The Building Conservation Directory 2022

INTER IORS 5 159 C AT H E D R A L C O MM U N I C AT I O N S T H E B U I L D I N G C O N S E R VAT I O N D I R E C T O R Y 2 0 2 2 THE CUTTING EDGE Defining a new role for digital technology in the restoration of historic woodwork MATT BATEMAN and GREG MEESON T HE EXPLOSION of new digital technologies and their increased accessibility over the past decade have enabled a revolution in manufacturing and production. 3D scanning, 3D printing and CNC machining have brought about radical new possibilities heralding a new era of rapid prototyping and accelerated product development. Many of these technologies have found their place within conservation practice, bringing new ways of working that are more efficient or expansive. In surveying, digital scanning and photogrammetry have enabled highly effective workflows that capture site data on a level previously unimaginable, proving invaluable for assessing the need for conservation work, communicating the work required and recording the state of a building or component at a point in time. But in physical restoration work it has been less clear how these capabilities can bring Traditional hand carving by Refinery’s Matt Bateman and (below) the digital scan of the original detail (All images © Refinery Works LLP)