetable fibres, and the gravimetric analysis of the water-insoluble residue. Combining the results from the chemical and mineralogical compositions and the percentage of insoluble residue performed on three plasterwork samples with different textures, from C-14 dating of one sample, and from historical and document sources has allowed us to identify and delimit the original Mudéjar zones from the 13th and 14th centuries from the areas restored in the 20th century., En esta investigación se realiza un estudio interdisciplinario que tiene como finalidad discernir la originalidad de las yeserías mudéjares del Patio del Sol del Real Alcázar de Sevilla. Para ello se ha trabajado con una doble metodología: una histórica sintética, basada en el análisis y relación de la documentación gráfica e historiográfica existente de este Patio, y otra de caracterización del material de las yeserías, mediante las técnicas instrumentales de FRX, DRX, datación por radiocarbono de fibras vegetales y el análisis gravimétrico del residuo insoluble en agua. La comparación de la composición química, mineralógica y porcentaje de residuo insoluble realizado a tres muestras de yeserías en las que se han observado distintas texturas, sumado a la datación mediante C-14 efectuada a una de ellas, junto al conocimiento de las fuentes históricas y documentales, han permitido identificar y acotar las zonas originales mudéjares de los siglos XIII y XIV y las restauradas del siglo XX.

Plasterwork, a very typical element of Islamic art, comprises highly artistic decorative elements on wall, arches, and vaults. Due to their gypsum composition, such elements are easily weathered, primarily because of low mechanical strength and slight solubility in water. This work has studied the traditional Islamic plasterwork in the halls and patios of the Mudejar Palace (13–16th centuries) in the Real Alcazar of Seville. This palace complex was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987. The analysis of its porosity and shore C surface hardness has allowed determination of the mathematical correlation between them. Consequently, future evaluations can merely measure the hardness (a non-destructive test) to estimate the plasterwork's porosity (which reveals its mechanical strength and its degree of weathering). These elements must be maintained in order to prevent the spread of pathologies. In addition to requiring an in-depth knowledge of its materials, application techniques, and properties, to do so also demands simple techniques for regular assessments and criteria to prioritize interventions if they become necessary.

These unpublished plaques with a Toledan provenance are in the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Museum of Islamic Art of Berlin. Two of the plaques are unique in that they combine mocarabe honeycomb arches with ataurique and a series of human heads in relief.

This paper deals with the study of a process that allows the use of waste sulphates from drywalls and plasterboards in the cement chemistry without affecting the resistance of cement, since cement industry is an important sulphate consumer. The role of the recycling temperature to obtain recycled calcium sulphates (RCS) and their SO3 contents, when RCS are used as set retarders in cements, is also studied. Gypsum from drywalls, and plaster of Paris from plasterboards, were heated at three recycling temperatures (110 °C −150 °C −170 °C) and partially dehydrated to obtain RCS. Chemical composition and SO3 purity of these RCS and of natural gypsums were determined and compared via XRD and DSC/TG. Setting time, the compressive strengths and the microstructure of cements with RCS used as set retarder were studied. The main products formed after cement hydration were determined by XRD and their microstructure observed by SEM/EDX. Internal porosity of different blends, area per mm2 and diameter distribution, was determined through image processing with computer-aided design (CAD) software in SEM images. Cements with RCS from plasterboards as set retarder, with the higher SO3 content and higher amount of hemihydrates, preheated at 150–170 °C, have mechanical strengths according to cement standards. They show a denser microstructure, lower porosity and more homogeneous matrix after final setting than cements with RCS from drywalls. The selection here suggested of waste sulphates and the preheating process will allow using recycled sulphates from debris in the cement industry, according to EU standards. Sin financiación 3.169 JCR (2016) Q1, 8/61 Construction & Building Technology, 11/125 Engineering, Civil, 63/275 Materials Science, Multidisciplinary UEC

Headfort House contains the Republic of Ireland's last remaining suite of interiors designed by Robert Adam. There have been substantial maintenance issues over the last 50 years, and as a result the building was included on the World Monument Fund's 2004 Watch List. Once these issues were resolved, attention moved to investigating and understanding the painted interiors which survived in good condition. This process led to an extensive physical investigation revealing an original decoration which is both striking and unusual and which, due to the significance of the original scheme, as opposed to later over painting, was eventually restored in two principal areas—the Stair Hall and Eating Parlour. The use of colour on the decorative plasterwork at Headfort reinforces the imperative of not making assumptions based upon either Adam's surviving drawings or modern taste when commissioning or undertaking documentary and physical research of eighteenth-century interiors.

This paper explores the reasons why a traditional conservation plasterer, on the one hand, and an architectural historian, on the other, find it difficult to use the technical vocabulary available to convey precisely their meanings when discussing historic plasterwork. Plaster is now a generic term but in a conservation context it always has to be qualified to make clear whether lime or gypsum plaster is intended. Stucco is even more confusing because at different dates and in different countries it has meant a plaster mix, decorative plasterwork using that mix, low-relief decorative plasterwork, high-relief figurative plasterwork and renders, both internal and external. The history of these various usages will be explored and the question raised whether ‘stucco’ is a term that should now be consigned to the past.

Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin synthesized a modern crystallized interior within their Capitol Theatre design (1920–24) in Melbourne. The Capitol’s auditorium, a mine-like cavity, houses a constructed landscape, elucidating the link between architecture and geological references. Ornamented with prefabricated stepped plasterwork, the auditorium is inserted with opal-coloured light technologies. Through the concept of the “constructed landscape”, this article traces the garish luxury elements found within the Griffins’ Capitol auditorium to understand the design associations between Paul Scheerbart’s Expressionist writings on crystal-glass iconography and William Le Baron Jenney’s symbolic crystal cave. The Griffins’ architectural contribution to the Australian entertainment industry conveys both Jugendstil garden effects and Mesoamerican echoes through its elaborative prismatic ridges. Owing to its transcendental opal allusions, the Capitol’s auditorium shows a constructed landscape model and constitutes a form of garish luxury, exemplifying early Australian glamour.

A first approach to the study of inlay plasterwork (Italian scagliola) in Spain, and the Marzal brothers, Valencian artists active during the first half of the 19th century who worked for Carlos IV and Fernando VII.Primera aproximación al estudio de la escayola (“scagliola”) en España y a los hermanos Marzal, artistas valencianos de la primera mitad del siglo XIX que trabajaron para los reyes Carlos IV y Fernando VII.

This study of the complex of San Lorenzo in Milan draws on archaeological and archaeometric evidence. It presents the results of a recent investigation into late antique masonry techniques at San Lorenzo, which looked at stone and brick masonry techniques, the various type of foundation systems and the building techniques responsible for the structure as a whole. The archaeological element of the paper is based on a stratigraphical analysis of the entire complex, including its stone foundations, pavements, brickwork, vaulting and plasterwork; research on bricklaying, stone-cutting and masonry techniques; and the dating of its windows, doors, and frames. At the same time, the archaeometric aspect of the paper comprises the typological categorisation of the building materials identified at the site. These include stones, bricks, and the ingredients of bonding sections, mortar work and plastering. The origins and dating of these materials will also be an important part of the paper. Dating was carried out using TL and 14C methods.

Located north of Pittenweem in the East Neuk of Fife, Kellie Castle - a property in the ownership of the National Trust for Scotland since 1970 - was for nearly a century beforehand in the occupation of the Lorimer family. While much of Kellie's attraction has been its unspoiled preservation, and its connection with the Lorimers, this paper outlines research being undertaken to re-evaluate the early social, political and architectural history of the castle during the seventeenth century. This paper also considers the particular role Kellie may have played in influencing and advancing the development of decorative plasterwork in seventeenth-century Scotland, as well as its influence on plasterwork in the early twentieth century.

The rehabilitation of ancient gypsum plasterwork demands a systematic procedure in order to obtain a complete knowledge of the action's context, to identify the main anomalies, and to select the materials and techniques needed for their performance. The characteristics of construction elements demand also that actions are subjected to a strict planning, using a procedure where observation plays a fundamental role in identifying and inspecting the various components of the plastered element. This paper describes a methodology proposed for the rehabilitation of ancient gypsum plasterwork comprising the appraisal and inspection of the building's conservation status, the analysis of the data collected, the preparation of restoration project, and the decisions made on site.

The ornamental plaster industry is predominantly driven by the reproduction of traditional designs and by restoration work. The manufacturing technologies used in this industry have developed little since the nineteenth century. The current resurgence in the use of decoration within interior and exterior architectural design along with the author's interest in digital technologies prompted him to undertake a practice-based research project which sought to investigate the role of digital technologies in the design and production of contemporary ornamental plasterwork.The research took the form of a collaborative project involving the author (a maker and researcher) and an ornamental plasterwork company (Hayles & Howe). The author was interested in not only the productive potential of digital technologies, but also their role in creating new forms of sustainable practice for independent makers. The specific questions addressed by this project were:1. By working in collaboration with an established m...

From the time of the Middle Ages Guadalajara had ten parishes. Most parish churches were constructed following the Islamic architectural tradition adapted to Christian architectural trends, that is to say, according to the style known as Mudéjar. In the 19th century, the number of parishes was reduced to five and then to four. Saint Giles was the last parish suppressed, and finally demolished in 1924. At that moment, the doorway and a chapel were preserved because they were considered to be the only elements of the original temple, but they were demolished in 1931. Nonetheless, part of the apse was saved. Thanks to these remains, and the study of a series of graphic documents, it is possible to conclude that the demolished temple was indeed a Mudéjar building. In the 17th century the church underwent a major transformation that resulted in the loss of its original appearance, but the medieval structure survived beneath the exterior renovation. Guadalajara contó desde la Edad Media con diez parroquias. La mayoría de sus templos seguían la tradición constructiva islámica adaptada a las corrientes arquitectónicas cristianas, es decir, según el denominado “estilo mudéjar”. En el siglo XIX, el número de parroquias se redujo a cinco y posteriormente a cuatro. La última suprimida fue la de San Gil, que fue demolida en 1924. En ese momento se salvaron la portada y una capilla por considerarse que eran los únicos elementos del primitivo templo, para ser demolidos que en 1931. A pesar de ello, se conservó parte del ábside. Gracias a estos restos y al estudio de una serie de documentos gráficos conservados, se llega a la conclusión de que el templo demolido era una edificación “mudéjar”, que sin ser demolido, fue sometido en el siglo XVII a una profunda trasformación que le privó de su aspecto primitivo.

This paper deals with the description of the stucco (decorative plasterwork) and pigments used in the Alhambra (Granada, southern Spain). The nature, structure and deterioration of these materials are described in detail, as well as the painting and stucco techniques employed. A cast plaster technique is found throughout the Lions Palace (late Nasrid period, second half of the fourteenth century), whereas plaster carved in situ is only found in certain areas of the Partal Palace, one of the oldest constructions still extant in the Alhambra (1302–1309). Two original Nasrid palettes were also identified: an earlier, simpler palette of blue, red and black, and a later, more varied palette of red, blue, green, black and gold. In both cases white was the background colour. The gold decoration technique is described, as are the Christian interventions. Rich pigments were used throughout the history of the Alhambra (e.g. gold, lapis lazuli, azurite, malachite, cinnabar and red lead). Some pigments, red l...

This paper examines the decorative evolution of the Dining Room at Arniston House in Midlothian, built by John Adam in the mid 1750s. It proposes John Dawson as the craftsman responsible for executing the plasterwork and presents archival evidence to support this. It explores the possibility that Dawson's work in the Yellow Drawing Room at Hopetoun House helped determine the scheme adopted for the Arniston Dining Room. It also considers the part played by John Hope, Second Earl of Hopetoun, and Robert Adam in obtaining paintings to complete the decorative scheme.

Dar al Manjara l-kubra (The Royal Chamber of Santo Domingo) is a leisure room from the first period of Nasrid art. Scholars consider that the Chamber is of key importance for defining art during this period and a forerunner of what would subsequently become the palaces of the Alhambra in Granada. This paper presents a study of the materials and techniques used in the plasterwork, carried out before the monument was restored. The study began with a detailed examination of the plasterwork before samples of the more significant areas were selected from what was clearly part of the original work. The study of materials consisted in the identification of the pigments and binding media, as well as the base mortars. Conventional analysis methods were used: optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and chromatographic methods (gas chromatography, GC and high-pressure liquid chromatography, HPLC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The data from material identification and a detailed study of the materials in situ defined the techniques employed and provided key data on Nasrid plasterwork. Very few studies have been made of the materials used in Hispano-Muslim plasterwork, especially in relation to this particular moment in history.

The transformation of the thirteenth-century nunnery of Lacock into a country residence at the time of the Dissolution has resulted in a complex structure, now with serious damp problems affecting the historic fabric. As owner of the Abbey, The National Trust has initiated an integrated conservation strategy to address the causes of decay. Surveys were undertaken to confirm the principal source of moisture and its distribution, and the types of soluble salts and microbiology present. A fuller understanding of the building has been afforded by monitoring the environment, groundwater variations and thermal transmission, and undertaking in situ quantification of microbiological growth through ultraviolet and infrared photography, and induced fluorescence, before and after irradiation with ultraviolet light. Urgent remedial conservation of fragile medieval wall plaster and limewashes has been carried out using lime-based techniques, with a cellulose ether (Tylose) as an adhesive and a silica colloid (...

Dr Geoffrey Beard, is one of the best-known scholars working in the related fields of conservation and the decorative arts, with a reputation for sound archival research and the kind of single-mindedness that has transformed our knowledge of, in particular, plasterwork and furniture. He has focused our attention on the actual craftsmen, and established their identities in a way that had only been attempted before by such pioneers as Rupert Gunnis and Margaret Jourdain. His book Decorative Plasterwork in Great Britain revolutionized our understanding of that field, and his recent book on upholsterers will do the same. Dr Beard has also made his mark as a museum director and teacher, and to practical conservation through his passionate commitment to the Attingham Summer School (Figure 1) and the work of the Idlewild Trust.

The west wing of Arniston House, severely damaged by dry rot in the late 1950s, has been undergoing extensive restoration in recent years. The plaster ceiling in the Drawing Room has now been re-installed. Over the decades, as the identity of the plasterer has continued to elude architectural historians, various candidates have been suggested. This paper sets the record straight and establishes conclusively the plasterer's identity.

Provides basic steps and general guidelines for the correct use of plaster and render. Includes suggestions of several preparations available to aid this process.

These unpublished plaques with a Toledan provenance are in the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Museum of Islamic Art of Berlin. Two of the plaques are unique in that they combine mocarabe honeycomb arches with ataurique and a series of human heads in relief.Estas placas inéditas procedentes de Toledo se encuentran en el Victoria & Albert Museum y el Museum für Islamische Kunst de Berlín. Dos de las planchas presentan la singularidad de combinar mocárabes con ataurique y una serie de cabezas humanas en relieve.

A brief note on model identification, description and study of an important inlay polychrome plasterwork Spanish tabletop, c. 1830-1840. Una breve nota de identificación de modelos, descripción y estudio de un importante trabajo de escayola polícroma intarsiada, concebido como tapa de una mesa española de hacia 1830-1840.

Juan and Jeronimo del Corral, the former an architect and the latter a sculptor, developed their artistic activities in Castile during the second third of the sixteenth century. The originality of their work lies not only in their technique but also in their iconography: they combine the Spanish tradition of plaster work with the influence of the Italian Renaissance. This paper is a documentary and stylistic study of their work and discusses the problems of technique and conservation of the cupolas and walls of polychromed and gilded plaster relief. Due to its characteristics and its sensitivity to moisture, gypsum is a material which poses specific problems of behaviour and treatment. The various deteriorations it undergoes are shown as well as their causes and possible treatment. Scientific examination has been mainly directed towards the investigation of the support by IR and EDX spectrometry, the analysis of the polychromy by microscopy and the identification of the media by gas chromatography...

Discusses the techniques of repair and conservation of early lime‐based plasterwork. Considers the problems of cracks in plaster, detachment of plates of plaster, the breaking up of plaster, and the stages in the repair of wall panels and overmantles and the re‐hanging of ceilings. Concludes that since old plaster cannot be reproduced, careful consideration procedures are necessary, although complete plasterwork is best left alone.

Examines early time‐based ornamental plasterwork in the United Kingdom. Discusses the origins, methods, supporting structures, original finish and repairs and problems of this plasterwork. Concludes that plasterwork can be maintained no matter what condition it is in, so \ill\ action should be centred on helping later conservation by, for example, propping and padding vulnerable plasterwork.

Plasticity is an important physical property of masonry mortar and stucco (plaster). Quality workmanship and economic use of materials by masons and plasterers requires highly plastic mortar and stucco. Hydrated lime enhances the plasticity of masonry mortar and stucco by providing excellent retention and workability. In 1919, after nearly 10 years of work, chemist Warren Emley developed a method to quantify plasticity. In essence, plasticity testing as developed by Emley quantifies the quality of lime in terms of water retention and workability. Nearly 100 years later, the measurement of plasticity continues to be definitive in ASTM Specification for finishing hydrated lime (206) and ASTM specification for hydrated lime for masonry for physical testing of quicklime, hydrated lime, and limestone (C110). This paper reviews the history of the plasticity test methods, laboratory methods, instrument nuances, and the need to establish ASTM precision and bias statements for the test method.

Carefully following their historical development, this volume describes the various construction techniques in southern Asia. Readers get acquainted successively with the techniques of carpentry layout, the setting of bricks, stone-cutting and stereotomy, as well as binders and plasterwork. With the help of drawings and photographs it is illustrated how the various difficulties subsequently encountered were met. The combination of the author's firm background in architecture, as well as an in-depth knowledge of the region itself, make this handbook volume into a unique reference for students of (the history of) building techniques and architecture.

The restoration of the plasterwork decorating arches and domes in three Spanish architectural compounds is described: the Basilios College at Alcala de Henares in the province of Madrid, the Santa Maria Church at Castro Verde de Campos, province of Zamora, and the ogee chapel in what is called the “new” seminary, likewise at Alcala de Henares.