The conservation of buildings: A philosophical examination

The thesis examines building conservation philosophy, as it is commonly known in this field of activity. The thesis explores the perceived problems between philosophy and practice that are present in building conservation. The overall purpose being to shed light on the relationship between philosophy, theory and practice for the benefit of practitioners. The thesis has focused on the theoretical and philosophical side of the question as well as the practical. This will explain the type of data and analysis that was used. The thesis begins by establishing that there is a perceived problem between philosophy and practice in building conservation, and shows why this is practically important. The thesis then deals with the theoretical background of the work, showing the viewpoint from which the researcher has looked at the issues. The methodology of research is then shown with the emphasis being on the research methods that will yield truth. The main body of the thesis then deals with the data and analysis. The foci being the theory of William Morris and the early development of conservation philosophy, then a look at practical repair advice in building conservation, after that a look at the perceptions of conservation practitioners and the casework of conservation organisations, following this a look at the application of conservation philosophy to conservation policy such as PPG 15 and planning, the relationship of sustainability and conservation philosophy is also explored. Finally, the philosophy of Dooyeweerd is applied to the field to see whether the perceived problems of conservation philosophy can be helped by the application of his scientific philosophy. The conclusions at the end of the thesis draw together the analysis and show the contribution to knowledge.