Plastics in Modern Movement Interiors Conservation and (re-)design of plastic Finishes, Furniture and Products

Introduction: The programme will feature amongst others architectural historians, interior and heritage specialists, designers, material scientists, art conservators, consultants and practitioners. The built environment, architecture and its interiors and consumer products have gone through different periods in history which had often been dominated by specific materials and their production and construction requirements. The 20th century built environment has been widely influenced by the use of plastic - in specific in interiors and even more for our daily consumer products. Conference, excursion and workshops aim to raise the sensibility of young researchers and designers and of restoration and heritage professionals towards the use, conservation and recycling of plastic in the context of circular economy approaches. The program will provide a theoretical and historical and as well as practical input in an interdisciplinary context. Through its International Specialist Committee on Interior (ISC/I), the International Working party for the Documentation and Conservation of buildings, sites and neighbourhoods of the Modern Movement DOCOMOMO therefore takes the initiative to bring together knowledge and expertise in a combined effort to address the conservation and repair of plastic interiors, finishings and objects in modern architectural heritage and to show design potentials and future developments of the material. A one day international seminar focusing on the interiors and interior applications such as finishings and objects will take place on Monday March, 5th, 2018, at the Faculty of Design Sciences at UAntwerp, Belgium.