Care questions and placement

Recording placement conditions before asking for guidance

Placement conditions belong in a care discussion because the same general question may concern very different settings.

Stacked round coasters with brown, blue and gold-coloured boundaries — Design visualization — a reference for this discussion, not a completed project or a rendering of the proposed brief.

By RivyaLivingArt · 2 minute read

The question behind the worksheet

Placement conditions belong in a care discussion because the same general question may concern very different settings. Describe the real situation in plain language.

Work through the observation

Note whether the piece is near a window, a heat source, moisture or frequent contact, without estimating technical exposure values you cannot verify. Explain normal use and any recent change. Include the piece's existing care information so the answer can be tied to the correct specification.

A worked example to compare

“The piece was moved beside this window last week” is useful context. “The window damaged it” is a diagnosis that has not yet been established.

Questions to put in your notes

Use these prompts to produce a short record you can revisit. Date the sheet, identify the reference you used and leave unknowns explicitly unanswered. Keep site facts, personal preferences and requests for confirmation separate.

What is nearby?
Has the placement changed?
Which facts are observed rather than inferred?

What this exercise cannot establish

Do not treat a placement photograph as proof that a material is suitable for that location. Ask for specific guidance.

Choose the next question

Keep the resulting note with your current brief. Before sending it, check that it explains one decision clearly and does not turn a preference into an agreed detail. Use the current linked page for the relevant website guidance, and bring any piece-specific uncertainty to the atelier.

Read the related guidance ↗

Begin your piece Return to the journal