DOUGLAS ANNAND, DALTON BUILDING STAIRWELL MOSAIC 1958

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The Dalton Building stairwell on the University of New South Wales’s (UNSW) Kensington campus is home to a multi-floor level wall mosaic installation by Douglas Annand. The mosaic wall dates from 1958 and comprises of a combination of moulded and smalti tiles. O’Sullivan Conservation was contracted to condition assess the mosaic wall and perform required conservation works.

Given the overall size of the mosaic and the need to maintain pedestrian access through the space, works were conducted from a combination of mobile and fixed scaffolding and an elevated work platform (EWP), working closely with the UNSW facilities management team and building occupants. After an extensive condition assessment, the following treatment plan was implemented for the mosaic:

• Compromised mosaic tiles and adhoc later replacements were marked out for removal, along with redundant fixtures, fittings, overpaint and adhesive residues.
• Selected tiles, fixtures, and fittings were carefully removed, with the fixtures and fittings returned to building administration.
• Removed areas of overpaint and adhesive residue through mechanical and solvent cleaning methods
• The entire wall mosaic was hand cleaned with water, non-ionic surfactant, and microfibre pads, then rinsed and dry buffed.
• Carefully matched replacement tiles were sourced, set, and grouted. Cracks and smaller areas of loss were infilled, inpainted, and sealed.
• The entire mosaic was given a final overall clean.

In addition to a conservation treatment report, OSC provided a conservation schedule for future cleaning and maintenance works.

Additional information about the artwork and UNSW’s Public Art Collection can be found on the UNSW Public Art on Campus page:

https://www.estate.unsw.edu.au/developments/unsw-public-art-campus