Architectural Dressing: Rethinking Conservation as an Act of Care, Adaptation, and Material Engagement

Abstract

This thesis introduces architectural dressing as a transformative approach to heritage conservation, advocating for the treatment of buildings as dynamic, evolving entities rather than static artifacts. Contrasting with traditional preservation methods that emphasize permanence, this methodology adopts a participatory, material-based engagement akin to dressing a body. Utilizing Critical Care Theory, it argues for a curatorial approach focused on repair, layering, and reinvention. The case study of NSCAD’s Fountain Campus in Halifax illustrates this method in action, highlighting its potential to sustain heritage sites as vibrant spaces of artistic production and public engagement. By drawing parallels between buildings and corsets, which historically restricted but now empower the body, the thesis proposes conservation as an active, care-driven practice, ensuring buildings remain integral, lively participants in the urban fabric.