Reframing Social Value in 20th-Century Conservation

The refurbishment of Modernist buildings while retaining the values of the original design, particularly in relation to social ideals, is a challenge in an era of late-capitalism. Aoibheann Ní Mhearáin and Tara Kennedy, both architects and academics, present an analysis of the research conducted with Queen's University Belfast and John McLaughlin Architects on St Brendan's Community School in Birr, Ireland. Funded by a Getty Foundation ‘Keeping It Modern’ grant, the research explored how to conserve and retain Modernist buildings while respecting the social aspirations of the original design.