In 2019, the twentieth Anniversary of the AABC, our annual conference will be held in Coventry. As well as a day of interesting lectures and tours, the day will be a celebration of the AABC, the individuals on the register and all they have contributed to the protection of the historic built environment.

Whilst our ambition to protect the historic built environment endures, the methods by which we work and the technical aids available to us has, in many ways, dramatically changed in the relatively short period the AABC has been operating. In addition to this the buildings we choose to conserve and the materials we are commonly encountering is a constantly moving feat.

Our venue for the day will be Coventry Cathedral. The Cathedral sits alongside the Parish Church Cathedral of St Michael which was devastated by bombing in 1940. The old Cathedral was left as a ruin following the bombing to a be a lasting reminder of the devastation of war. With this decision a new Cathedral was needed and was designed by Sir Basil Spence and completed in 1962 following a six-year build. What resulted was one of the most iconic twentieth century ecclesiastical buildings.

The 2019 conference will focus on post war architecture and current conservation techniques. During the morning a series of lectures will be delivered in the nave of the Cathedral. The afternoon will be spent on professional led tours. We will also be incorporating demonstrations of conservation techniques and ways of working / documenting information. A final list of speakers and tour leaders will be announced shortly.

A celebratory glass of fizz and 20th anniversary cake will mark the end of the conference.

As it is our twentieth year we are offering a reduced fee of £20 to all attendees – do book early to avoid disappointment and we look forward to seeing you all in October.