ABSTRACT
This paper provides a personal reflection on the progression from a career in textile conservation to the role of a heritage building surveyor and project manager. It explores the broader context of working with moveable and immovable heritage, highlighting the similarities and differences in philosophy and method. The paper argues for the benefits of a multidisciplinary approach and fully integrated practice. The author’s training in conservation at the Textile Conservation Centre equipped her with skills in conservation theory, ethics, treatment and preventive conservation. The author then transitioned to commissioning conservation treatment for non-textile collections, which required acquiring new technical knowledge and collaborating with various specialists. She then became Chartered in Building Surveying, leading to her current role as project manager and historic buildings surveyor, where she oversees planned maintenance and major improvement projects while considering the interaction between buildings, interiors and collections. The paper also discusses the author’s involvement in managing a large-scale exhibition at Kensington Palace, highlighting the areas of knowledge interchange between textile conservators, curators, interpretation teams and exhibition builders. The author reflects on the dichotomy between object and building conservation, exploring the commonalities and practical differences in their execution and approach, including training, the scale of work and context/environment.
