Specializations

Heritage Consultant

Working closely with architects, preservationists and heritage building management, we rely on a hybrid of modern and generations-old skills in analyzing, assessing and diagnosing the source of plaster problems relevant to strategic proposals. As plaster consultants we focus our expertise on historic landmarks, monuments, heritage buildings and properties, while drawing on our experience with conservators and preservationists from all over the world. Our European roots and knowledge of ancient techniques have proven invaluable in informing our council, as has our access to an extensive array of cutting edge technologies and products. Our craft is one of the oldest of the building restoration trades; we are passionate about protecting and preserving cultural heritage and this comes across in our approach. Our advice can cover procedure and applications required for protection of architectural character and integrity, sustainability of design, longevity and stability of fabric and ethos in ornamentation, always ensuring inconspicuous results. We also conduct feasibility studies and economic appraisals. The founder of Iconoplast, an art historian versed in the evolution of plaster work, has lectured widely and offers his know-how with regards to any planned interventions and project management in order to meet your exact standards. 

Plaster Diagnoses

Inept plaster techniques or failed attempts at restoration lead to infirm, unstable, unsound, rickety or unsafe plaster and materials. Drawing on almost five decades of experience, Jean-Francois brings an incisive and unfailing eye to his work as diagnostician, identifying quickly and expertly the root of the problem and what is needed to address it. The timing of an intervention is critical to avoiding the point of no return, and his skill allows him to predict the precise strategy required to ensure this. Technical prowess and a thorough analysis provide insight and well-defined solutions while paving the means for a sustainable, finished product that will endure for many generations to come. 

Plaster Repair

Plaster problems can occur for any number of reasons, the most common being incompetent technique employed by substandard laborers in the initial application. Failed restoration attempts are another. The lack of proper training in the field can be traced to the fact that few skilled craftsmen are left to pass on their knowledge. The plaster industry has suffered as a result, driving prices and quality down as the public is misled about the merit of this traditional craft. Plaster failure can involve breakage, cracking, water damage, desiccation or complete collapse, and many are paying the price for faulty craftsmanship. Safety demands proper analysis, assessment and diagnoses in order to repair the damage at hand. Integrity of the original fabric is also a concern when consolidating or rectifying problems. To prevent further loss and stabilize the materials, expert technique is required.

Custom Fabrication

Custom fabrication, otherwise known as custom design, requires technical expertise and artistic understanding on commission. Whether the job at hand be decorative plasterwork or restorative architectural projects, we customize our work to any specifications.

All we need to begin is a picture; from there, we develop the concept, do the shop drawings and complete the realization, working in close collaboration with our clients. Our restoration work in theatres often starts with nothing more than plaster shards or an old photo. We visualize a project at its cessation and, drawing from architectural components from every era in design history, construct a result to meet your exact standards. Whether you want Egyptian or Art Nouveau or Art Deco, we manufacture our elements in various materials including plaster, fiberglass reinforced gypsum cement, exterior “forton” GFRC and molded stone. We also work with all types of plaster and compositions, undertaking faux finishes, gilding and patina to give the fabric a more traditional aesthetic.