Preservation Matters

 

 

 

 

 

Highbridge staff specializes in applying petrography and chemical analysis to understand the composition and performance history of historic building materials. The techniques and methodologies may be similar to those used for modern construction but our firm combines this with a sensitivity to the unique requirements, philosophy, and goals of restoration or conservation work.

These include:
·  Expertise in the materials used in historic concrete and masonry construction and an understanding of their unique properties and compatibilities with modern counterparts.
·     Appreciation that durability of historic properties is not measured by a thirty-year service life. Materials conservation demands a deeper and more thorough examination of material performance and distress.
·     Sensitivity to the importance of careful documentation with an understanding that our results must be relevant not only to the questions at hand but to future stewards of the property.
 

Aside from our appearances at professional conferences, Highbridge believes it is imperative to share our knowledge by bringing our expertise directly to students in the classroom. Over the last several years, we have embarked on a series of lectures and individualized instruction to students at Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania, Tulane University, and New York University. We will soon be preparing these lectures for a wider audience and professional credit. Please contact us for more information.