International Preservation Trades Workshop 2011

This week’s guest blogger is Barry A. Loveland of PHMC’s Division of Architecture and Preservation

The deadline for early registration for one of the largest gatherings of preservation and traditional trades people and enthusiasts in the world is June 1, 2011. Don't let this opportunity slip by to save money on your registration fees. The deadline for hotel registration to take advantage of discounted group rates is July 1.




The 15th annual International Preservation Trades Workshop (IPTW) will be held August 2-6, 2011 on the campus of Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, 750 E. King Street in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. This exciting event is being sponsored by the Preservation Trades Network, Inc., the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, and Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology's Preservation Trades Technology Program.

IPTW 2011 will bring together hundreds of the best preservation and traditional trades crafts people, as well as preservation architects, preservation consultants, building trades contractors and others from the US, Canada, Europe and beyond, who are interested in learning more about preservation and traditional trades techniques, tools, materials and practices. For those who work in the preservation and traditional building trades, this is a gathering of their “tribe.” For others, it offers a unique opportunity to see some of the finest crafts people at work and learn more about how historic building preservation is accomplished in construction.

More than 50 presentations and in-depth hands-on demonstrations will showcase the talents of some of the world's best preservation and traditional crafts people in such diverse crafts as masonry restoration, slate, wood shingle and metal roofing, decorative painting, stained glass repair, timber framing, restoration carpentry and much more.

There will also be two-day in-depth pre-conference workshops in the Preservation and Repair of Porches and Painting Historic Buildings, a one-day Lead Safety for Renovation, Repair and Painting EPA certification course, and a five-day course in timber framing.

Special pre-conference tours will include a trip to the Mercer Museum, Fonthill and the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works. Another tour will include a demonstration of a water powered vertical saw mill at Daniel Boone Homestead, a behind the scene tour of the Ball and Ball Hardware workshops and a tour of the Wharton Esherick home and studio.

PHMC/Daniel Boone Homestead

The Slate Roofing Contractors Association of North America will also hold their annual meeting and workshops in conjunction with IPTW 2011.

A highlight of IPTW 2011 will be Donovan Rypkema's keynote address which will document the important contribution to a local economy provided by the preservation trades, and also the role of historic preservation in comprehensive sustainable development.

Conference and workshop sessions are eligible for American Institute of Architects continuing education units.

Opportunities still exist for event sponsorships, product and service exhibitors, non-profit and educational exhibitors, demonstrators, and student scholarships.

Visit the web site http://www.iptw.org/ for more information and registration. Or email info@ptn.org with your questions. You can also reach the Preservation Trades Network at 866-853-9335.