manuscript conservation purchase sheet light

#Manuscript conservation purchase sheet light full#

As the project proceeded, some of the original plans had to be adjusted as space was lost to plant rooms, service trunking and 'phantom' measurements. In the new studio there was sufficient room to allocate space to specific functions so that there are now clearly defined areas for encapsulating, washing or pressing objects.

#Manuscript conservation purchase sheet light full#

All these sections have full access to the space and equipment. The Conservation Mounters occupy most of the mezzanine above the main paper studio, enabling objects to be mounted after treatment without having to leave the room. One of these rooms is used for the treatment of photographs and miniature portrait paintings and the other for the treatment of oriental objects, including scrolls. There are two smaller studios off this main area for the treatment of objects which are particularly fragile and require a more controlled environment. Designing the New SpaceĪccess to the new space is good, having both stairs and a goods lift in which large objects and trolleys of work can be delivered directly into the main Paper Conservation studio. While staff juggled and made do, it had become difficult to initiate students and interns in good working practices without the proper space and equipment. With such cramped conditions in the old room, functional work areas such as a wet area and a drying area overlapped and were not clearly defined. Some of the furniture was on wheels but the limited floor space did not allow much flexibility and the furniture had not been designed to fold away. However, the room's restrictive size, access and wedge shape dictated the size and quantity of work that could be treated. The old studio had been filled with large benches, tables and a wash table which were necessary for treating large, two dimensional works of art. The best feature of the old building - the north and south light sources - has been retained and a new atmosphere is evolving as people get to know the building. We appreciated the creative atmosphere which still hovered between the historic, paint-daubed walls and while we were sorry to see this go, the transformation of the building's interior into light, spacious studios and offices is spectacular. The extra space was marvellous we were able to treat large format objects and decide what types of furniture and features would work well in a new studio. Shortly after, pending the refurbishment of the building, Paper Conservation had the opportunity to make a temporary work space in the building for two students specialising in wallpaper conservation. The School of Painting vacated its studios in the old Royal College of Art in 1991. Photography by V&A Photographic Studio (click image for larger version)