NATIONAL TRUST | N Ø V I

THE NATIONAL TRUST x PETWORTH HOUSE

DISCOVERY HOUSES

#CONSERVATION_SCIENCE

#Heritage_Preservation

#Cultural_Collections

50.9881° N, 0.6109° W

THE BRIEF

Custodians

Historic houses hold far more than objects. They hold time, touch, memory, and the invisible labour that keeps fragile histories alive. At Petworth House, one of the National Trust’s most significant sites, conservation science plays a critical role in protecting collections that are both culturally irreplaceable and materially vulnerable.

We worked alongside conservation scientist Kristie Short Traxler to document this work from the inside. The focus was not only on the precision of conservation practice, but on what that practice preserves: the presence, energy, and resonance of objects shaped by centuries of human interaction.

IMAGE: KRISTIE-SHORT TRAXLER WITH NATIONAL TRUST"S CONSERVATORS

Approach

Our approach brought together classical photography and carefully integrated AI tools. Photography anchored the work in material truth, surface detail, and scientific process. AI was used selectively to extend the visual language, allowing us to explore movement, atmosphere, and continuity without fictionalising the objects themselves. The result was a layered way of bringing the National Trust’s Discovery House to life, grounded in reality while open to interpretation.

IMAGE: THE Molyneux Globe

AI Integration

We began with medium format Hasselblad photography, capturing objects and individuals with depth, precision, and presence. These still images became the foundation for a more expressive process, where AI video tools were used to introduce movement, atmosphere, and rhythm.

The result is deliberately more dramatic. Rather than simply documenting conservation work, the approach celebrates it. Objects and people are allowed to breathe, shift, and resonate, revealing the energy that careful conservation protects. By combining classical photographic craft with contemporary AI tools, the work reimagines heritage as something alive and active, inviting audiences to feel the vitality of these collections rather than observe them from a distance.

IMAGE: chaucer's canterbury tales

IMAGE: Illuminated manuscript on vellum, 15th century

Collaboration

We worked in close collaboration with Kristie Short-Traxler, conservation scientists, and members of the National Trust team to document this work from within the house. The focus was not only on the precision of conservation practice, but on what that practice preserves: the presence, energy, and resonance of objects shaped by centuries of human interaction.

At a time when traditional institutions face growing challenges in engaging younger audiences, this work acts as an exploration into how heritage and contemporary tools can work together. It offers one possible route for recapturing curiosity and drawing both new and returning audiences back into some of England’s most significant cultural spaces.

IMAGE: MICRO-FADING assess light sensitivity

Impact

This project marks the beginning of an ongoing collaboration with conservation scientists across historic houses, museums, and libraries throughout the UK, exploring how careful innovation can support the long-term future of our shared cultural heritage.