December 2014 Issue

Letter from the Chair

By Peyton Hall, FAIA

Dear Historic Resources Committee Members:

The quiet post-convention summer season always prefaces a busy fall conference season. The second Taliesin Colloquium welcomed 25 people who studied many aspects of cleaning masonry with Richard Wolbers, Mary Oehrlein, Judy Jacobs, and Joshua Freedland during three warm October days in the desert. Professor Wolbers’ Sunday workshop was first of all a master class, and secondly “kindergarten for adults,” providing participants with hands-on experience removing tough graffiti inks from a variety of stones. Read more.

Application Deadline: December 31, 2014

By Peyton Hall, FAIA | Chair, Historic Resources Committee

The AIA Historic Resources Committee Advisory Group is now soliciting applications for the 2015 appointment to the HRC Advisory Group. The advisory group is a five-member appointed committee responsible for the leadership and direction of the HRC Committee. The mission of the HRC is to identify, understand, and preserve architectural heritage, both nationally and internationally. HRC is engaged in promoting the role of the historic architect within the profession through the development of information and knowledge among members, allied professional organizations, and the public. Applicants are required to forward a current resume and letter of interest to peyton@historicla.com by DECEMBER 31, 2014.

For more information about the Advisory Group selection guidelines visit this page.

For more information about the AIA-HRC visit the HRC Web page.

By Wendy Hillis, AIA | Historic Resources Committee Advisory Group

We are pleased to provide, in this issue of Preservation Architect, a series of articles on the National Park Service’s Heritage Documentation Programs, comprised of the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) and Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS).  For over 80 years, these programs serve the following important uses for the preservation architecture community:

• Create base drawings for future renovations that are in the public domain and fully accessibility
• Serve as research tools for early American architecture
• Provide summer employment for architecture students, aiding in the education and development of future preservation architects
• Establish a systemic way to gather data on endangered building types
• Establish a standardized methodology for documentation
• Used as a mitigation measure in the Section 106 process
• Used by National Parks as interpretation tools for cultural resources

THE HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY: THEN AND NOW

By Catherine Lavoie | Chief, Historic American Buildings Survey, National Park Service

From its humble beginnings as a New Deal initiative launched in the late fall of 1933, the Historic American Buildings Survey has gained broad recognition as the originator of one of the nation’s largest architectural collections and as the training ground for untold numbers of preservation professionals.  HABS was officially established as a permanent federal program in 1934, when the National Park Service formed a unique alliance between the public and private sectors through a tripartite agreement with the Library of Congress (LoC) and the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Read more.

RECENT DOCUMENTATION PROJECTS IN ALASKA

By Mark Schara | HABS Architect, National Park Service

Heritage Documentation Programs (HABS/HAER/HALS) has sent field teams to Alaska each of the past two summers to document of several of the state’s most significant historic structures.  The projects have been undertaken with the support and assistance of the cultural resources staff of the Alaska Regional Office of the National Park Service, along with a number of local entities, both public and private.  Each field trip was two weeks in duration, and involved a combination of three-dimensional laser scanning and traditional hand measuring. Read more.

USING DIGITAL DOCUMENTATION TECHNOLOGIES AT ELLIS ISLAND

By Paul Davidson and Dan De Sousa | HABS Architect, National Park Service

While the significance of Ellis Island as the nation’s primary immigration center from 1892 to 1954 is well established, few of the thousands of annual visitors to the restored Main Immigration Building are aware that its functioning was dependent on an entire complex of support structures that lies beyond it.  The Statue of Liberty National Monument, (the Park Service Unit that administers both Liberty and Ellis Islands), would like to remedy that situation by rehabilitating and interpreting the various hospital buildings and support structures that were crucial to it operations.  To begin that process, they called on the Heritage Documentation Programs (HDP) for assistance. Read more.

2014 PETERSON PRIZE WINNERS RECOGNIZED BY THE AIA HRC

By Jonathan Spodek, AIA | Past Chair, Historic Resources Committee

On November 14, 71 years and a day after the original signing of the Tripartite Agreement creating the Historic American Buildings Survey, the AIA Historic Resources committee welcomed the 2014 winners of the Charles E. Peterson Prize to Washington DC. The Prize, started in 1983, honors Charles E. Peterson, FAIA, founder of the HABS program, by recognizing the best set of measured drawings prepared by students and donated to the HABS collection.  It is intended to increase awareness, knowledge, and appreciation of historic buildings throughout the United States while adding to the permanent HABS collection of measured drawings at the Library of Congress. Read more.

2014 LEICESTER B. HOLLAND PRIZE AWARDED

By Robert R. Arzola | HABS Architect, National Park Service

The 2014 Leicester B. Holland Prize was selected by a jury held on August 5, 2014. The Holland Prize, an annual competition open to both students and professionals, recognizes the best single-sheet measured drawing of an historic site, structure, or landscape prepared by an individual(s) to HABS/HAER/HALS standards and guidelines. The prize honors Leicester B. Holland (1882-1952), FAIA, who in the 1930s was chairman of the AIA’s Committee on Historic Buildings, head of the Fine Arts Division of the Library of Congress (LOC) and first curator of the HABS collection, a co-founder of the HABS program, and the first chair of the HABS Advisory Board. It is administered by the Heritage Documentation Programs and the Center for Architecture, Design & Engineering in the Library of Congress, and is supported by the Paul Rudolph Trust, and American Institute of Architects. Read more.

PROJECT PROFILE: SAINT LOUIS PUBLIC LIBRARY

CannonDesign | 2014 AIA Institute Honor Award for Architecture

By Matthew Chalifoux, AIA and Michael Mills, FAIA | HRC Communications Subcommittee

Nearing the 100th-year anniversary in 2012 of its Central branch, the St. Louis Public Library sought to modernize the building for a new century, increase public access, and enhance the original Beaux Arts building by Cass Gilbert as a cultural treasure. Just as the original competition was won with a design that rethought the plan of a public library by the firm of Cass Gilbert, CannonDesign was selected to revitalize the building based on their sensitive but forward-thinking-design ideas. Read more.

By Matthew Chalifoux, AIA and Michael Mills, FAIA | HRC Communications Subcommittee

In 1916, Will Cannon Sr. opened an architectural practice in Niagara Falls, NY. From this modest beginning the firm has grown to become an integrated design firm with over 1,000 staff in 15 offices located in the United States, Canada, India and China. Serving clients in the corporate, health, education and government sectors CannonDesign includes professionals in the fields of architecture, engineering, interior design, workplace specialists, branding experts, graphic designers, lighting designers, doctors, clinicians, teachers, researchers and lawyers. Read more.

HRC AFFINITY LUNCHEON | 2014 NATIONAL PRESERVATION CONFERENCE

HRC Affinity Luncheon | November 13, 2014 Savannah GA

By James J. Malanaphy, AIA

During the HRC Affinity Luncheon at the 2014 National Preservation Conference held Thursday, November 13 in Savannah GA, the current chair of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and past California State Historic Preservation Officer, AIA Historic Resources Committee member Milford Wayne Donaldson FAIA was recognized for his leadership in historic preservation at the national, state and local levels with a Proclamation issued by the AIA Historic Resources Committee and signed by HRC Chair, Peyton Hall FAIA. Read more.

HRC PUB CRAWL | 2014 NATIONAL PRESERVATION CONFERENCE

HRC Pub Crawl | November 13, 2014 Savannah GA

By James J. Malanaphy, AIA

The HRC Pub Crawl was held Thursday evening, November 13 during the National Preservation Conference in Savannah GA, and by all accounts was a resounding success attracting over 150 historic preservationists from around the country. It ran the risk of becoming a parade. The crawl began with light refreshments at the historic Pirates’ House located at the Trustee’s Garden (1734). All in all over a dozen establishments listed on the Pub Crawl Guide were visited by participants during the course of an entertaining evening. The HRC Pub Crawl was sponsored in part by contributions from Mills + Schnoering Architects, Parrett Windows and Doors, and the St. Louis Antique Lighting Co. View the Savannah Pub Crawl Guide.

2014 RICHARD H. DRIEHAUS NATIONAL PRESERVATION AWARDS

2014 National Preservation Conference | November 13, 2014 Savannah GA

By James Malanaphy, AIA

During the 2014 National Preservation Award Ceremony, Honor Awards for Historic Preservation recognized the following architects for their contributions to the success of the following projects:

• Historic Old Administration Building, Fresno CA | ELS Architecture and Urban Design
• The Forum, Inglewood CA | Historic Resources Group
• The Walter O. Evans Center for African American Studies at the SCAD Museum of Art, Savannah GA | Sottile & Sottile, and Lord Aeck & Sargent Architects
• Rehabilitation of the East Feliciana Parish Courthouse, Clinton LA | John Milner Associates, Inc.
• McGregor Pool Renovation, Detroit MI | Quinn Evans Architects
• Micro Lofts at the Arcade Providence, Providence RI | Northeast Collaborative Architects
• King Street Station, Seattle WA | ZGF Architects LLP
  

During the Award Ceremony, architects were also recognized for their contributions to the success of the following projects receiving Special Awards:

• National Trust/HUD Secretary’s Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation
  Iberville Offsites, New Orleans LA | Kronberg Wall Architects and Planners
  
• National Trust/Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Award for Federal Partnerships in Historic Preservation
  Owe”neh Bupingeh Preservation Project, Ohkay Owingeh NM | Atkin Olshin Schade Architects
  
• Tony Goldman Award
  Williamsburgh Savings Bank, New York NY | David Scott Parker Architects

Visit the National Trust website for additional project descriptions and images.

HRC SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

By James J. Malanaphy, AIA | 2014 Chair, HRC Development Subcommittee

• The HRC is actively seeking additional sponsors for the HRC’s 2014 and 2015 programs.
• AIA HRC/ACSA Preservation as Provocation Ideas Competition
• Charles E. Peterson Student Competition for Measured Drawings
• AIA/NPS/LOC HABS Coordinating Committee
• HRC/HABS Student Internship Program
• HRC/Clemson University/ College of Charleston Pioneers in Preservation Oral History Program
• DESIGN + HISTORY AIA HRC/Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Colloquium at Taliesin West, and
• HRC fellowship events and educational programs at the annual conferences of the AIA, APT and NTHP

Become a Sponsor.

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF THE NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACT

By AIA Historic Resources Committee Advisory Group

Historic preservationists are preparing for Preservation50 - a nationwide campaign to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the passage of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) in 2016. Preservation50 recently launched a website to discuss the legacy and future of the NHPA and begin planning for the 50th Anniversary. Part of the effort is to strengthen and ensure the continued impact the NHPA for the next 50 years and beyond. Preservation50 aims to leverage the 50th anniversary of the signing of the NHPA to advocate for full and permanent funding of the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF).

HRC MEMBER RESOURCES | HABS GUIDE TO FIELD DOCUMENTATION

By James J. Malanaphy, AIA |2014 Chair, HRC Development Subcommittee

The HABS Guide to Field Documentation offers step-by-step instructions about how to observe, take field measurements, and create field notes and a short-form report about a historic site or structure to HABS standards. Learn more...

Clem Labine’s Traditional Building Magazine provides useful information on materials, products and services of interest to preservation architects. Clem Labine’s Traditional Building magazine provides a complimentary one year subscription to HRC members. Learn more...

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