Historic Preservation (MHP)

Buildings are silent witnesses to the Past. Rediscovering the “stories” of a building’s many lives relies upon piecing together archival, physical, and ethnographic evidence. This course affords in-depth study of the techniques, strategies and resources employed to track down data, using written, graphic, and oral sources. Field trips to key archival repositories provide students with first-hand experience in collecting and interpreting documentary evidence to develop historical narratives. Cross-listed ARST-302

Preservation of modern and mid-century modern buildings and sites is the next frontier within the profession as the significance of this architectural period is recognized and materials with which they were built reach the end of their serviceable lives. Working in track-based teams, students collaborate to determine historical significance and identify character-defining features of a building in the Philadelphia region, assess its condition, and prepare design solutions for adaptive reuse while preserving historic character.

Complementing the Building Conservation course this course provides a comprehensive overview of interior materials used in historic building interiors and the ongoing processes of their material deterioration, contemporary approaches to their treatment, and sustainability concepts of embodied energy and life cycle analysis as these pertain to building conservation. Through site visits, demonstrations, laboratory exercises, guided research, and discussions the course explores investigative techniques specific to historic interiors; diagnosis of existing conditions, including non-destructive and laboratory testing methods; and design of appropriate interventions to remedy observed problems. Students will collect, present, critically review findings and formulate recommendations for conservation and treatment of historic interior materials.

The second in a two-term sequence, this course culminates in a thesis that demonstrates the student’s ability to formulate a viable, discipline specific hypothesis and conduct in-depth, original research. A thesis must expand the existing body of knowledge on the topic and introduce new ways of thinking, thereby contributing to the discourse in the field. Through the thesis project, the student demonstrates overall competency in principles, theory, practices and methodologies of Historic Preservation, accomplishment in a chosen area of specialization, as well as the acumen to perform independent research.

The second in a two-term sequence, this course culminates in a thesis that demonstrates the student’s ability to formulate a viable, discipline specific hypothesis and conduct in-depth, original research. A thesis must expand the existing body of knowledge on the topic and introduce new ways of thinking, thereby contributing to the discourse in the field. Through the thesis project, the student demonstrates overall competency in principles, theory, practices and methodologies of Historic Preservation, accomplishment in a chosen area of specialization, as well as the acumen to perform independent research. MHP-605E is an extension for students requiring additional time to complete their thesis. Permission of the program director is required.

In this course, students learn the fundamentals of the Historic American Building Survey (HABS) documentation methods for the production of archival records of historic structures and places. Through fieldwork and labs, students photograph, print, research, and narrate comprehensive, technically proficient photographic essays that represent the salient aspects of historic structures, complexes and sites, utilizing both large-format and digital cameras and Including photogrammetry and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technologies.

This studio will outline the methodology of adaptive reuse of historic buildings, the philosophical motives behind reuse, and engage students in deploying the tenets of historic preservation and sustainable design in adaptive reuse design solutions. Adaptive reuse concepts will be explored through lectures, readings and discussions, field trips and individual and group assignments and presentations. The course will lead students through an introduction to historic preservation theory as it relates to the built environment and current standards for adaptive reuse in the United States and abroad. The Existing Building Code and its interpretation for adaptive reuse projects and techniques for working with and/or supplementing existing building structures, and the integration of systems into historic buildings, will also be explored. Pre-requisites: Permission of Director

The first in a two-term sequence, this seminar guides students in the formulation of a research question tailored to the individual’s professional goals whose original analysis and proposed solution contributes to the discourse in the field. Avenues of inquiry within the discipline are wide-ranging, encompassing either research-based or design-driven topics, as determined by the student’s track. Working with both faculty and professional advisors, each student investigates current debates relative to the topic, significant case studies and core literature, in addition to topic-specific research strategies. Through the thesis project, students demonstrate overall competency in principles, theory, practices and methodologies of the Historic Preservation, accomplishment in a chosen area of specialization, as well as the acumen to perform independent research.

Comprehensive analysis of preservation history, theories, policies, foundational principles and practices as applied to intersecting contemporary issues, namely preservation and sustainable design, adaptive reuse of historic buildings and sites, the role of preservation as a generator of urban revitalization and preservation planning paradigms. Topics are investigated from both micro and macro perspectives. Cross-listed ARST-221

This Collaborative Project foregrounds preservation protocols on two intersecting scales—the micro level of adaptive reuse/design of an historic structure and the macro level of its urban environment. Working with a specific site and community-based client in the Philadelphia area, students engage in the process of adaptive reuse of historic buildings and the philosophical motives behind reuse, including the tenets of sustainable design, while also investigating preservation interventions as catalyst for urban regeneration. A primary focus of the Project is analysis of preservation strategies against the backdrop of the socio-economic and political contexts that impact a neighborhood’s health and development.

Course addresses a critical issue facing the contemporary city, namely how to creatively invigorate urban communities-architecturally, environmentally and fiscally. By assessing the macro and microeconomics of neighborhoods, students evaluate the social, political and financial impact of sustainable planning strategies, including Smart Growth, Brownfield and Infill redevelopment, Transit Oriented Development (TOD), New Urbanism "live, work, play," Mixed-use environments, and the Adaptive Reuse of existing buildings. Student teams investigate "real world" projects, using Philadelphia as a living laboratory. The course affords students the opportunity to visit and dissect actual development sites and measure sustainable interventions as a springboard to urban revitalization.

Students decode a building's past by deciphering and recording the physical evidence of its evolution. Students learn the fundamentals of professional field techniques used to document and interpret historic structures and places, utilizing sketching and technical drawing via hand drafting and computer modeling. Through field work and labs, students survey, sketch, draft, and annotate comprehensive, technically proficient drawings that represent the salient aspects of historic structures and sites. Procedures and techniques for analyzing historic buildings to determine original appearance and the nature, extent, and chronology of physical change which has occurred over their history are introduced. Cross-listed ARST-324

Through site visits, demonstrations, laboratory exercises, guided research, and discussions, this course provides a comprehensive overview of structural and exterior envelope materials used in historic buildings and the ongoing processes of their material deterioration, contemporary approaches to their treatment, and sustainability concepts of embodied energy and life cycle analysis as these pertain to building conservation. Topics include: investigative techniques for historic structures; diagnosing existing conditions, including non-destructive and laboratory testing methods; and designing appropriate interventions to remedy observed problems. Students will collect, present, critically review findings and formulate recommendations for conservation. Cross-listed ARST-266

Independent Study is a student-centered learning activity that affords graduate students in Historic Preservation the opportunity to pursue special interests or research not treated in the regular curriculum. The student will conduct in-depth analysis on a topic pertinent in Historic Preservation and craft a final project. The Independent Study course fosters a deeper understanding in a specific area or topic and is focused on research, literature review, or extension/enhancement of other coursework. The syllabus is personalized to the student's interests and concerns and is modifiable to create an exceptional learning experience. Specific learning goals are to be listed in the student's Independent Study form application. The Independent Study course requires approval by the program director to enroll. All work is conducted under supervision and evaluation of a faculty member. Students must have completed 12 graduate credits in Historic Preservation or by permission of the program director.