Inaugural lecture by Prof Dr rer. nat. Arnulf Dähne

Specialist planning is a field of restoration work that encompasses far more than the tried and tested conceptualisation of individual restoration tasks at the margins of a complex heritage conservation project.
Surprisingly, a number of imponderables in heritage conservation planning generally lie in the unpredictable, non-standard behaviour of historic materials and structures, in inexplicable ageing processes and in hidden damage. The feasibility of substantial conservation or appropriate restoration cannot be estimated with certainty and it is unclear under what conditions, at what price, in what time and in what quality the required service could be provided.
Fortunately, answering such questions is a core competence of restoration. Specialist restoration planning can therefore make a significant contribution to planning and cost certainty and, above all, to quality assurance in the restoration of monuments and historic buildings.

Personal details
Prof. Dr rer. nat. Arnulf Dähne, born in Zittau in 1972 and raised in Upper Lusatia, began his professional career by studying architecture in Weimar, which he completed from 1991 to 1993. He then specialised in the restoration of wall paintings and architectural colouring at the Dresden University of Fine Arts from 1996 to 2001.
Since 2001, Prof. Dr Dähne has worked as an independent freelance restorer and has been a member of the restorer partnership pons asini with offices in Altenburg, Thuringia. He has also been contributing his professional expertise to academic teaching since 2008, including as a regular lecturer at the Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart and the HfBK Dresden.
2013 he completed his doctorate at the HfBK Dresden with a dissertation on the application of mineral nanosols in conservation and restoration, making a significant contribution to the scientific advancement of his field.
In May 2024, Prof. Dr Arnulf Dähne took over the professorship for specialist planning in conservation and restoration at the Potsdam University of Applied Sciences and brings his many years of practical experience and scientific expertise to the training of future conservators.

Inaugural lecture
When: 25 November 2024, 18:00
Where: House D / 011
Online: Zoom link to the inaugural lecture

The inaugural lecture is open to the public, will take place in presence and will be broadcast live in parallel. Interested parties are welcome to attend. After the lecture, there will be a small reception at the "Coffee Nerds" in the main building.