Continuing Professional Development Programme
Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment
Architectural and Urban Conservation
Theory and Practice
Objectives
This course is designed to introduce course participants to the history and theory of architectural and urban conservation and to
uncover the operation of those ideas in current conservation practice. The course aims to develop the participants’ knowledge of
the principles and methods of sound conservation practice. On completion of the course participants will be able to:
•
Understand the ideas underpinning architectural and urban conservation
•
Understand the relationship between these ideas and principles of practice that have developed (as expressed in national
and international charters)
•
Recognise the expression of these ideas and principles in the legislation
•
Understand the relationship between ideas about architectural and urban conservation and the processes of identifying
heritage resources and assessing their significance
•
Adopt these ideas and principles appropriately in practice
Course Content
The contents of the course will include:
•
an introduction to the history of the ideas and theories of architectural and urban conservation
•
an introduction to certain national and international charters
•
a grounding in the principles of conservation practice
•
an introduction to the South African legislation and the current administrative practices
•
an introduction to the research techniques and sources used in this multi-disciplinary practice
Course Lecturer(s)
The convenor and principal lecturer, Dr Stephen Townsend, graduated in architecture in Cape Town, completed a diploma in
conservation studies at the University of Rome (equivalent to a Masters degree) and a PhD at UCT (thesis title: Development
Rights and Conservation Constraints). He has worked as an architect; as an administrator of land use- and of conservation-related
regulations for nineteen years at the Cape Town City Council; as the CEO of Heritage Western Cape for a year and a half. He has
also been active in the professional institutes of architecture and heritage practice. He is in private practice and teaches part-time at
UCT’s School of Architecture and Planning where he runs the M Phil in Conservation of the Built Environment programme. He was
appointed to the Heritage Western Cape Council in 2010 and he chairs its Impact Assessment Committee (IA Comm) and serves
on its Built Environment and Landscape Committee (BEL Comm) and other committees.
The lectures/seminars will be presented by specialists in the field (see the attached programme); all of them have worked for or
serve on or have served on the permit committees of the provincial heritage resources authority, Heritage Western Cape or other
authorities.
Course Information
Who should attend?
The course will benefit all who are involved in conservation practice and heritage management and others involved or interested in
the regulation of development. This includes architects, planners, heritage practitioners of all disciplines (archaeologists, historians,
etc), heritage managers/administrators and NGO-activists. The course is widely applicable and designed to satisfy the multidisciplinary nature of conservation practice and heritage resource management.
Format
The course will comprise ten three-hour sessions, one each week. Most of the sessions will comprise a double lecture with time for
discussion of issues raised in the lectures or in the readings; there will be a group outing enabling an examination of past practice.
Cost
The fee for the 30-hour CPD course and exam will be R4950.00.
These fees include a comprehensive set of course notes and refreshments. Discounts for staff and students of UCT and students of
other tertiary education institutes are available under certain circumstances.
Certificates
A certificate of attendance will be given to all course members who attend a minimum of eight of the ten sessions. Alternatively, a
certificate of successful course completion will be issued to those participants who obtain a minimum of 50% in the optional
examination.
Venue
Seminar Room, New Chemical Engineering Building, University of Cape Town
Date and time
Weekly on Wednesdays: 5 to 8 pm, 4 April – 30 May 2012, except on Wednesday 9 May the site visit will be from 4 – 6 pm
Optional Exam: 6 June 2012. One extra lecture will take place on a Monday, to be discussed with the class, to make up for the
weeks postponement.
Applications and cancellations
In order to ensure a place on the course applicants should complete and return a signed application form to the course
administrators: Heidi Tait or Sandra Jemaar:
Confirmation of acceptance will be sent on receipt of an application form.
Applications close on 30 March 2012
Cancellations must be received one week before the start of a course, or the full course fee will be charged
CPD Programme, Engineering Faculty, Menzies Building, Upper Campus, University of Cape Town
Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, 7701
Tel: ++27 (0)21 6505793; Fax: ++27 (0)21 6502669; email: ebe-cpd@uct.ac.za; web: www.cpd.uct.ac.za
Continuing Professional Development Programme
Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment
Lecture Programme and Course Content
Wednesday, 4 April: Session 1: Introduction and Ideas and Theories I
Double lecture, discussion. Lecturers: Assoc Prof Townsend

Welcome and house-keeping

Introduction to conservation and differing sets of values

Early and pre-modern ideas about restoration

Repair/re-use; an a-historical traditional approach of “functional restoration”

Reconstructions and recompositions
Monday, 8 April: Session 2: Ideas and Theories II (this lecture to be confirmed)
Double lecture, discussion. Lecturer: Assoc Prof Townsend

Architectural restoration in the 19th century

Historical restoration

Stylistic restoration
Wednesday, 11 April: Session 3: Ideas and Theories III
Double lecture, discussion. Lecturer: Assoc Prof Townsend

Conservation of the building as a document: the late-20th C orthodoxy

National and international charters
Wednesday, 18 April: Session 4: Ideas and Theories IV
Two lectures, discussion. Lecturers: Assoc Prof Townsend

Critical conservation and value-based heritage resource management: criticism in action

Authenticity and significance: idea and practice
Wednesday, 25 April: Session 5: Ideas and Practices in Urban Conservation
Two lectures. Lecturers: Assoc Prof Townsend, Jacobs

Early ideas and early town planning (from the end of the 19th C);
urban conservation after WW II and conservation-lead planning; and urban conservation in Italy and in Britain

Intentions and practices in urban conservation in SA today
Wednesday, 2 May: Session 6: Ideas and Practices in Protecting the Cultural Landscape
Two lectures, discussion. Lecturers: Prof Todeschini, Jacobs

Ideas, intentions and practices of cultural landscape and rural conservation in SA

Rescue restorations in the Boland
Wednesday 9 May, 4pm: Session 7: Group Site Visit to Groot Constantia
Group Leader: Dr Baumann
The group will visit Groot Constantia to examine an example architectural conservation practice
Wednesday 16 May: Session 8: The Laws of Heritage Resource Management and Conservation
Two lectures, discussion. Lecturers: Assoc Prof Townsend, Hall

Heritage resource management law in South Africa

How heritage resource management law relates to other law regulating development in SA
Wednesday 23 May: Session 9: The Administration of the Law in South Africa
Two lectures, discussion. Lecturers: Assoc Prof Townsend; Lillie

Administrative practices current in South Africa (SAHRA, the PHRAs and the local authorities)
Wednesday, 30 May: Session 10: Practical Tools for Conservationists
Two lectures, discussion. Lecturers: Dr Malan; Thorold

Conservation-oriented research
primary research; the use of secondary sources, archival research

Measuring buildings; reading the building as a document
Wednesday, 6 June: Examination
The examination is optional. Details will be confirmed in due course.
Note: This course is accredited with The Cape Institute for Architecture for 3 CPD points.
This course is accredited with the Engineering Council of South Africa for 3 CPD points.
CPD Programme, Engineering Faculty, Menzies Building, Upper Campus, University of Cape Town
Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, 7701
Tel: ++27 (0)21 6505793; Fax: ++27 (0)21 6502669; email: ebe-cpd@uct.ac.za; web: www.cpd.uct.ac.za