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Highlights in this issue

The Victoria and Albert Museum, Royal College of Art Building Project

Peter Lyon, Architect, Austin-Smith:Lord

Austin-Smith:Lord were commissioned in 1992 to prepare designs for the conversion of the Royal College of Art Building following a recent masterplan by Michael Hopkins and a number of feasibility studies.

Textile Conservation Studio

Lynda Hillyer, Head of Textile Conservation, Conservation Department

Until December of last year, Textile Conservation occupied three separate sites. The main studio was situated at the top of the lecture theatre stairs and had been used for some form of conservation activity since 1909. For many years it was known as the Art Workroom and a curious combination of sculpture and textile repair was carried out side by side.

The Michael Snow Laboratory

Graham Martin, Head of Science Group, Conservation Department

The name of the laboratory may be unfamiliar to you. It is dedicated to the memory of Michael Snow (1932-1990) in appreciation of his selfless support which enabled the Museum to start the reconstruction of the Research and Conservation of Art centre.

Book Conservation Studio

Helen Shenton, Head of Paper and Book Group, Conservation Department

When the Book Conservation Section moved into the new studio on the top floor of the RCA block in December 1995, it converged from four separate workshops, up to two miles apart. Since 1962, the main workshop with most of the equipment had been in a basement with no natural light, next to the Printing section.