Members’ Voice
When Historic Preservation Meets Security Needs

by Cynthia Young
Contributing Editor

Summary: AIArchitect recently spoke with members about the security issues that concern them most when renovating historic public buildings such as courthouses, government offices, and regional museums. From perimeter security and setbacks to the need to balance accessibility with safety and beauty with utility, historic preservation experts agreed that one size does not fit all, suggested adopting appropriate interventions, and noted that architects should be involved in security planning from the get-go.

James J. Malanaphy III, AIA, Anchorage
During the Preserve America Summit, the Addressing Security Issue Area panel fashioned five key ideas for the ACHP to consider. One key idea—to develop guidance on all-hazards risk assessment—was adopted by ACHP in its final report. The concept is to develop all hazard risk assessment methods appropriate for historical buildings and properties and introduce security-related provisions into national building codes.

It’s important to balance building security issues with design issues. Historic buildings can be threatened by well-intentioned but not-well-thought-out interventions, which in the end may not be effective. Include security professionals on the design team to develop appropriate levels of response for specific threats facing each unique building. Consult with community emergency response and security personnel during the design process.

The key to a successful intervention is to recognize the actual threat facing the building. The correct approach will then utilize an entire community’s resources to protect the building and its occupants. It’s very much like the whole village concept of raising a child. If the building’s neighborhood is sheltering and secure, risks are reduced.

When the Addressing Security Issue Area expert panel met at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., in August 2006, it observed this approach put into practice. The U.S. Naval Academy coordinates security efforts with all local government and public agencies. As a result, the academy can maintain an open, inviting public appearance while carefully protecting its most precious resource—the midshipmen—and the historic campus from harm without unsightly interventions. Academy and Annapolis residents are informed. City and academy staff cooperate to address security issues and respond to emergencies. Everyone is on the lookout. It is a community-based approach to solving security issues that goes beyond the traditional boundaries of architecture.

Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel, Hon. AIA, New York City
Historic and iconic buildings were built in earlier times when it was thought to be a good idea to locate them prominently in front and center locations in high-traffic areas of cities and towns. Obviously, that is no longer our thinking, and security with these detailed, historic buildings represents a complex challenge.

The building’s perimeter is the number one security concern. Parking is another one. Ideally, there should not be any underground parking. And, also no structured parking. Anything unstructured and visible is helpful.

We also need safer building materials in historic buildings, such as reinforced glass. You can employ safety precautions such as shatterproof glass or filament glass that shatters out. We have also learned from our recent building disasters (e.g., World Trade Center and Deutsche Bank) that structural steel is not the best material to use, and instead to use concrete and reinforced materials, like the reinforcement steel bar, rebar, which doesn’t melt and collapse. And I think it is also important to have up-to-date, continually inspected, contemporary, working fire safety equipment that is appropriately placed throughout the building. Obviously, the most advanced materials, technology, and safety precautions should be in use.

But the most important thing is the people who use and service the building—the human beings who live, work, shop, or play there or those who come to visit because of the building’s historical or cultural significance. And although I have concern with aesthetics, I am more concerned with human life, and there has to be an appropriate balance.

Bruce D. Judd, FAIA, San Francisco
One of the largest issues is how do you incorporate the security requirements without destroying the historic character of the building? Frequently historic buildings are so close to the street, you can’t get blast protection without destroying historic materials. You can move the parked cars away and change the window glazing, but you can’t put in high-strength metal frame windows and still maintain the historic look of the building. Windows that are blast resistant can weigh several thousand pounds each. In some cases you can use a film on the windows that allows them to break without becoming lethal weapons.

You should first conduct a risk analysis and assess the actual threat you are likely to have, the value of what you are trying to protect, and the range of options you have to deal with security issues. An example is the California State Capitol in Sacramento. We asked ourselves how do we come up with a scheme that is not going to cost an enormous amount, such a replacing the windows, as they are costly. They also would destroy the historic character of the building and be difficult to install. The solution was a thoughtful arrangement of wire cables and bollards that made the standoff distance much greater and was substantially less expensive than changing out the windows.

Robert D. Loversidge Jr., FAIA, Columbus, Ohio
The most important thing is that these historic buildings were built as public buildings and are a symbol of the permanence and majesty of government. In renovating historic government buildings we must ensure that their functional needs are met and at the same time not destroy the concept of openness and welcoming. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach, especially with the architecture of iconic buildings. That is critical.

In Ohio, we renovated a 1930s office building into the Supreme Court. The building has wonderful marble lobbies and artwork, so to put x-ray machines in the entrance would have absolutely ruined the entry experience. We found and renovated a room adjacent to the lobby where people can go through security and then re-enter the wonderful historic concourse.

You don’t have to locate security front and center, where you walk through the only active door and stumble on the equipment. The important thing is that an architect be involved in designing security interventions. We have security technical experts who can assess it; the architect has to be the one to place it.

Barbara A. Nadel, FAIA, New York City
The first step to consider is location. Determine if the historic property is in an urban, suburban, or rural area, or if it is near a federal building or other potential target. Many historic public buildings may have limited resources, such as regional museums. They need to know how to get useful information to address security issues, including identifying risks, threats, and vulnerabilities. For example, an online clearinghouse of security best practices could provide facility managers and administrators with this information and would be helpful to those with limited resources.

We also don’t have to build a fortress. There are ways to create transparent security—invisible to the public eye—that will retain the beauty, history, and nature of these historic buildings. Keep three elements in mind: design, technology, and operation. When they are considered together, we can create a more comprehensive security plan.

Plan in advance for emergencies. How do we evacuate people from the building? How do we save important artifacts and data? For historic buildings, the owner can photograph the facility and store documentation offsite, so if any unique architectural details and historic features are damaged, they can be reconstructed.

Also consider the perimeter security. Analyze the site issues between the road, the front door, and building envelope, so that vehicles don’t have a straight shot to ram into the building. This can be addressed with landscaping and water elements, such as pools, anchored benches, and sculptures. This is where public art comes in—you can use these aesthetic elements to perform security functions.