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INTBAU Traditional Skills Programme INTBAU Traditional Skills Programme INTBAU Traditional Skills Programme Images: the medieval church of Archita & INTBAU students during the 2009 courses

FOUNDATION PROGRAMME - Course for beginners

The beginners’ course is designed to introduce participants to traditional tools and materials, plastering techniques, conservation and heritage issues while working on ancient monuments. The course takes place over two weeks from 6 - 18 June 2010 in the medieval village of Archita, located in the province of Transylvania, Romania. The course offers two modules, which could be taken together or separately.

1.Module 1: Basic techniques (week 1)

  • Introduction to heritage sites (case study: the XV fortified church of Archita, Romania)
  • Traditional tools needed on heritage sites
  • Traditional materials and the how are they sourced
  • The difference between conservation and restoration
  • Work on site: how to mix lime plaster & plastering techniques
  • Work on site: repairing minor fractures on the medieval wall

Attendance fee module 1: £549 which includes tuition fees, materials, tools, protection equipment, seven nights of accommodation in a local B&B, three meals/day and local trips to UNESCO villages & sites

2.Module 2: Applied techniques (week 2)

The second week of the beginners’ course is designed to be a hands-on session on heritage sites. As we aim to introduce students to different scales and types of vernacular architecture the second week of training will be based at two very different sites: the medieval church of Archita (built from XII – XV century) and a farm house (built in the late 1890s).

On the medieval church the students will undertake repairs of the fortified walls while on the second site they will learn how to tackle structural problems in old buildings while helping to restore a barn and the stables.

Attendance fee module 2: £495 which includes tuition fees, materials, tools, protection equipment, seven nights of accommodation in a local B&B, three meals/day and local trips to UNESCO villages & sites

When the two modules of the beginners’ course are booked together the attendance fee for the entire course is £990/person

The two intensive weeks of training are designed for apprentices, architecture students and young practitioners with no prior experience on heritage sites. Their work will be documented throughout the programme and INTBAU will issue attendance certificates to all participants. INTBAU is also able to provide recommendation letters upon request.

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