(upbeat music)
- Welcome to the Engine Shed.
My name is Dorothy Hoskins,
I'm Technical Outreach and Education Manager
with Historic Environment Scotland.
And I'm responsible for all of our
public engagement programmes that we run here.
We opened the Engine Shed in July 2017,
and the response since then has really been overwhelming.
We've welcomed over 66,000 people to the Engine Shed,
including 35,000 visitors.
We've run over 420 events
in different aspects of conservation,
from digital documentation to thatching,
and everything in between.
We've built our local communities,
as well as national and international communities.
Engaging everyone, from primary school children,
through to professionals
who've been working in the sector for a number of years.
We've had a lot of interest from other countries
about what we're doing here
because there isn't a model like it
anywhere else in the world, that we can find.
Although Historic Environment Scotland look after
over 300 spectacular monuments across the country,
we didn't have anywhere to use as a home
to tell people about building conservation.
We're really passionate about raising the profile
of traditional buildings and traditional skills,
and we felt we needed a base to do that from.
So, we started looking around at different parts of Scotland
to see where would suit,
and did a feasibility study which showed that Stirling,
because of our connections here,
being right in the centre of Scotland,
having a local depot, having a castle,
actually came out on top.
And when we looked at buildings,
the Engine Shed was a winner from the beginning.
It's in the perfect location, in the city centre,
absolutely suited to our needs.
It's also a traditional building,
and although it's not listed,
we did treat it as though it was listed
throughout the conservation process.
the Engine Shed actually formed part
of a large military base, here in the centre of Stirling.
We think it was built around 1890,
although we don't know the exact dates
because the maps from that time
have actually been blacked out for secrecy reasons
because it was military.
The reason the site was here is because
it's right in the middle of Stirling,
but it's got great transport links
between the river and the train station,
so it was a great area for the military
to use as their central base within Scotland.
the Engine Shed itself was never actually used
as an engine shed, it was a pug shed.
pug waggons were brought in and loaded up,
and taken back out again,
however, it was widely known as the Engine Shed,
so we adopted that name.
It remained in the ownership of the military
before transferring to the Council in the 1990s,
as the area was part of a regeneration programme.
Only the Engine Shed and a few other buildings in this area
remained from that time.
And we actually came along and bought it from the council
for a pound after undertaking a feasibility study
for our new conservation centre.
The biggest intervention we made
was actually taking the floor height down
from what was essentially platform height to real height,
to allow us to open up the space.
Also,
the military had widened the doors
at either end of the building,
so we put them back to their original size.
We took samples of mortar and stone,
to ensure that any replacements
were made using appropriate materials.
The clerestory frames are original,
although the glazing had to be replaced,
and we undertook some paint sample analysis
to see what colour the frames were originally,
a rather unsurprising military-gray colour,
so, that's what would be installed here.
We reused over 70% of the slates in the building
and the roof structure you can see above me, is original,
we didn't have to do very much to that at all,
just a coat of boiled linseed oil is all that that required.
The new wings on either side of the building
have been built using traditional materials
but in a very sustainable and contemporary way.
And overall we wanted the appearance
of the building to be architecturally stunning
and really illustrate that traditional materials
are not something for the past,
but something for the future.
Although we're working in uncertain times,
we will continue to work to build our communities
locally, nationally and internationally,
with their built heritage,
and engage and enthuse people,
with the buildings that surround them.
We're very sorry we can't welcome you
here in person today, however,
we've organised a few of our team members
to come along, and tell you a bit about their work.
- Moving to the Engine Shed has allowed us
to develop dedicated lab facilities,
and to extend the range of services that we offer.
It's also allowed our team to become more visible.
We contribute to the content presented in the main shed,
including curating the stone display,
and contributing to the Nation of Stone exhibition.
We're a team of four,
and we undertake a range of scientific analysis
of traditional building materials
and also onsite condition monitoring,
to inform conservation decisions,
properties, and care and collections.
We also support the wider sector
by investigating new techniques,
collaborating with academic partners,
and providing advice and guidance.
The team investigate a range of traditional materials
ranging from stone, mortar, and plaster,
to metals, paints and glass.
We might be asked to characterise the material,
investigate the reason for poor performance,
or specify a suitable match.
One project we've been working on recently
is at The Hill House in Helensburgh.
Designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh,
it's considered his masterpiece of domestic architecture.
Sadly,
the structure and interior
have now been effected by water ingress,
so we've been working in partnership
with the National Trust for Scotland,
to monitor moisture ingress to the property
using infrared thermography,
and microwave moisture analysis.
Working with our colleagues
in Digital Documentation and Digital Innovation,
this data has been combined with a 3D model of the house,
providing a powerful tool to investigate the problem
and hopefully work towards a solution,
and to protect the future of this house.
One unusual, but hugely enjoyable event,
was a project called Super Women of Science
with Electric Voice Theatre.
Pupils of all ages used our scientific data
and activities about the materials used
in the Engine Shed, to create and inspire, music and song.
And it all culminated with a performance
here in the Engine Shed entitled,
Echoes from the Engine Shed.
- So our team delivers a really broad programme
of conservation, related to activities and events.
We do that at the Engine Shed,
and across Scotland overall.
We focus on things like a schools' programme, a holiday programme,
and loads of drop-in events
up and down the country, free of charge,
and looking at really creative ways
of getting people interested in conservation.
This is a space we've delivered
a wealth of educational sessions
with young people across Scotland. We've worked with over 5,000 pupils,
and total learning hours of over 13,000 hours.
So it's been a fantastic base for us
to allow young people to come along
and see what we do in conservation
and learn more about traditional skills and materials.
I think some of my highlights came from helping to deliver,
and develop our master builders programme.
That's where we worked with young people and families
on a weekend giving an informal opportunity
to try a traditional skill or material.
We've had people in, for example, traditional sign writers,
or craft specialists who specialise in wood.
And we've really given young people
really hands-on, practical, fun drop-in sessions for free,
and that's something that we're
really proud of at The Engine Shed.
So a lot of the work we do here at The Engine Shed
is backed up by an amazing team of volunteers,
who give up their time to help us
in everything that we do.
Volunteers have contributed close to 4,000 hours of their time, and we're really grateful,
we really couldn't have done it without them.
- The Digital Innovation and Digital Documentation Team
work to document our sites in 3D
using cutting edge technologies.
We then use that data in new and innovative ways.
This can range from conservation,
heritage management, and learning and innovation.
Our team's main project is something called The Rae Project,
in which we are endeavouring to digitally document
all 336 of our properties in care,
and the objects that they house,
which is a huge undertaking.
We're using everything from terrestrial laser scanning,
UAV photogrammetry, and structured light scanning,
to scan sites like Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle,
as well as the tiniest coin and pin
and everything in between.
We also engage in applied research
with universities and other academic partners,
with tangible benefits to heritage.
We're also constantly adding
to a curation of objects and sites
on a site called Sketchfab,
in which you can manipulate and interact with models,
online and at your home.
One of the major highlights for me
since the Engine Shed opened
has definitely gotta be the 2018 conference, DigiDoc,
which took place here at the Engine Shed,
which was an incredible week-long
conference and festival celebrating digital innovation
from leading experts across the world,
coming to the Engine Shed to share their work.
- Our team is engaged in various training activities
and delivery throughout Scotland
for both Historic Environment Scotland,
and also for the private sector within Scotland.
We run two training centres,
one in Elgin and one in Stirling,
which deliver the full suite
of SQA stone masonry qualifications.
Where we bring in apprentices
from Historic Environment Scotland's estate,
and also bring them in from private contractors
and other organisations throughout Scotland,
to learn the trade of stone masonry.
Also we run other training programmes,
one which has been very successful
over the last couple years
was our Intern and Craft Fellowship Project.
So we have interns based with Historic Environment Scotland
so for an example, we have digital 3D surveying,
we also have a science team with their civil engineers
based for a year with each one of these teams,
and we have about 12 each year.
The Craft Fellows is an external programme
where we have people based with organisations or companies
in the private sector, who are working in niche craft areas.
So for example, we've done whole building,
one we do at present is on the restoration
of the Maid of the Loch, up in Loch Lomond,
which is one of the last inland steamships
left in the world.
I was involved with Engine Shed from it's conception,
and actually worked as a clerk of works on the Engine Shed
when it was being constructed as well.
So I've got a lot of links to the Engine Shed.
In the wider picture for our team,
the Engine Shed is now a fully accredited
SQA delivery centre,
and with our centres in Stirling and in Elgin,
we work very closely with The Engine Shed,
and it's good to have the team
interacting with all the other teams
that are involved with The Engine Shed,
and it's brought the Training and Education team a lot closer together
so we can concentrate on the delivery
of good quality training.
Last September here at the Engine Shed
we had an international craft fair symposium,
which was working with
International Preservation Trades Network
from the United States.
So we had here 30 different crafts people demonstrating
in the square in front of Engine Shed here,
and using the Engine Shed building.
The event was predominantly for crafts people
to come and see the crafts people working.
But we opened up that to the public
on the Saturday morning,
we had over six, seven hundred people coming,
just to have a look at what people are doing.
So again we'll be highlighting the crafts
that we're doing here in Scotland,
but also looking at the wider picture.
- I always find content quite a difficult thing
to describe to be honest,
because there's so much that goes into it,
but fundamentally we are storytellers
about buildings and structures and landscapes,
and all the conservation that goes into them.
And we create an experience for our audiences,
so typically this'll involve creating exhibitions
films, social media, blogs, interactive interpretation,
cause there's so much in it,
it's a very varied job.
So we're currently in a corner
dedicated to our technical publications
at The Engine Shed.
These publications are researched and written
by experts in all elements of building conservation,
and they're free for the public to access.
So unfortunately you can't get access to any
of the lovely wee reading corners
we have in the Engine Shed,
but you can download all the technical guidance online.
We don't believe there should be any obstacles
to you accessing this information.
So I can't quite believe we've done around
23 exhibitions at the Engine Shed
since we've opened in the summer of 2017.
Our exhibitions will include the ones
that we curate ourselves,
as well as exhibitions that we work with,
with the community, the local community groups.
They cover any and all aspects of traditional buildings
and building conservation,
including topics like Scotland's geology,
or important figures such as James Watt,
or Alexander Greek Thompson,
or even specific types of structures
like an exhibition on traditional shop fronts in Scotland.
So my favourite exhibition is one
that's actually in place just now,
called Arts and Crafts Women.
It's an exhibition that,
not only is it beautifully designed,
but it covers some important figures,
some of the most important factors in the arts and crafts
movement in Scotland who happen to be women,
and to happen to continue to have an impact today.
So thanks for watching our virtual tour of The Engine Shed.
Although we can't welcome you right now,
don't forget that we'd love to hear from you
on social media, where you can explore our online resources.
And we really hope that we can welcome you back here soon.
(upbeat music)