Course: Preservation of older houses and buildings
PRESERVATION OF OLDER HOUSES and buildings is the title of a course organised by the Building Preservation Centre aimed at professionals and enthusiasts interested in repairing and maintaining older buildings. The course will be taught in Icelandic and will take place at the Árbær Open Air Museum from 28 to 29 March. The full price is 48,000 ISK, but members of Iðan Educational Centre pay 12,000 ISK. Registration takes place on Iðan's website—see the attached link.
The course aims to give participants insight into key aspects of restoring and preserving older houses. The course will cover laws and regulations for repairing and maintaining protected buildings. It will also provide an overview of the main periods and characteristics of Icelandic architectural history, along with technical challenges in construction. Additionally, it will address key issues in repair work and how they are carried out. The course will be held at Árbær Open Air Museum, where the museum buildings will be examined regarding construction techniques and material use. Day 1 Introduction to laws and regulations concerning protected buildings. Overview of key periods in Icelandic architectural history, focusing on timber and concrete houses. Examination of colour use across different architectural styles and periods. Overview of main building and repair materials. Introduction to useful books, published materials, and guidelines on building repairs and maintenance in Iceland. Day 2 Technical challenges in preservation. Timber houses and their repairs. The structural framework of timber houses. Icelandic corrugated iron houses. Repairs of concrete buildings. Window and door restoration. Icelandic roofs. Challenges in modernising old houses. A guided walk around Árbær Open Air Museum with discussions about the buildings. Instructors: Snædís Traustadóttir Snædís is a certified master carpenter and a student of traditional building craftsmanship at NTNU in Norway. She has extensive experience repairing and maintaining older buildings, including listed and protected structures. Alma Sigurðardóttir – Specialist in Building Preservation Alma holds a BA degree in architecture and an MSc in building conservation. She has worked for years researching Iceland's architectural heritage, providing consultancy, and managing restoration projects of older buildings. She recently published the children's book Our Buildings, which explores Icelandic architectural history. The Building Preservation Centre serves homeowners, artisans, architects, students, and anyone interested in architectural history and building conservation. It is a collaboration between the Iðan Educational Centre, the Icelandic National Heritage Institute, and the Reykjavík City Museum.