In late February 2020, over 130 professionals joined together to explore the history, design, and conservation of architectural tile and terrazzo. The two-day symposium, hosted by the Stuart Weitzman School of Design Graduate Program in Historic Preservation, the International Masonry Institute, and the Association for Preservation Technology - Delaware Valley Chapter (APT-DVC) featured presentations and workshop demonstrations. The first day, at the Stuart Weitzman School of Design, consisted of eleven presentations on the use, design, application, performance, deterioration, repair, and conservation of terrazzo and tile. Speakers included Amy Green, founding partner of Silverlake Conservation Los Anglos, CA, who discussed repairing historic tile in outdoor sites. Her work in Beverly Hills conserving both the Electric and Doheny fountains was highlighted.
The International Masonry Institute’s Northeast Training Director, Bob Mion, presented the history and installation of both cement and epoxy terrazzo. Courtney Magill, a Post-graduate fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, spoke of her conservation on a Tiffany mosaic at the Woodlawn Cemetery. Magill and Mion were also presenters on the following day’s hand-on workshops. Mion, along with John Trevisan, demonstrated epoxy and cement terrazzo patching and filling. The attendees had the opportunity to create a cement terrazzo topping mixture with the oversight of Kevin Dalton. Roy Ingraffia and Domenic Quinn taught techniques of tile glazing repair, challenging attendees to develop a correct color match between a historic tile and their own.
Both days included ample networking opportunities for the diverse range of attendees. Architects, engineers, conservators, and students alike all greatly benefited from the expertise of the various presenters. Casey Weisdock (International Masonry Institute) and Frank Matero and Micah Dornfeld (Historic Preservation Graduate Program at the Stuart Weitzman School of Design) deserve much praise for coordinating a highly informative and successful symposium.
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