Professor Oriel Prizeman
(she/her)

MA (Cantab) AADip PhD (Cantab)

: Available for postgraduate supervision

Teams and roles for Oriel Prizeman

Professor of Sustainable Building Conservation
Welsh School of Architecture

My background was in private practice and this experience informed the framing of the MSc in Sustainable Building Conservation which I launched at Cardiff University in 2013. I have an eagerness to develop digital tools for conservation that can better mediate the complexities of addressing differing or even conflicting interests. I am a board member of the AABC (Architects Accredited in Building Conservation), an expert member of CIPA and have previously been a board member of the US based Association for Preservation Technology.

Responsibilities

I am director of the Centre for Sustainable Building Conservation and programme lead for the MSc Sustainable Building Conservation .

I am Co-I on the £1m AHRC Research Infrastructure project: PERFFORM: Protecting our built heritage and collections led by Dr Nicola Emmerson. I was Principal Investigator for ESRC/IRC funded project Harbourview. and for the AHRC funded project: Shelf Life: Re-imagining the Future of Carnegie Public Libraries

I was Co-Investigator for Professor Adam Hardy’s AHRC funded projects: Tamil Temple Towns; Conservation and Contestation.and The historic city of Ajmer-Pushkar: mapping layers of history, use and meaning for sustainable planning and conservation

Date
Type

2024

Shotton, E. and Prizeman, O. eds. 2024. Documenting maritime heritage at risk: Digital tools, communities, and institutions. Routledge. (10.4324/9781003385097)

2023

Whitman, C. J., Maddalena, R., Prizeman, O., Walker, P., McCaig, I., Williams, J. and Gervis, N. 2023. Hygrothermal monitoring of replacement infill panels for historic timber-frame buildings: next steps. Presented at: 2nd International Conference on Moisture in Buildings 2023 (ICMB23), London, 3-4 July 2023Proceedings 2nd International Conference on Moisture in Buildings 2023 (ICMB23). ScienceOpen, (10.14293/ICMB230013)
Prizeman, O., Davis, J. and Tam, L. 2023. Digitisation of retreating industrial heritage; modelling the decommissioning of the coal washeries of Onllwyn. The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences XLVIII(M 2), pp. 1251-1260. (10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVIII-M-2-2023-1251-2023)
Tam, L., Davis, J. and Prizeman, O. 2023. The making and remaking of the Onllwyn industrial landscape - Change as an opportunity for resilience. Presented at: ICOMOS GA2023 - Historic Urban Contexts & Industrial Heritage: Case Studies in Resilience, Sydney, Australia, 31August - 9 September 2023.

2022

Whitman, C., Prizeman, O., Walker, P., Rhee-Duverne, S., McCaig, I. and Gervis, N. 2022. Replacement infill panels for historic timber-framed buildings: measured and simulated hygrothermal behaviour. Presented at: PLEA STGO 2022 Will Cities Survive? The future of sustainable buildings and urbanism in the age of emergency., Santiago de Chile, Chile, 22-25 November 2022PLEA STGO 2022 Will Cities Survive? The future of sustainable buildings and urbanism in the age of emergency. Book of Proceedings, Vol. 1. Santiago de Chile: PLEA pp. 454-459.
Shotton, E. and Prizeman, O. 2022. Harbourview: An Irish-Welsh networking initiative. Journal of European Landscapes 3(3), pp. 31-35. (10.5117/JEL.2022.3.87827)
Whitman, C. J., Prizeman, O., Walker, P., McCaig, I. and Rhee-Duverne, S. 2022. Hygrothermal monitoring of replacement infill panels for historic timber-frame buildings: initial findings. UCL Open: Environment 4 (10.14324/111.444/ucloe.000039)
Prizeman, O. 2022. The Carnegie libraries of Britain - A photographic chronicle. Cardiff: Welsh School of Architecture.
Prizeman, O. E. C. 2022. Horse and rider: Who will drive change in ethics and practices of globalised conservation on living heritage sites?. arq: Architectural Research Quarterly 26(1), pp. 91-104. (10.1017/S1359135522000033)
Prizeman, O. and Black, A. 2022. Post-industrial people's palaces: Brexit Britain's shared library interiors. ICOMOS
Prizeman, O., Boughanmi, M. and Pezzica, C. 2022. Carnegie libraries of Britain: Assets or liabilities? Managing altering agendas of energy efficiency for early 20th century heritage. Public Library Quarterly 41(1), pp. 43-82. (10.1080/01616846.2020.1826242)

2021

Black, A. and Prizeman, O. 2021. A re-assessment of the design of Carnegie public library buildings with a view to their future use: the case of Evanston Public Library, Illinois (1908). IFLA Journal 47(4), pp. 444-452. (10.1177/03400352211000383)
Murphy, M. et al. 2021. Shape grammar libraries of European classical architectural elements for historic BIM. Presented at: 28th CIPA Symposium “Great Learning & Digital Emotion”, Beijing, China, 28 Aug - 1 Sept 2021, Vol. XLVI-M. Vol. 1-2021. pp. 479-486., (10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVI-M-1-2021-479-2021)
Prizeman, O. E. C. and Barazzetti, L. 2021. Low-cost 3d acquisition of geometric data for living heritage: Attempting to record the Pudhu Mandapam, Madurai. Presented at: 28th CIPA Symposium “Great Learning & Digital Emotion”, Beijing, China, 28 Aug - 1 Sept 2021The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Vol. XLVI-M. pp. 555-562., (10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVI-M-1-2021-555-2021)
Black, A. and Prizeman, O. 2021. The design of the Carnegie library in Danville, Illinois (1904): re-reading the reputation of the Carnegie library built-form in America. Libraries: Culture, History, and Society 5(1), pp. 24-48. (10.5325/libraries.5.1.0024)
Whitman, C. J., Prizeman, O., Gwilliam, J., Shea, A. and Walker, P. 2021. Energy retrofit infill panels for historic timber-framed buildings in the UK: Physical test panel monitoring versus hygrothermal simulation. Architectural Science Review 64(1-2), pp. 5-16. (10.1080/00038628.2020.1719820)

2020

Prizeman, O. and Pezzica, C. 2020. Shelf Life: Re-imagining the future of Carnegie Public Libraries. [Online]. Cardiff: Cardiff University. Available at: https://carnegielibrariesofbritain.com/
Black, A. and Prizeman, O. 2020. Revisiting the Carnegie public library built form: the design and early history of three Illinois Carnegie library buildings. Library and Information History 36(2), pp. 89-115. (10.3366/lih.2020.0019)
Whitman, C., Prizeman, O., Gwilliam, J., Walker, P. and Shea, A. 2020. Energy retrofit of historic timber-frame buildings- hygrothermal monitoring of building fabric. Presented at: WTA-PRECOM³OS Conference Preventive Conservation, Leuven, Belgium, 3-5 April 2019 Presented at Vandesande, A., Verstrynge, E. and Van Balen, K. eds.Preventive Conservation - From Climate and Damage Monitoring to a Systemic and Integrated Approach Proceedings of the International WTA - PRECOM3OS Symposium, April 3-5, 2019, Leuven, Belgium. London: CRC Press / Balkema pp. 129-136., (10.1201/9781003004042-20)
Whitman, C., Prizeman, O., Walker, P. and Gwilliam, J. 2020. Heritage retrofit and cultural empathy; a discussion of challenges regarding the energy performance of historic UK timber-framed dwellings. International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation 28(2), pp. 286-404. (10.1108/IJBPA-02-2019-0023)
Prizeman, O., Pezzica, C., Taher, A. and Boughanmi, M. 2020. Networking historic environmental standards to address modern challenges for sustainable conservation in HBIM. Applied Sciences 10(4), article number: 1283. (10.3390/app10041283)
Whitman, C., Prizeman, O., Walker, P., McCaig, I. and Rhee-Duverne, S. 2020. Comparative testing of replacement infill materials for historic timber-framed buildings.. Presented at: Energy Efficiency in Historic Buildings (EEHB 2022), Benediktbeuernen, Germany, 4th-5th May 2022.

2019

Prizeman, O., Branfoot, C., Rao, K. and Hardy, A. 2019. Proposing digital models for the discussion of contested conservation practice: Case studies from Tamil Nadu, India. Presented at: 27th CIPA International Symposium “Documenting the past for a better future”, Avila, Spain, 1-5 Sept 2019ISPRS Annals of Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Vol. IV-2/W. Copernicus pp. 133-140., (10.5194/isprs-annals-IV-2-W6-133-2019)
Pezzica, C., Schroeter, J., Prizeman, O., Jones, C. and Rosin, P. 2019. Between images and built form: automating the recognition of standardised building components using deep learning. Presented at: 27th CIPA International Symposium “Documenting the past for a better future”, Avila, Spain, 1-5 September 2019ISPRS Ann. Photogramm. Remote Sens, Vol. IV-2. Copernicus pp. 123-132., (10.5194/isprs-annals-IV-2-W6-123-2019)
Prizeman, O. 2019. Asserting adequacy: The crescendo of voices to determine daylight provision for the modern world. In: Manfredi, C. ed. Addressing the Climate in Modern Age's Construction History. Springer Nature Switzerland AG: Springer International Publishing, pp. 171-190., (10.1007/978-3-030-04465-7)
Taher, A. K., Prizeman, O., Gomaa, B. and Lannon, S. 2019. Case study assessment for natural ventilation performance of heritage buildings in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria (Egypt). Presented at: 10th International Conference IAQVEC 2019: Indoor Air Quality, Ventilation and Energy Conservation in Buildings, Bari, Italy, 5-7 September 2019Materials Science and Engineering, Vol. 609. Vol. 32012. IOP pp. -., (10.1088/1757-899X/609/3/032012)

2018

Whitman, C., Prizeman, O., Gwilliam, J., Shea, A. and Walker, P. 2018. Physical monitoring of replacement infill panels for historic timber-framed buildings in the UK: Comparing hygrothermal simulations and dual climate chamber testing. Presented at: Passive and Low Energy Architecture (PLEA) 2018, Hong Kong, China, 10-12 December 2018 Presented at Ng, E., Fong, S. and Ren, C. eds.PLEA 2018: Smart and Healthy Within the Two-Degree Limit. Proceedings of the 34th International Conference on Passive and Low Energy Architecture, Vol. 1. Passive Low Energy Architecture Association pp. 129-132.
Prizeman, O., Jones, C., Parisi, M. and Pezzica, C. 2018. How can century-old architectural hierarchies for the design of public libraries be re-interpreted and re-used?. Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development 8(4), pp. 481-494. (10.1108/JCHMSD-08-2017-0051)
Mallia, R. M. and Prizeman, O. 2018. Energy Performance Certification: Is the software currently used in Malta suitable for the energy assessment of its historic buildings?. Presented at: 3rd International Conference on Energy Efficiency in Historic Buildings 2018, Visby, Sweden, 26-27 September 2018 Presented at Brostrom, T., Nilsen, L. and Carlsten, S. eds.Energy Efficiency in Historic Buildings. Uppsala: Uppsala University, Department of Art History pp. 264-273.
Whitman, C., Prizeman, O., Gwilliam, J. and Walker, P. 2018. The impact of modernization of a 16th century timber-framed farmhouse, Suffolk, UK. Presented at: Energy Efficiency in Historic Buildings (EEHB 2018), Visby, Sweden, 26-27 October 2018.
Wyatt, H. and Prizeman, O. 2018. Managing historic marine infrastructure: A conservators view.. In: Burgess, K. ed. Coasts, Marine Structures and Breakwaters 2017. ICE Coasts, Maritime Structures and Breakwaters London: Institution of Civil Engineers, pp. 535-541., (10.1680/cmsb.63174.0535)
Prizeman, O., Pezzica, C., Parisi, M. and Lorenz, C. 2018. Function should follow form: Futures for the radiant logic of Carnegie public libraries. Presented at: Nexus 2018: The Relationship between Architecture and Mathematics, Pisa, Italy, 11-14 June 2018 Presented at Williams, K. and Bevilacqua, M. G. eds.Nexus 2018 Architecture and Mathematics Conference Book. Nexus Architecture and Mathematics Turin: Kim Williams Books pp. 197-202.

2017

Jain, S. and Prizeman, O. 2017. Between the workshop and the monument: digital interfaces for conservation at the buffer zone of the Jantar Mantar, Jaipur. Presented at: ICOMOS General Assembly & Scientific Symposium 2017, Delhi, 11-15 December 2017.
Prizeman, O., Sarhosis, V., D'Alri, A. M., Whitman, C. J. and Muratore, G. 2017. Modelling from the past: the leaning southwest tower of Caerphilly Castle 1539-2015. ISPRS Annals of Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences IV-2/W, pp. 221-227. (10.5194/isprs-annals-IV-2-W2-221-2017)
Whitman, C., Prizeman, O. E. C., Walker, P. and Gwilliam, J. 2017. Improving the energy performance of historic timber-framed buildings in the UK.. Presented at: Passive and Low Energy Architecture (PLEA) 2017, Edinburgh, UK, 3-5 July.

2016

Whitman, C. J. and Prizeman, O. 2016. U-value monitoring of infill panels of a fifteenth-century dwelling in Herefordshire, UK. Association for Preservation Technology Bulletin 47(4), pp. 6-13.
Prizeman, O. 2016. Maintenance of shared spaces: courtyards of Tbilisi. Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development 6(3), pp. 316-329. (10.1108/JCHMSD-11-2015-0043)
Prizeman, O. E. C. 2016. The historic walled city of Ajmer, India: a case study in mapping tangible and intangible heritage for conservation planning. Presented at: The Association for Preservation Technology International Conference 2016, San Antonio, TX, USA, 30 October-2 November 2016.
Prizeman, O. E. C. 2016. HBIM and matching techniques: considerations for late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century buildings. Journal of Architectural Conservation 21(3), pp. 145-159. (10.1080/13556207.2016.1139852)
Prizeman, O. E. C. and Hardy, A. 2016. Rapid mapping and visual noise: recording for the visitor, resident, pilgrim and tourist; Ajmer, India (Work in Progress) - La cartografía rápida y ruido visual: grabación para el visitante, residente, peregrino y turístico; Ajmer, India (trabajo en curso). Presented at: 8th International Congress on Archaeology, Computer Graphics, Cultural Heritage and Innovation, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain, 5-7 September 2016 Presented at Lerma, J. L. and Cabrelles, M. eds.Proceedings: ARQUEOLÓGICA 2.0 - 8th International Congress on Archaeology, Computer Graphics, Cultural Heritage and Innovation. Valencia: Universitat Politècnica de València pp. 372-375., (10.4995/arqueologica8.2016.4479)
Prizeman, O. E. C. 2016. Braided into the image: ritual depiction and continuous fabrication at Ajmer. Presented at: The European Association for South Asian Archaeology and Art, Cardiff, 4-8th July 2016.
Whitman, C., Prizeman, O. E. C. and Lacey-Barnacle, M. 2016. Correlating maintenance, energy efficiency and fuel poverty for traditional buildings in the UK. Working paper. Cardiff: Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University.
Whitman, C. and Prizeman, O. E. C. 2016. In situ U-Value monitoring of traditional and modern infill panels of a 15th Century Cruck-framed dwelling, in Herefordshire UK. Association for Preservation Technology Bulletin XLVII(4), pp. 6-13.

2015

Prizeman, O. E. C. 2015. Four case studies demonstrating the impacts of energy conservation in traditional domestic buildings. In: Prizeman, O. E. C. ed. Sustainable Building Conservation: Theory and Practice of Responsive Design in the Heritage Environment. RIBA Publications
Prizeman, O. E. C. ed. 2015. Sustainable building conservation: theory and practice of responsive design in the heritage environment. RIBA Publishing.
Prizeman, O. E. C. 2015. Performance values ancient and modern: four UK case studies. Presented at: Mettisage, Quebec City, QC, Canada, 26-29 October 2014.
Prizeman, O. E. C. 2015. Deductive frameworks for a digital HBIM canon: matching specification standards to augment historic object libraries. Presented at: CIPA 25th International Symposium, Taipei, 31 Auggust - 4 September 2015.
Prizeman, O. E. C. 2015. Carnegie libraries and the invention of a shared heritage. Presented at: Trans-Atlantic Dialogues on Cultural Heritage: Heritage, Tourism and Traditions, Liverpool, UK, 13-16 July 2015.
Whitman, C., Prizeman, O. and Walker, P. 2015. Interstitial hygrothermal conditions of low carbon retrofitting details for historic timber-framed buildings in UK. Presented at: Passive and Low Energy Architecture (PLEA) 2015, Bologna, Italy, 9-11 September 2015 Presented at Cucinella, M. et al. eds.PLEA2015 Architecture in (R)Evolution - 31st International PLEA Conference. Building Green Futures
Prizeman, O. E. C. 2015. Pubilc philanthropy: access not ownership. Presented at: Does this bridge belong to you?, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK, 22 May 2015.

2014

Prizeman, O. E. C. 2014. Seeing and being seen: the radiant languages of public libraries. Presented at: Central Saint Martins Informal Exchange: 'Housing Information', Swiss Cottage Library, London, UK, 17 September 2014.
Prizeman, O. E. C. 2014. Seeking models for the rehabilitation of collectively inhabited buildings. Presented at: ICOMOS 18th General Assembly and Scientific Symposium - "Heritage and Landscape as Human Values", Florence, Italy, 9 - 14 November 2014.

2013

Prizeman, O. E. C. 2013. 'Reading Rooms : The Library: A World History' James W.P. Campbell with photographs by Will Pryce Thames & Hudson 2013; 'Contemporary Library Architecture: A Planning and Design Guide' Ken Worpole Routledge 2013 [Book Reviews]. Architectural Review 2013(Dec), pp. 105-106.
Prizeman, O. E. C. 2013. Library: Speaking volumes: Bisset Adams' Watney Market Idea Store. Architecture Today AT241, pp. 24-33.
Prizeman, O. E. C. 2013. Book mountain: MVRDV's library in Spijkenisee, Rotterdam. Architectural Review, pp. 41-52.
Prizeman, O. E. C. 2013. Birmingham City Library, Birmingham UK, Mecanoo architects. Architectural Review 234(1401), pp. 54-65.
Prizeman, O. E. C. 2013. Learning to read tangled tales. Materials Architecture Design Environment (MADE) 7, pp. 29-29.
Prizeman, O. E. C. 2013. Function and decoration, tradition and invention: Carnegie Libraries and their architectural messages. Library and Information History 29(4), pp. 239-257. (10.1179/1758348913Z.00000000046)

2012

Prizeman, O. E. C. 2012. Stuttgart City Library by Yi Architects. Architectural Review -London-
Prizeman, O. E. C. 2012. Philanthropy and light: Carnegie Libraries and the advent of transatlantic standards for public space. Ashgate. (10.4324/9781315600352)
Prizeman, O. E. C. 2012. Imagining purity. Presented at: Imagined Civities: Cities and Alternatives in the 19th Century, Cambridge, UK, 8 June 2012.
Prizeman, O. E. C. 2012. Function and decoration, tradition and invention: Carnegie libraries and their architectural messages. Presented at: Buildings, Books and Blackboards: Intersecting Narratives, Melbourne, Australia, 28 November - 1 December 2012.

2011

Prizeman, O. E. C. 2011. The secret life of libraries: Wisdom builds her house: the architecture and history of libraries, Architekturmuseum, Munich. Architectural Review -London-
Prizeman, O. E. C. 2011. Identity and spirit of Old Tbilisi [Blog]. Back of the Envelope 2011(12 May)
Prizeman, O. E. C. 2011. Typology Quarterly: Libraries. Architectural Review(2 Nov)
Prizeman, O. E. C. 2011. Working with the Conservation Framework in Cambridge, England: A practitioner's view. Presented at: Identity and spirit of Old Tbilisi, Tbilisi, Georgia, 19 April - 2 May 2011.

2010

Prizeman, O. 2010. Philanthropy and light : the formulation of transatlantic environmental standards for public interiors through Andrew Carnegie's Library Building Programme 1889-1910. PhD Thesis, University of Cambridge.
Prizeman, O. E. C. 2010. The origins of daylight guidance: a dull English day?. Presented at: The Society for the History of Technology Conference 2010, Tacoma, WA, USA, 30 September - 2 October 2010.

2008

Prizeman, O. E. C. 2008. Influences on lighting performance: the case of the 1908 Carnegie Public Library at Wednesbury, Birmingham, UK. Presented at: Passive and low energy architecture, Dublin, Ireland, 2008Passive and low energy architecture 2008 conference proceedings. Dublin: University College Dublin

Externally funded research projects:

2024-2026 Project Co-Lead: UKRI funded RICHeS PERFFORM: Protecting our built heritage and collections - News - Cardiff University
2021-22 Principal Investigator: ESRC funded project: Harbourview
2016-21 Principal Investigator: AHRC funded project: Shelf-Life; Re-imagining the future of Carnegie Public Libraries also see: https://carnegielibrariesofbritain.com/
2018-21 Co-Investigator: AHRC funded project: Tamil Temple Towns: Conservation and Contestation (PI Prof Adam Hardy)
2018-2021 Co-Investigator: Historic England funded project: Hygrothermal Monitoring of Timber-Frame Replacement Infill Panels (PI Dr Chris Whitman)
2016 Principal Investigator: Cadw, Historic Scotland, Historic England funded project: Correlating maintenance, energy efficiency and fuel poverty for traditional buildings in the UK
2016 Co-Investigator: AHRC funded project: The historic city of Ajmer-Pushkar (PI Prof Adam Hardy)
2006-10 PhD Studentship: AHRC funded project led by Prof Koen Steemers at the Martin Centre, Faculty of Architecture and History of Art, University of Cambridge: Designing with Light in Libraries

Internally funded research projects:

2025 Cardiff University IAA (PI Dr Brunella Balzano) Unravelling the next move: a case study of a prominent listed church subject to subsidence induced by climate change.
2025 Welsh Government Taith Mobility with Arab Academy of Science and Technology Alexandria
2016 Principal Investigator: Cardiff University Seedcorn Fund: Indian Trust for Rural Heritage Development GD Goenka University at Rakhighari Village Haryana India

Funded Consultancy projects:

2022-2022 Co-Investigator to assist as digital heritage consultant for Global Centre for Rail Excellence scoping study (PI Prof Juliet Davis)
2021-22 Principal Investigator: Consultant (Sustainability): David Clarke Associates / National Slate Museum UNESCO WHS
2014-15 Laser Scan SW Tower Caerphilly Castle – Taliesin Construction / Cadw
2012-14 Heritage Lottery Fund – Expert advisor Grants for Places of Worship Wales

Reviews

My monograph based on my PhD: Philanthropy and Light: Carnegie Libraries and the Advent of Transatlantic Standards for Public Space is now available as an e-book: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781315600352.

"It very well may be one of the most significant books to appear on public libraries so far in the current century." - Prof Edward A. Goedeken, Iowa State University Library in Information & Culture, Vol. 51, No. 2, 2016 ©2016 by the University of Texas Press DOI: 10.7560/IC51206

"Prizeman's examination of environmental performance as a way to analyze the social and political meaning and function of this new building typology lends new insight into the significance of Carnegie's program and his buildings and will serve as a model for future studies of this type." - Prof Kenneth Breisch University of Southern California Breisch, Kenneth.The American Historical Review; Oxford Vol. 118, Iss. 3, (Jun 2013): 821.

"Oriel Prizeman's scholarship is impressive. Research libraries will want to acquire this work. Economic historians, sociologists and librarians will all profit from the novel and fruitful insights in Philanthropy and Light" - Cope, R L. Australian Library Journal Vol. 62, Iss. 3, (January 2013): 250.DOI:10.1080/00049670.2013.811776 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00049670.2013.811776

"Philanthropy and Light is an excellent piece of scholarship which offers instruction and insight to a number of disciplines of which library history is but one. This work provides much of interest to the cultural historian, the sociologist, the industrial historian and, of course, to the architect. Prizeman is to be congratulated for an excellent and distinctive addition to the corpus of literature on Carnegie and for bringing to the attention of the library world an area that is possibly not fully understood or appreciated by those working the sector." Peter Reid (2014) Reviews, Library & Information History, 30:2, 129-142, DOI: 10.1179/1758348914Z.00000000059

Research Websites:

Centre for Sustainable Building Conservation

ESRC funded research: Harbourview

AHRC funded Research: Shelf Life

UKRI funding profile

Teaching profile

I am course director of the MSc Sustainable Building Conservation at WSA which I founded at Cardiff in 2013. I am module leader for ART 501 "The Conservator's Role" and ART 504 "Case Studies and Regional Work".

I am external examiner to the Architectural Association ARB/RIBA Parts 1 & 2 and to University of Reading: MSc Conservation of the Historic Environment. From 2014-18 I was external examiner to the Department of Archaeology, University of York, MA in Conservation Studies and MA in Conservation Studies (Historic Buildings) and MA in the Archaeology of Buildings 2014-18 and to the Conservation of the Historic Environment MA/PGDip at Birmingham City University.

I started teaching part time first year at the University of Cambridge and fifth year at the University of East London simultaneously in 1996. I later led ADS1 at the Royal College of Art MA Architecture and Interiors from 2003-5. In 2011 I was appointed as the Director of Studies for Architecture at Gonville and Caius College, University of Cambridge.

I took my first degree and PhD at the University of Cambridge and my Diploma and RIBA part 3 at the Architectural Association in London. I worked at Branson Coates Architecture and Michael Hopkins and partners as a student. I set up my own practice in Cambridge in 1996. I taught design studios intermittently at the University of East London, the University of Cambridge and at the Royal College of Art.

In 2006 I was awarded an AHRC PhD studentship under a project led by Prof Koen Steemers and Mary Ann Steane at the Martin Centre in the Faculty of Architecture and History of Art at the University of Cambridge. I completed this in 2010 and returned to practice. My first book, Philanthropy and Light was published in 2012 and is based on my thesis. I was appointed Director of Studies for Architecture at Gonville and Caius College Cambridge in 2011 and then moved to Cardiff in 2012 to take up a full time academic post.

I was an elected board member of the US based Association for Preservation Technology 2015-17. I have also been engaged as an expert advisor to the Heritage Lottery Fund (Grants for Places of Worship, Wales) and to UNESCO for a World Heritage nomination. Since 2014 I have been awarded funding for research from the AHRC, the ESRC and EPSRC as well as from Historic Environment Scotland, Historic England and Cadw.

Honours and awards

Awards

2025 Urjasvita Women Empowerment award 2025 (Conservation): Anunay Education & Welfare Society and Institute of Hotel Management, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India

2022 “Carnegie Libraries of Britain” EBook Shortlisted for SAHGB Colvin prize

2016 MSc Sustainable Building Conservation – Honourable mention in Special Prize for International Education at DOMUS International Prize for Architectural Restoration, Ferrara University, Italy

2006 AHRC PhD studentship University of Cambridge, under “Designing with Light in Libraries” led by Prof Koen Steemers and Mary Ann Steane

1993 Diploma Scholarship to the Architectural Association

Awards in Practice (Oriel Prizeman Ltd):

2011 Practice Nominated for Architecture Foundation / Danish Architecture Exchange

2010 Cambridge City Council David Urwin Sustainability award shortlisted: 19 Newton Road

2009 RIBA East “Spirit of ingenuity” Shortlisted: 15 Latham Road / Design award

2005 RIBA East “Spirit of ingenuity” Shortlisted “Ship in a Bottle” 11 Grange Road / Design award

2003 RIBA East “Spirit of ingenuity” 2003 Runner up: English Heritage conservation award – Manor Cottage Haslingfield

Professional memberships

SPAB Member since 1996

ICOMOS Member since 2009

SAHA Member Society Architectural Historians of America 2009-2020

APT Member 2013-20

CIPA Since 2013

2016-20 RIBA Accredited Specialist Conservation Architect

2011-16 RIBA Accredited Conservation Architect

1999-2020 RIBA Chartered Member and ARB Registrant

Academic positions

2012- Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University (Promoted to Personal Chair 2020, to Reader 2016, appointed 2012 as Senior Lecturer)

2020- Director Centre for Sustainable Building Conservation

Teaching roles:

PGT:

Programme lead MSc Sustainable Building Conservation (2013-19, 21-)

Module leader:

ART 501 (20 cr) (2013-2019, 2021-),

ART 502 (20 cr) (2013-2017, 2021-22, 23-4),

ART 503 (20 cr) (2013-2016),

ART 504 (40 cr) (2013-2019, 2021-),

ART 505 (20 cr) (2013-2017, 2023-4),

ART 506 (60 cr) (2013-2019)

Programme development: 2012-13 MSc Sustainable Building Conservation: designed, CU validated and Accredited by IHBC, RIBA approved. Launched Sept 2013.

UGT:

Studio lead MArch Unit XVIII – Lost Properties (2020-21)

2^nd Year Co-chair (2013-14)

2^nd Year Chair (2012-13)

Management / Leadership roles:

Dignity and Wellbeing Advisor (2024-)

Director of Postgraduate Research Studies (2018-2022)

Member of School Executive (2016-2022, 2024-)

Director, Centre for Sustainable Building Conservation (2022-)

Programme lead, MSc Sustainable Building Conservation (2012-)

Member of School Promotions Committee (2020-)

Co-Chair Heritage and Conservation Research Group (2019-)

Director Postgraduate Taught Studies (2016-18)

Personal Tutor to all MSc SBC students (2013-19, 2024-)

Chair of Board of Studies (2013-15)

Chair of Athena SWAN committee (2 bids), (2013-16) Member 2024-

Equality and Diversity committee chair (2014-6) Member 2024-

2011-12 University of Cambridge: Gonville & Caius College: Director of Studies: Architecture

2005-2006, &1996-8 University of Cambridge: Faculty of Architecture and History of Art: 1^st year tutor

2002-2005 Royal College of Art MA Architecture and Interiors: Studio Master ADS1

1996-2000 University of East London Dept of Architecture: 0.25FTE Senior Lecturer Diploma / BSc

Speaking engagements

27.11.24: RIBA East Conservation Group: "Adopting and Adapting Digital Tools for Sustainable Building Conservation"

16.7.24: Universita di Roma Tre annual seminar: “Sustainable Building Conservation: Approaches Local and Global” il Dipartimento di Architettura

25.11.23: “Keeping the Carnegie Libraries of Britain” at Lambeth Carnegie Library, London

11.10.23: Masters in Conservation and Regeneration (online) CEPT, Ahmedabad

7.9.23: CIPA Expert on panel discussion “Defining Ethics for Digital Documentation” at ICOMOS Sydney

3.5.23 Keynote at AGM of Institute of Historic Building Conservation: Oriel Prizeman on ‘Sustainability & the HE’,

16.5.23 Talk at Reims Carnegie Library Société des amis de la bibliothèque municipal de Reims, France

22.11.22 “Carnegie Libraries of Wales” for Twentieth Century Society Cymru (online) 22.11.22

7.7.22 “Sustainable Building Conservation” for Retrofit, Refurbishment and Repurposing - The 'RRR' Action Gap Series (Online) public talk at Leeds Civic Trust

24.4.20 “Reading Patterns for Sustainable Building Conservation”, Politecnico di Milano: Scuola di Architettura Urbanistica Ingegneria delle Costruzioni:Milan Italy (Online)

23.7.19 Talk on Digital Documentation for Cultural Heritage with Dr Luigi Barazzetti of Politecnico di Milano at Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, India

27.4.17 ERASMUS Special Lecture “Sustainable Building Conservation” Architectural Conservation Department, National Technical University of Athens School of Architecture, Athens, Greece

17.2.17 Special Lecture “Developing Digital Tools for Conservation” in Architectural Conservation Department, School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, India

18.8.17 Rakhigarhi: Roundtable talk at the Centre for Art and Archaeology Delhi INTACH

22.5.15 "Pubilc philanthropy: access not ownership". Presented at: Does this bridge belong to you?, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK

17.9.14 "Seeing and being seen: the radiant languages of public libraries". Presented at: Central Saint Martins Informal Exchange: 'Housing Information', Swiss Cottage Library, London,

19.4.11 "Working with the Conservation Framework in Cambridge, England: A practitioner's view". Presented at British Council Tbilisi: Identity and spirit of Old Tbilisi, Tbilisi, Georgia,

18.11.2003 “Leapfrogs in Development”, Palermo, Italy, Università di Palermo Facoltà di Architettura

Committees and reviewing

2024 Board Member and Education Advisor AABC (Architects Accredited in Building Conservation)

2023 Made expert member CIPA Heritage Documentation (Comité International de la Photogrammétrie Architecturale)

2021 + 2017 ICOMOS Expert reviewer for UNESCO world heritage nominations

2018 Historic England Historic Environment Adaptation Working Group

2017 Invited participant at both the Newton-Ungku Omar Fund: Heritage Refurbishment Assessment Scheme (HeRAS), Penang, Malaysia

2017 Invited participant Adaptation and Resilience in the Context of Change Network: Castell Coch

2017 Newton-Baba Fund ICHR, AHRC UK-India Workshop on Cultural Heritage and Rapid Urbanisation in India.

2016-18 North America based Association for Preservation Technology (APT) – International representative on inaugural standing committee on accreditation, co-chair student scholarships committee

2017,19,21,23 Scientific Panel of CIPA symposia

2015 Consultee to the Welsh Government Sectoral Adaptation Plan Climate Change and Cultural Heritage

2015 Member panel for Heritage Lottery Fund bid Lister Steps Carnegie Library

2015 Invited participant Historic Environment Scotland: Climate Change and the Heritage Environment Workshop: 16-17th Sept 2015 Edinburgh Castle

2014- Member of Conservation Course Directors’ Forum

2013-2018 Member APT Technical Committee on Sustainable Preservation Education & Research

2013 + 2020 RSAW awards judge

2013- Member Steering Group for Rubicon Dance, Cardiff, Arts Council Wales capital bid

2013-14 Expert advisor to the Heritage Lottery Fund's Grants for Places of Worship Wales scheme

2014 Reviewer for USA AIA (American Institute of Architects) Retrofit publication and ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) guidance

2014 cited in DCMS Farrell Review

2011-17 Founder Member Tbilisi Heritage Group

2011 Heritage Working Group: Cambridge Past Present and Future

Peer reviewer (Journals)

Heritage (MDPI)

ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information

Journal of Sustainable Cultural Heritage Management

International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation

Advances in Geosciences (ADGEO)

Journal of Architectural Conservation

Architectural Research Quarterly

Libraries: Culture, History, and Society

Urban Studies

Association of Preservation Technologists Bulletin

Peer review (Books)

Book reviewer: Journal of Architectural Conservation, Architectural Review

Book proposal reviewer: Ashgate, RIBA Publications, Routledge

Editorial:

2022 Guest editing Special Issue of Built Heritage Journal: Global Climate Change and Built Heritage Conservation (Springer) Led by Drs Lui Tam and Chris Whitman

2021- Editorial Board Member: Conservation (MDPI)

2017 Advisory Board: Invisible Architecture: Inside the Great War Boundaries: Memories and Remebrances, Traces and Abscences. Ed Olivia Longo (Universtta degli Studi di Brescia 2017)

Digital Modelling of Historic Environments
Early Twentieth Century buildings
The emergence of transatlantic standards
Library Buildings and Public Spaces
Digital Tools for Conservation
Sustainable Building Conservation

Current supervision

Hilary Wyatt

Yichang Dai

Hissah Hamad Alsuhaibani

Aathira Peedikaparambil Somasundaran

Research Student/Graduate Tutor

Past projects

2022 Lui Tam: “Sustainable Conservation of Timber Architectural Heritage in East Asia”

2021 Ahmed Taher: “Retrofit for Heritage Buildings in Alexandria”

2018 Christopher Whitman: “Low Carbon Retrofit of Historic Timber-Framed Buildings”

2018 Lama Abuhassan: “Screen Architecture: Narrative Spaces for Suspense and Thriller Films”

2016 Samuel Woodford “Access and Expectation: Spatial Literacy in Young People’s Perceptions of Public Library Buildings”

Contact Details

PrizemanO@cardiff.ac.uk
+44 29208 75967
Bute Building, Room Room 1.39, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3NB

Research themes

Specialisms

Architectural heritage and conservation
Climate change impacts and adaptation
Environmental history
Digital heritage

Protecting our built heritage and collections

Professor Oriel Prizeman (she/her) MA (Cantab) AADip PhD (Cantab)

Teams and roles for Oriel Prizeman

Professor of Sustainable Building Conservation

Overview

Responsibilities

Publication

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2008

Articles

Book sections

Books

Conferences

Monographs

Thesis

Websites

Research

Teaching