In years to come people will want to know how the built environment evolved, and architectural documents could be an extremely valuable part of their research.
Storage
Where space is not an issue, storing original documents may be a realistic option, however, most practices, will at some time, no longer be able to do so and other, more compact, methods will become necessary. Where documents are to be stored in other than original form, it is important to establish that the proposed method of storage is acceptable to authorities and others, should you ever be required to produce the records.
Digital data
Both written documents and CAD-generated drawings are ideally stored in digital format. Other documents can often be scanned to produce a computer image for storage purposes. It is, however, critical to remember that, where computer-based storage is proposed, not only must you store the digital data in an appropriate way but that, many years from now, you may require access to the hardware and software needed to retrieve it. See related note Electronic document management.
Off-site storage
One solution is to give your old hard-copy documents to an institution, for example, a state museum or archives. The Mitchell Library of NSW, for example, has an active program for accepting and storing the archives of well-known architects for future research purposes.
However, the institution has to be willing to accept your documents in the first place, and more importantly, must have the facilities and money to properly catalogue and conserve the records so that they are accessible for research. This is a very expensive undertaking for the institution – staff and time are needed to do the work and most institutions that are fortunate enough to have the services of a qualified paper-conservator already have a backlog of documents in need of urgent conservation treatment. You can help by organising the documents yourself and by conserving your documents so that they are in good condition for handover.
Many architectural practices however, feel responsible for keeping their own records. There may be concerns about confidentiality between architect and client, and a consequent problem of access if the records are housed elsewhere. Security may also be an issue if the designs of buildings such as banks are housed in an institution. In these situations, caution is needed and the client must be kept informed of all potential actions. It is often possible to overcome these concerns, for example by placing a time barrier on access to the records (permitting access only after some years have elapsed, as is commonly done with government papers) or requiring written client permission for access, as is usual with local-government building plans. Such matters should be discussed with your clients and formal permission obtained before documents are handed over.
Another solution is to return some or all of the records to the client for safekeeping. Again there are privacy considerations involved, particularly your own, but some clients may find it valuable to have a good record of their project, particularly where the staff involved in the building project are no longer there. Contacting clients after say seven years and offering them the documents may also provide an opportunity to re-establish contact and lead to future work. Alternatively, it may prove possible to involve the client in the handing over of the documents to an institution for safekeeping.
Conservation
What records should be kept?
Architectural projects today generate significantly more documents than they did in decades past. It is instructive to compare building approval drawings from the 19th century with those of today, and reflect on the amount of information considered necessary to give to authorities and contractors.
Contract and administration documents give the historian evidence of the materials and building technology of their time, plus information for researchers on the particular contractor and their work. They are particularly useful for those looking to understand the original construction when the time comes to repair or alter a building, especially when innovative or unusual construction techniques or materials have been used. Correspondence files provide insights into the reasons for design decisions and the personalities of those involved, while design documents provide another valuable resource which indicates the design philosophy and problem solving ability of the architect responsible for the works. All of these records may be of value.
When a project comes to an end, it is common to simply gather up all the hard-copy drawings, files and other records that have accumulated throughout the job and box them up for archiving. This saves time but may be expensive in terms of storage space. It is worth revisiting your archives after say 10 years, when likelihood of litigation has hopefully receded. With hindsight it should then be possible to cull the documents and reduce them to a manageable quantity for permanent storage. This requires resources, particularly senior staff time, and may prove difficult in a larger practice if the key staff responsible for the project have moved on.
Guidelines for retention of architectural records
It is difficult to set down a precise list of guidelines as one cannot envision the needs of future generations of researchers. Some guidance may be provided by the governing principle in selecting and preserving business records for historical purposes, which is to choose material that will yield accurate and reasonably complete information about every phase of the business. This principle can also be applied to architectural records. As well as preserving drawings, it is equally important to preserve correspondence, reports, contracts, photographs, specifications, etc.
In selection, one should obviously keep records of buildings that are designed by an architect of note, buildings that have received awards, buildings that show a distinctive style of architecture, and drawings that show a good drafting style and changing methods of drafting.
Handling of hard-copy records
Paper-based records need to be handled with care to retain them in the best possible condition. The temperature of the room in which they are stored should remain constant, as heat and dampness cause brittling of records and the growth of fungus and staining associated with mildew.
To minimise the danger of fire, records should be kept in fireproof metal cabinets.
Many old architectural records are disintegrating because they are on or in contact with acid paper or cardboard. To prevent this breakdown, a process of de-acidification needs to be carried out. As this is quite complicated, the advice of a qualified paper conservator would need to be obtained. An intermediate result can be achieved by filing the records between acid free card or paper.
Documents should never be repaired with adhesive tape as this causes long term breakdown of the paper fabric, due to the fact that most tapes are rubber based and this breaks down with age, causing staining.
The best place for storage is in a metal filing cabinet which provides protection from light, dampness and fire and allows the documents to be kept flat with minimal or no folds. To enable drawings to be handled without damaging them, the ideal solution is to make up a transparent envelope for each one, using a product such as Mylar and a double-sided 3M tape. Mylar is a clear plastic film – acid free and very durable. The use of such a product means drawings and other documents can be easily referred to without removing them from their envelopes.
If the architect does not wish to go to the expense of metal filing cabinets and a product such as Mylar, a pragmatic method of storage would be to interleave the drawings between sheets of acid free paper. One that is readily available would be university drawing paper (neutral pH, wood-free finish). The drawings could then be stored in boxes made of acid-free cardboard.
An accurate record of all contract and design documents is important for accessibility. There are many ways of cataloguing and it is a matter of finding a system to suit the requirements of the architect's office. Documents could be classified under building type, but also provide information on the architect, type of records held (for example, design drawings, landscape, plan, perspectives) date of contract records, contractor, owner and any other relevant information.
Electronic records
Most documents now produced in architects' offices are digitally created and stored, sometimes without ever being transferred to paper (such as photographs). As well as archiving such documents in the most durable possible electronic medium, it may be worth considering making hard copies of key records on to good quality paper for permanent storage.
Conclusion
Architects have an obligation to future generations to preserve records which will, in years to come, become part of our heritage. The decision has to be made by the architect as to which documents are to be kept, in what form, how they are to be stored, and by whom.
Disclaimer
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