TRADITIONAL BUILDING WORKSHOPS

2023: Workshops with the Living Heritage exhibition: Traditional building in the 21st century

In the context of the Living Heritage exhibition, open to the public at the Museum of Santa Cruz in Toledo from 2 June to 24 September 2023, several workshops were held in the museum, the Toledo Heritage Consortium and also the Sefardi Museum. The exhibition was mounted in collaboration with INTBAU, the Ministry of Culture and Sport, the Regional Government of Castilla-La Mancha, the Museum of Santa Cruz, Toledo City Council and the Spanish High Council of Institutes of Architects.

Demonstration of wooden-shingle roofing in the forest of Irati, with Javier Goicoa and Jesús María Larrañeta .

24 September 2023.
Museum of Santa Cruz, Toledo

Javier Goicoa and Jesús María Larrañeta, master shingle-roofers from the Irati area in Navarra, discussed and demonstrated the building of such roofs, from the sourcing of suitable timber to the making of shingles and laying them on the roof surface.

Ceramic mosaics with Nasrid geometry, with Fátima Quesada

23 September 2023.
Museum of Santa Cruz, Toledo

The master ceramicist introduced the participants to the making and composition of geometric ceramic mosaics, along with their layouts and modulations and the use of various geometric designs. Each participant made a small mosaic using this craft.

Traditional Toledan wall coatings, with Luis Prieto .

23 September 2023.
Museum of Santa Cruz, Toledo

The master painter and stuccoist Luis Prieto, who has extensive experience in the application of the characteristic Toledan wall coatings, introduced the participants to the materials and techniques involved in his craft.

Toledan trompe-l’oeil renders, with Diego Rodríguez

22 SEPTEMBER 2023.
Museum of Santa Cruz, Toledo

The master painter Diego Rodríguez introduced the participants to the characteristic materials and techniques of his trade. The workshop centred on the traditional coatings of Toledan facades and in particular the trompe-l’oeil renders so characteristic of the town. The workshop ended with a walk about Toledo to see some of the most notable examples of this craft.

Timber-framed walls and lime-plaster finishes, with Jesús Adeva .

9 SEPTEMBER 2023.
Museum of Santa Cruz, Toledo

The master builder Jesús Adeva introduced the participants to the materials and techniques used in the making of the timber-framed walls and lime-plaster renders characteristic of building tradition in the town of Toledo.

Ornamental plasterwork, with master craftworkers from the firm Artesanía Nazarí

9 SEPTEMBER 2023.
Museum of Santa Cruz, Toledo

The master plaster-workers Ramón Rubio and Julio Jiménez introduced the participants to the secrets of their trade and taught the whole process of making ornamental plasterwork, from layout to construction and decoration.

Demonstration of traditional smithing, with Ramón Recuero and Miguel Ángel M. Luque.

8 SEPTEMBER 2023.
Museum of Santa Cruz, Toledo

The master blacksmiths Ramón and Miguel Ángel gave a hands-on demonstration of various traditional wrought-iron techniques on the forecourt of the Toledan Museum of Santa Cruz. They also presented other forms of ironwork and the tools characteristic of their trade.

Modelling of decorative tiles, with Centro Cerámico Talavera .

7 SEPTEMBER 2023.
Museum of Santa Cruz, Toledo

The master ceramicists from Centro Cerámico Talavera guided the participants through the process of making a relief-surface arista tile. Each participant had the chance to make their own tile and to learn the techniques involved through the process.

Giving wood colour, with Paco Luis Martos .

6 SEPTEMBER 2023.
Museum of Santa Cruz, Toledo

The master carpenter Paco Luis Martos presented various techniques used historically in applying polychrome to wood, such as estofado gold varnish. The participants were able to experiment with various traditional blends, pigments and motifs, and they each produced a sample of estofado with the motifs chosen.

Workshops at the 2022 Timeless Architecture Conference

In the context of the 3rd International Conference on Traditional Building, Architecture and Urbanism: Timeless Architecture (2022), a series of visits were made to the workshops of master artisans, along with demonstrations and hands-on experiences with them. The initiative was mounted with the collaboration of INTBAU, the Madrid Polytechnic University School of Architecture, Kalam, the Serra Henriques Foundation and the Traditional Architecture Research Centre (CIAT).

Facade coatings in Madrid, with Luis Prieto and Alejandro Ciudad

18 NOVEMBER 2023.
Madrid

Visit to the workshop of the master stuccoist and painter Luis Prieto in which he discussed various aspects of his work and the materials and techniques used and showed the attendees the premises where he carries on learning, experimenting and studying. The visit was rounded off with a guided walk about Madrid to see the various traditional rendering techniques and colours characteristic of the city’s facades.

Creation and restoration of stained-glass windows, with Pablo and Alfonso Muñoz .

19 NOVEMBER 2023.
Segovia

The master glaziers Pablo and Alfonso Muñoz opened up their workshop – Vetraria – to demonstrate the various phases of their work with any stained-glass window that they create or restore. This was rounded off with a visit to Segovia Cathedral in which they discussed all the work they have done and continue to do on its stained glass.

Segovian sgraffito, with Julio Barbero

19 NOVEMBER 2022.
Segovia

In the Church of San Nicolás, with the collaboration of the city council, the master artisan Julio Barbero together with his team introduced the participants in a hands-on, participatory way to the characteristics of Segovian sgraffito renders and their execution.

Toledan lime-plaster render and trompe-l’oeil finishes, with Jesús Adeva.

20 NOVEMBER 2022.
Toledo.

Jesús Adeva, a master builder who has restored numerous buildings in the town of Toledo, led a walk through the streets of the town in which the participants were able to get to know many examples of walls rendered with lime-plaster and adorned with trompe-l’oeil finishes – two of the most characteristic local crafts.

Restoration of the Mudéjar wooden ceiling in Salón Rico in Toledo, with Javier de Mingo and Angel Martín

20 NOVEMBER 2022.
Toledo.

The architect Javier de Mingo and the master carpenter Angel María Martín, specialists in traditional structural carpentry, presented the study and restoration that they performed on the Mudéjar wooden ceiling in Salón Rico in Toledo, along with its composition and the process involved in its construction, with the aid of a model they had made for the Toledo Heritage Consortium.

2021: Hands-on workshops in the building arts

These intensive hands-on workshops on the various traditional building arts were organised in collaboration with INTBAU and CIAT-UPM and delivered with some of the master artisans honoured in 2019-21 through the Richard H. Driehaus Building Arts Awards. They were held on 9-11 July 2021 at the Traditional Architecture Research Centre (CIAT) established by the Madrid Polytechnic University at Boceguillas, in the north-east of Segovia province.

Lime paints and natural pigments, with Luis Prieto

9 JULY 2021.
CIAT-UPM, Boceguillas, Segovia

The master stuccoist and painter Luis Prieto introduced the participants to the making of paints with various natural pigments and their application on different substrates, and in particular wood.

Blacksmithing and lead jointing, with Santiago Martínez Otero

10 JULY 2021.
CIAT-UPM, Boceguillas, Segovia

Santiago Martínez Otero discussed the fundamentals of working with various metals and the traditional smithing techniques by which each one is wrought, with a particular focus on leaded joints. During the workshop all the participants were able to forge a piece of their own.

Traditional coatings, with Cristina Thió

10 JULY 2021.
CIAT-UPM, Boceguillas, Segovia

Cristina Thió delivered a hands-on workshop on the sgraffito technique in which the participants were able to prepare and apply the various component layers of sgraffito render on different substrates, and accordingly with various compositions, thereby learning what the craft involves.

Polychromy on wood, with Paco Luis Martos

11 JULY 2021.
CIAT-UPM, Boceguillas, Segovia

The master carpenter Paco Luis Martos presented various techniques used historically in applying polychrome to wood. he participants were able to experiment with traditional blends, pigments and motifs, and each one produced a sample of polychromy with the motifs chosen.

2021 Timeless Architecture exhibition workshops

In the context of the Timeless Architecture exhibition, various workshops were held on traditional building trades with some of the master artisans whose work was on show. This exhibition was mounted in collaboration with CentroCentro, INTBAU, the Ekaba Foundation (Kalam Centre for the Fine Arts), the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, the Ministry of Culture and Sport, the Serra Henriques Foundation, the Spanish High Council of Institutes of Architects, the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture, the San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts and Hispania Nostra.

Giving wood colour, with Paco Luis Martos

29 JUNE AND 30 SEPTEMBER 2021.
CentroCentro, Madrid City Hall

Paco Luis Martos discussed the various finishes that may be applied to wood, with a range of blends, pigments and polychromes, and with particular focus on gilding and estofado gold varnish. The participants were able to make their own compositions with the estofado technique on boards prepared earlier by Paco Luis, which they were able to keep.

Application of limewash, with Luis Prieto

30 JUNE 2021.
CentroCentro, Madrid City Hall

A limewash finish has it all: economy, healthfulness, ease of sourcing and application, and above all a timeless aesthetic. This means that the technique is always more modern and up to date than any other renders intended to take its place. I n the workshop the participants were able to explore the principles, application and technical aspects of this form of render.

Application of limewash, with Luis Prieto

30 JUNE 2021.
CentroCentro, Madrid City Hall

A limewash finish has it all: economy, healthfulness, ease of sourcing and application, and above all a timeless aesthetic. This means that the technique is always more modern and up to date than any other renders intended to take its place. I n the workshop the participants were able to explore the principles, application and technical aspects of this form of render.

What does an architect think about before undertaking a restoration of heritage? A dialogue with Juan de Dios de la Hoz

28 SEPTEMBER 2021.
CentroCentro, Madrid City Hall

With a participatory approach, Juan de Dios de la Hoz presented various architectural heritage restorations that he has undertaken, discussing the solutions adopted, and encouraged the participants to join a lively dialogue about the conservation criteria that may be adopted, along with their implications.

Demonstration of stonemasonry techniques, tools and materials, with Rodrigo de la Torre.

3 OCTOBER 2021.
CentroCentro, Madrid City Hall

The master stonemason Rodrigo de la Torre presented the work of a stonemason through the recreation of an itinerant workshop, along with various types of materials and their characteristics, the tools used in the trade, and the function of each one.

Natural fibres, with Antonio Gandano

3 OCTOBER 2021.
CentroCentro, Madrid City Hall

Antonio Gandano introduced the participants to the various uses and applications of natural fibres such as grasses and cane, along with their characteristics and the way each one is worked, as well as their present-day significance as regards sustainability and design.