Project Focus:
Irvine Auditorium, University of Pennsylvania:
Philadelphia, PA
Finishes Conservation, Specifications Consultation,
Construction Supervision

Vibrant, decorative finishes characterize the vaulted interior of Horace Trumbauer's 1926 Irvine Auditorium at the University of Pennsylvania.  Through the years, Irvine hosted countless concerts and dramatic performances before falling into disrepair and out of useful service.  The restoration of this magnificent space to its historic grandeur is part of the University of Pennsylvania's long-term program for the Perleman Quadrangle.

Artists originally used casein paints applied in templated and free-hand patterns both for plaster wall surfaces and Celotex ceiling panels.  Noted for their hardness, brittleness and deep colors, these finishes originally provided rich, saturated tones to bring the unique decorative patterns alive.  Prior to their restoration, many of the decorative finishes had deteriorated due to water infiltration, detachment, abrasion and inappropriate re-painting materials. 

As consultants to Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates, Noble Preservation undertook an exhaustive study to characterize historic finishes and to diagnose problems with those finishes and their substrates.  On-site investigation and laboratory evaluation established that a multi-faceted treatment program was necessary to stabilize delaminating finishes, resaturate intact existing finishes and repair areas where finishes had been lost or over-painted.  Our office wrote specifications for conserving and restoring original finishes, and then worked with VSBA during construction to ensure that appropriate color, texture and sheen matches were obtained for all work.

Modern casein paints are readily available from a number of manufactures, but their use is complicated by extended drying times, poor adhesion and subjectivity to biological growth.   After a series of mock-ups completed prior to construction, the project team decided to modify modern casein paints with acrylic additives to enhance the adhesion and durability of the restored finishes without compromising the low sheen or richness of color of the historic finishes.

Additionally, our office also established programs and specifications for the restoration of original lighting, marble and brass appointments, fine woodwork and masonry. 

We assisted VSBA  during construction by assessing mock-ups which successfully re-created lost and badly-damaged patterns.

The restored finish scheme retained intact finishes where possible and re-created elements where they had been lost.