The Stabilization of Mission Concepcion's Masonry Dome

APT Texas is pleased to have Anna Nau, PhD, APT Texas Regional Director and Senior Associate & Architectural Conservator with Ford, Powell & Carson Architects and Planners, Inc. present "The Stabilization of Mission Concepcion's Masonry Dome" via online Zoom lecture on October 28.

The dome of the mid-eighteenth-century church of Mission Concepcion, part of the San Antonio Missions UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the oldest, unreconstructed masonry dome in the United States. In 2017, moisture damage and cracking at the exterior plaster of the dome led to a year long structural monitoring program, followed by more detailed non-destructive evaluation and analysis that indicated the need for immediate structural intervention. Beginning in January 2020, under the direction of Ford, Powell & Carson Architects and Sparks Engineering, the dome underwent a complex stabilization and repair project. This talk will provide an overview of the stabilization treatment approach, the masonry and plaster repair methods employed, and the challenges and lessons learned during this unique project.