iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Darren McLean

German Embassy London @uk.diplo.de · 03/10/2026

"This morning, Germany is one nation again." This is how BBC Breakfast News reported on German reunification on 3 October 1990.

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 20h

The Terrazzo at the 1920s Blackpool Winter Garden was quite wild

A 1930s colour photo of a colourful terrazzo floor, probably a dance floor

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Matthew Cook @matthew-cook.bsky.social · 22h

I live in a modern looking neighborhood in Rotterdam built in the 1930s. Most of the flats have been replastered but they were originally reeds with plaster reinforced with horsehair. You see it in skips quite often when people are renovating.

A skip full of building waste in front of a block of modern(ish) looking appartements. The skip itself is full of old plaster and water reeds

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Lady Topham Catt @ladytophamcatt.bsky.social · 22h

glad to see there was improvement between the 20s & 30s

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The Dalai Farmer @grovedigger.bsky.social · 23h

The building conservation course I ran at CONTED was all about the materiality and systems of the buildings. Before we taught anything about architectural styles we taught about geology, landform, and cropping to understand what they were made of and why

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 23h

Some 1930s US insulated plywood Ikea style houses

Workers demonstrating the two story plus attic house assembly

A completed portion of the house for demonstration purposes

The patent design showing the components

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

In our building conservation classes, I find the best way to start is to explain how old building were put together. Why? Well, only about 25% of students have even heard of Lath and Plaster.

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

To be fair, it's quite common to see appallingly bad art, that for some reason (fear?) was accepted into grand surroundings. Now, at least the painting was done with a paintbrush, and not tracing over a photo with a ballpoint pen onto thin sheetmetal.

embossed sheetmetal art, with Elon looking like a Wolverine after a facelift

metal art of RFK looking like Beetlejuice. So bad that a google image search results provided artistic interpretations of Nelson Mandella, Bob Hope and Tom Hanks.

A large religious painting of questionable skill executed in 1984.

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

The heading could refer to anyone in the photo, but it's actually the brand of the table saw

Four carpenters on a construction site, two of whom are standing near circular saw part

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Presently preparing a reference book for some new students, not from a construction background. Drawings like #1 are excellent at conveying information, simply.

An oblique view of a stone vaulted ceiling of Westminster Abbey with timber roof structure above

An oblique view of a stone vaulted ceiling of Westminster Abbey c1510.

The decorative stone ceiling as seen from below

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Early 1900s humour hit differently.

A cartoon of two bricklayers on a scaffold with a man approaching at ground level.

First Workman to second ditto: "'Ullo, 'ere's the Architect a-coming.
Let's 'eave a brick at 'im."

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Iona Fyfe @ionafyfe.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Unexpected car bill of £547.20. Streaming royalties paid in Sep was £79.93 for 70k streams. Today is #BandcampFriday. If 50 folks downloaded an album, signed on to my Scots language workshop, or bought a cute Scots greetings card. I can pay that credit card car bill ♥️ → ionafyfe.bandcamp.com/merch

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Dr Sophie Michell @sophiemhistory.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Last call for this. It is tonight. Despite its jaunty aspect, I promise to be absolutely diabolically MISERABLE for a full 45 minutes.

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Presently preparing a reference book for some new students, not from a construction background. Drawings like #1 are excellent at conveying information, simply.

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Reposted by Darren McLean

Celine Camps @celinecamps.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Need I say more ❤️ #MedievalSky #EarlyModern 🗃️

A medieval, 15th century timber-framed house in Oxford

Side view of a medieval, 15th century timber-framed house in Oxford

Close up of the upper windows and roof of a 15th century timer-framed house in Oxford

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Bibliotheca Hertziana – Max Planck Institute for Art History @bhmpi.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

📢 Job Opportunity: Editorial Assistant Publications & Communication (full-time, 40 hrs/week) 📍 Rome, Italy ⏳ Application deadline: 1 November 2026 🔗 Read the full job listing here: www.biblhertz.it/en/opportuni...

biblhertz.it

Opportunities

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millyallen.bsky.social @millyallen.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

To today evaluating some historic plasterwork c.1870, with a mix of floral motifs, including 3D elements 😍 busy week already #buildingsarchaeology #archaeologist #plaster #historicbuildings

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Worse views from a train window are available

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

The heading could refer to anyone in the photo, but it's actually the brand of the table saw

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

The turn of the century text styles can be great. This very cool, on a slightly unhappy building

At gable log name of the South Gippsland Creamery and Butter Factory Company 1891

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

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Danielle Terrazas Williams @drdanielletw.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Job Opportunity! Johns Hopkins University - Krieger School of Arts & Sciences - Medieval European and/or Mediterranean History (400 - 1500) networks.h-net.org/jobs/70412/j...

networks.h-net.org

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

In our building conservation classes, I find the best way to start is to explain how old building were put together. Why? Well, only about 25% of students have even heard of Lath and Plaster.

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Reposted by Darren McLean

Victorian Turkish Baths @victurk.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

#onthisday, 20 September 1909, #Carlisle quietly opened #TurkishBaths in James St. Victorian-designed by City Surveyor Percy Dalton—later erected by local builder Wm Johnstone. It's now Grade II Listed. www.victorianturkishbath.org/_6DIRECTORY/… Closed 2022, but active campaign to reopen. 🗃️ #C19th

Early photograph of the changing cubicles and plunge bath in the cooling-room

Detail of the wonderful glazed faïence corbels and tilework

Plan of the three hot rooms, and the shampooing room with its needle douche

From Twitter page of the campaigning group, Friends of Carlisle Victorian & Turkish Baths. Please do visit the page (and one of the organised visits to the baths) and please support the Friends. The baths may have been quietly opened, but when they are re-opened it will be much much louder!

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

My 83 yo mother who is neither American, nor ever lived in the US swore like a sailor yesterday when I told her that the center may well be demolished. She described being in the kitchen washing dishes when the assassination was announced on the radio. That it was like being punched in the chest.

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Plastic! It's the future, apparently. Another short lived fad. 1950s

An advert for plastic tiles as an alternative to ceramic

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Mary Pickford had a 'studio home' consisting of a living room, dining room, kitchen, business office, dressing room and wardrobe room. Douglas Fairbanks had a small pool, in a green tiled room

Mary Pickford's Studio house. Mary is sitting on a chair in the garden

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

This 6 room house isn't actually a 'house'. It was Rudolph Valentino's wishing paramount studios. The lighting allowed him to test his makeup before leaving to go on set. But, in fairness, this wasn't the best they had on offer

Two images in one. A small, 6 room cottage and what appears to be a dressing room

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

A chapel turret design in stone, with metal fixings, both as cramps and as bolts. 1858

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Lots of laypeople (and many modern bricklayers) might think this is badly done. It’s the back of a church with reused Gothic and Roman stonework. The repair is probs 300-500 years old and perfectly fine.

The wall of an old building. The render/stucco has eroded away exposing masonry of mixed soft fired clay bricks and random round stones

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

The Survivor Bias of door knockers and other things

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Jump in losers!! We’re gonna jump into a rental micro car aimed at tourists more familiar with an SUV and be terrified by Italian traffic.

A tiny two seater electric car for rent in Bologna. Noleggiami = for rent

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Hang on, I’ll just pop it in the dryer!

A large gas heated clothes dryer from the 1920s

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

I found this in the garden today. The mother-in-law says it’s highly toxic, but I think she’s overreacting. Anyway, I’m too busy making risotto for tomorrow’s annual street party.

Some beats of slightly mashed fungi. Looking slimy and green

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

That's a lot of people. More than some folk get at their birthday bash!

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

There's a certain type of 'Merican (on the Hellsite thankfully) who bang on about US vs Euro income. I assume they don't travel much, or they'd understand how cheaper it is to live in the US vs Europe Our pals from Cali often comment on the lower cost of living in Italy. eg this was 93€ US$106/£79

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Medieval wall decorations were more colourful than Hollywood would like (or are too lazy to learn about)

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Smart 1850s balusters (railings)

A drawing of three different decorative stair balusters

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

The trompe l'oeil of Gavi.

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

My in-laws’ bathroom tiles have been there so long they’ve become fashionable again.

Part of a bathroom wall with small square green tiles

A close-up of the tiles showing a brown border contrasting with the green colour. And poorly applied mortar has fallen away but that’s beside the point.

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Some full on Italian (Genovese) interior pargetting

A richly decorated ceiling of decorative shapes putti, animals and people

A richly decorated ceiling of decorative shapes putti, fruit, animals and people

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

This late medieval building shows the resilience and longevity of *historic* brickwork. There have been some major repairs done here, not least of which is the vertical section, now mostly header bond.

A large five story brick building. There are many variations in colour, which reflect generations of repairs

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

The first person to say "Window Tax" or "Daylight robbery" loses.

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

"Of defects in buildings resulting from professors of architecture practising before they have acquired sufficient knowledge." Chapter introduction An Architect 1873

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Theodore Roosevelt's Birthplace To Be Reproduced 1920

Contracts Awarded to Remodel Structures of Americansm
THE designing and planning of Roosevelt House involved the solution of unusual architectural problems. In the first place, the living room floor and first bedroom floor of No. 28, which was Colonel Roosevelt's birthplace, were to be reproduced. The adjoining property at No. 26 was to be used as an extension to the birthplace and was designed to house certain educational activities. The property, which has a frontage of SO feet and a depth of 92 feet, was thus divided into two sections, each 25 feet wide and running the full depth of the lot.
The problem was further complicated by the need of an auditorium which, in order to provide adequate seating capacity, must cover the entire width of the property. In order to make the restoration as accurate as possible, it was also necessary for Theodore Pope, the architect selected by the Women's Roosevelt Memorial Association, to use the former hall closet at the end of the living room floor hall and a bathroom on the floor above as an elevator shaft.

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Darren McLean @darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Clean Terra cotta is as good as new Terra cotta 1920s

A Clean Building
We clean masonry of every type.
clean building will sell or rent as well as a new building.
it is a new building, for In appearance cleaning restores the original freshness of color. Estimates for cleaning-and pointing, if desired-submitted on request.
Atlantic Terra Cotta Co.
Cleaning Department
1170 Broadway, New York

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