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Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House
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    From the blog

    A citrus facelift for a nationally significant building

    2 minute read

    Tue 3 May 2011 by
    Kate Armstrong
    • building
    • heritage

    In March the front of the Old Parliament House building was lit up for the Enlighten Festival. It was spectacular. This week the artwork continues but this time on the rear facade. We are restoring the colour and texture of the facade to the original vision of the architect of Provisional Parliament House, John Smith Murdoch. The project will be done in three steps – removal of non-breathable paint, restoration of the render and repainting.

    From the 1920s to the 1970s breathable paint was applied to the render in accordance with John Smith Murdoch’s design and intention. However, in the 1970s and 1980s non-breathable oil-based and acrylic paints were applied resulting in moisture being trapped in the render which has cracked and ‘popped’. The first step in this project is to remove this paint to establish a suitable surface for the fresh paint. The product used to remove the paint is non-toxic, paper-based, very effective and smells pleasantly of citrus. While it is doing its work it is swathed in thin plastic to prevent the paper-based product from drying out too quickly.

    Once the old paint is removed the next step is to restore the render where it is cracked and delaminating from the brick walls; a very specialised job on a large, nationally significant building in the Stripped Classical style complete with soffits, piers, balustrades, terraces and access bridges. Finally, the whole will be repainted with fresh, white breathable paint.

    As any DIY enthusiast will tell you a good quality job is all about preparation, preparation, preparation and all the detailed and laborious effort put into this project will pay off with a facade worthy of the vision of John Smith Murdoch.

    Related link

    • View more images of this project at our Flickrstream

    2 minute read

    Tue 3 May 2011 by
    Kate Armstrong
    • building
    • heritage
    The extent of the paint removal task is evident in this shot of the rear facade.

    The extent of the paint removal task is evident in this shot of the rear facade.

    • Render 2 4e66db134d33d
    • Render 3 4e66db5826b88
    • Render 4 4e66db7b89055
    • Render 5 4e66db90d5272

    Kate Armstrong works in content development, interpretation and collection management at the Museum of Australian Democracy.

    Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House

    18 King George Terrace, Parkes, ACT 2600, Australia

    PO Box 3934
    Manuka ACT 2603

    9am to 5pm daily 
    Closed Christmas Day

    ABN: 30 620 774 963

    Telephone: 02 6270 8222

    Enquiries:
    info@moadoph.gov.au

    Please note: video surveillance is used 24 hours a day around and throughout the building and may be used for research purposes

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