RBA has specialist skills in undertaking conservation works to a wide range of building types and historic structures, following a building condition assessment.
Developing and implementing authentic conservation strategies is as much about understanding traditional construction methods and crafts, as it is exploring innovative technical solutions.
We work to the Burra Charter principle of ‘changing as much as necessary but as little as possible’ – an approach that has regularly generated economical restoration solutions for our clients, while also retaining the authenticity of the original fabric.
RBA was engaged to restore the town hall façades, which had developed concrete cancer in places, causing pieces of masonry to fall to the ground and threaten public safety.
After acquiring the state heritage listed property in c. 2000, The Australian Club engaged RBA initially to prepare a Conservation Management Plan.
This project involved the identification, deconstruction, conservation and adaptation to a sustainable use of an extremely rare surviving example of a timber prefabricated house, originally imported to Australia from Singapore in 1852/53.
RBA was commissioned to prepare a Conservation Management Plan for this highly significant heritage place in 2002.
The Central Park Conservatory in Malvern, built in 1927, is a functional – yet elegant – structure, expressive of its roots in the Modern movement.
RBA rescued this dis-used kiosk from a virtually ruinous state and successfully restored and adapted the building to a viable new use, as an education and resource centre, for visitors including school groups.
RBA assisted Thomson Adsett Architects in planning a large redevelopment to provide a contemporary museum celebrating the work of the Sisters of Mercy and their founder, the Blessed Mary MacKillop.
External restoration works were undertaken to the roof and façades between 2003 and 2006, including radical concrete cancer mitigation treatments.
External restoration works were undertaken to the roof and façades between 2003 and 2006, including radical concrete cancer mitigation treatments.
Conservation and adaptation of the original Head Lighthouse Keeper’s Quarters (constructed in 1857-59 at Wilsons Promontory Light Station) to create comfortable visitor accommodation in this windswept location.
RBA was engaged to identify the heritage values of the showgrounds, and prepared a Conservation Management Plan as part of a master plan undertaken by Urban Initiatives.