Conflicts and Convergences of Preservation, Modernism and Sustainability in the Richards Medical Laboratories Renovation

Louis Kahn’s Richards Medical Laboratories underwent a two-phased renovation (2013-2015 & 2019), driven by University of Pennsylvania’s Century Bond program’s energy-saving objective. A national historic landmark, a Modernism masterpiece and a heavy equipment-bearing facility, the building had to meet satisfactory results for all the criteria as strict as possible: preservation, Modernism and sustainability. Every Mid-Century rehabilitation project accommodates similar requirements, Richards’ renovation provides a stringent example for others to reference upon. Thus a prudent review on what guidelines suggested, architects and engineers proposed and executed, post-renovation data and findings yielded, are crucial in forming a holistic apprehension. In Richards renovation, an upgrade on HVAC systems, an evaluation on historic monolithic single-pane glass, and eventually repurposing the building are the major renovation strategies. All of the strategies are for sustainability goals but also had to address specific design intention and significance Kahn left. In parallel to Richards, two comparable case studies, Penn’s Evans Dental Building renovation, also a Century Bond program project, and Yale University Art Gallery, also rehabilitated Kahn’s single-pane glass, provided comprehensive information for complementary purposes. The information induced could serve as an epitome for projects of similar context and restrictions

Shades of Green: Improving the Energy Efficiency and Environmental Impact of Historic Building

The recent dramatic increase in oil prices as well as a growing worldwide concern with climate change has brought renewed attention and interest in energy efficiency and consideration for the environment among all areas of industry, in particular the built environment. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, operational energy consumption in residential and commercial buildings accounted for 40% of total energy consumed in the United States in 2007, and produced nearly 48% of the country\u27s greenhouse gas emissions. While architects have been making their contribution to the environmental cause, designing more efficient buildings with tools such as the U.S. Green Building Council\u27s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, historic preservationists are edging their way into the green movement within a complex set of constraints and guidelines, such as the Secretary of the Interior\u27s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, but equally motivated to reduce the historic building stock\u27s adverse effect on the environment and energy consumption

CHARLESTON CONTRADICTIONS: A CASE STUDY OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION THEORIES AND POLICIES

The philosophy, policies, and practices of historic preservation are currently struggling with how to incorporate Modern architecture, as many of these buildings are reaching the threshold to be considered historic. Since one of the movement\u27s original goals was to counteract Modernism, it is ironic that many of the buildings initially opposed by historic preservation are now forcing the profession to consider their designation and preservation. The potential preservation of many of these buildings raises important philosophical and practical contradictions for the profession that require further study and resolution. This study presents the results of a case study of three Modern buildings in Charleston, South Carolina--the old Charleston County Library building, the Rivers Federal Building, and the Gaillard Auditorium. All three buildings are civic buildings, built in the 1960s, and located very close to one another in what is now the historic district in Charleston and under the purview of the Board of Architectural Review. While only the library building has reached the 50-year threshold to be considered historic, the other two buildings will reach it soon and, despite similarities among the buildings, each is receiving a different preservation treatment. The qualitative study utilized an explanatory case study methodology and analyzed several different sources of evidence in order to triangulate the results between them. Sources of data included archival evidence, minutes from Board of Architectural Review meetings, and most significantly, in-depth interviews with a small number of expert participants. The participants included architects, preservationists, members of the Board of Architectural Review, attorneys and others with knowledge of Charleston\u27s preservation community. The findings from this research suggest that the potential preservation of Modern architecture presents numerous contradictions for the field of historic preservation and has implications for the field of architecture as well. By dictating that new buildings must express the zeitgeist, both architecture and preservation are creating and supporting an unsustainable cycle of constantly needing to break new ground, rather than relying more on the tried-and-true solutions from the past. Analysis of the cases of the three buildings in the study suggest that the problem is only going to become more acute, as more and more Modern buildings become eligible for historic designation

Forms of Attachment: Additions to Postwar Icons

In the ongoing project of adding to the recently built, or more specifically the problem of additions to postwar icons, the issues have proven more slippery. (In this context, I use “project” to mean a larger theoretical endeavor or task of investigation rather than an architectural proposal.) First, what, in this context, is postwar? To focus this thesis, I define it as the period in American architecture from the end of World War II to the dissolution of the modern movement into the splintered ‘isms’ of the late 1970’s and early 1980’s that were bubbling up in the decades before. And why icons? Rather than the “low road” buildings of recent heritage – the dysfunctions of which are most often happily mitigated by additions – postwar icons would seem to pose a distinct set of challenges. This premise is born out even anecdotally by the evidence: numerous additions by high profile design talents with sincere intentions that amount to ambiguous results. The particular provocations of the task, in most cases, remain unacknowledged and unmet. In this thesis I mean to investigate the challenges and parameters posed through these types of projects, and the degree to which the circumstances are unique to ‘their’ (modern) movement and ‘our’ contemporary moment. (While Modernism is an admittedly loaded and imprecise term, I will use it as shorthand for the various ideologies in mainstream architectural practice in the midtwentieth century.) First, how does the consideration of the “recent past” as short temporal distance play a role, and second, how might this be complicated further by modernism’s own ambivalent relationship with history? And then what of our own ambivalent relationship with modernism as history? What are the specific theoretical questions at hand as regards changing conceptions of time, author, and artifact? The working thesis of this paper is that, indeed, in the broader spectrum of additions to significant historic buildings, the project of adding to a postwar icon is unique on two levels. The first is that these icons necessitate a sophisticated approach, distinct from the broader addition paradigm as it is now understood in conservation and preservation design. By virtue of the moderns’ era, our era, and the relationship therein, postwar icons stipulate an ‘ethic’ that may prove to have some surprising tolerances but nonetheless demands a unique approach and demonstrable design rationale. The second argument is that a requisite ethic largely remains out of sight, discourse, and widespread use. The paradigms of current practice, through their failures and ambiguities, make the case for a critical reconsideration of this project within our complementary and combined fields of architecture and preservation design

Terminology, Technology and Design Intent of 20th Century Architectural Lighting and Establishing Criteria for Guidelines for Its Preservation

The advent of advanced electrical technology by the mid 20th allowed for an architectural fusion with what was once a secondary consideration for builders, ultimately culminating in lighting design as a profession. The development of electric light, and later, lighting design in America had many influences which drew from the realms of architectural design, engineering and the theatre and performing arts. The selected case studies characterize the overall progression occurring in the realm of integrated architectural lighting, as the architects utilized electric light as a building material. With a case study from the 1930s, one from the 1940s and one from the1950s, the lighting goals, early intent of the lighting design, installation and technical considerations of each are presented. As a secondary component to the case studies, their later (and more present day) renovations or restorations are evaluated for their relative success or failures in regards to the care and consideration of the original lighting schemes. In the revisiting of many of the interiors of this era, the now-fugitive lighting systems have been disregarded or replaced with less compatible, less complementary systems, thus destroying the ambience of the original space. If we are to accurately restore or renovate these unique American interiors, the process of researching, specifying and applying the original integrity through lighting must be achieved. Addressing these in further detail, the author has developed a series of criteria for guidelines for the preservation of early twentieth century lighting systems, which are a confluence of the previous mentioned historical research, in-depth case studies and an analysis of existing relevant guidelines

A morphological design and evaluation model for the development of circular facades

The current construction industry can be characterized by its linear model of material use resulting in waste with its possible negative impact on the environment and society. As a solution to the inefficient material use of the construction industry, they should strive to a circular model of material use. This can be obtained by the application of the circular economy concept. However, clear guidance on how to apply the circular economy concept in buildings is still to be fully developed. In this research, a Circular Building Framework (CBF) and a Morphological Design and Evaluation Model (MDEM) have been developed for the facade. The CBF forms the starting point of the MDEM by providing a holistic view on all aspects related to the design and functioning of circular buildings. The MDEM forms a first draft to apply two essential principles ‘design for disassembly’ and ‘design for adaptability’ in the development of circular designed facades. In the MDEM two types of conceptual circular facade design solutions are identified making the facade designer aware about the consequences of different design decisions. The application of the MDEM will reclaim the embodied values of facade products by enabling them to enter re-life options at high quality

Annual reports of the officers of the town of Sandwich, New Hampshire for the year ending December 31, 2012.

This is an annual report containing vital statistics for a town/city in the state of New Hampshire

Green buildings: A Maltese perspective

As construction and building development increases in the local scene, and the threat of climate change escalates, addressing green buildings on the national agenda is of vital importance. The building sector has a significant potential to implement positive change and hence become more efficient in terms of resource use. The term ‘green’ has been widely used throughout the last few decades to denote environmentally friendly policies, principles and measures. The ever growing popularity of the term was brought about by increasing concerns and issues such as those pertaining to climate change, energy crisis and resource depletion. Central to this debate are buildings, land use and development. Buildings have been identified as a major contributor and driver of climate change. In Malta, the ‘green debate’ emerged in the early nineties with its importance increasing year after year on the national agenda. This was further stimulated through Malta’s accession to the European Union; a process which saw local premature environmental legislation becoming coherent to EU futuristic policies. This thesis examines green building concepts, principles and practices within the Maltese context. This thesis explores the concept of a green building and the elements associated with its design and construction as well as the characteristics and influence of the various building rating systems

The Politics of Public Ownership: Preservation Advocacy for Modern Municipal Resources

Advocacy is central to the work of preservationists, yet the particular set of issues that must be addressed when advocating for the preservation of Modern municipal buildings is a topic that has not been previously explored. In addition to the challenges commonly confronted when advocating for the preservation of postwar resources, monumental Modern municipal buildings face substantive obstacles that emanate exclusively from their municipal ownership. Challenges encountered firsthand in advocating for the preservation of the Philadelphia Police Administration Building (the Roundhouse) serve as the primary motivation for this study which investigates the determining factors that lead to the successful preservation of Modern municipally owned buildings. Through case studies on the advocacy efforts for Boston City Hall, the Los Angeles Police Facilities Building (Parker Center), and the Philadelphia Police Administration Building, this thesis presents a series of best practices for both grassroots and organizational preservation advocates. The established recommendations are the result of empirical evidence obtained through interviews with individuals presently advocating for the preservation of Modern municipal buildings, those involved with local and national preservation organizations, municipal staff, and scholars in the field of Modern architectural preservation. While theoretical in nature, the presented strategies serve as sound maneuvers for shaping strategic plans for future efforts