Browsing by Subject "Historic buildings -- United States -- Evaluation"
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Item Change as an Historic Feature in the Preservation of Places Related to Science and Technology(2006) Braun, Julie; MA in Historic PreservationThe rapidly increasing social and technological change that hallmark the 20th and 21st centuries is reflected in building construction linked to those changes. This thesis examines change as inevitable and accelerating and as a historic feature that must be considered in preservation. Research compares commemoration of achievements with physical preservation of places and draws significant distinctions between the two. The research furthermore illustrates the limitations of the traditional approach of historic preservation thought and application. This research found that American society has grown more accepting and tolerant of diversity; however, there is not a corresponding diversity in the application of the National Register criteria and preservation of some historic places. In many cases National Register of Historic Places criteria are applied so narrowly that some property types lose protections afforded them as National Historic Landmarks because change was neither recognized nor valued as an important feature. In particular, these are historic places that are associated with broad patterns in our nation’s history that may be historically important but that must change to remain functional, and therefore, have been deemed unworthy of physical preservation. Research revealed two primary reasons why this attitude exists. First, some preservationists have a material bias associated with Western philosophy and their professional training in architectural history and archaeology. Second, research found that understanding of places of scientific and technical discovery is a semantic issue. The words preservation and commemoration have specific meanings to specific people and groups. These words, as defined, have caused misunderstandings among scientists and preservationists. The thesis is organized in five main chapters. Chapter I presents the philosophical framework and background information and Chapter II provides general information on commemoration and preservation. Chapter III discusses commemoration and preservation of places of scientific and atomic discovery, and Chapter IV presents specific examples of these places and changes made to them through time. Chapter V provides conclusions reached during the study, research findings, and recommendations for new guidelines and future research.Item This Debris Matters: Preserving Fire-Damaged Historic Buildings(2013) Utt, Emily; MA in Historic PreservationHistoric buildings are damaged every year by fire. Without proper intervention many of these buildings are demolished or altered without understanding the property’s significance. This thesis research addresses the question: can a historic building damaged by fire retain its significance and integrity? Specifically it asks: can a historic building damaged by fire retain its significance and integrity as defined by the National Register of Historic Places? To address this question, this thesis research examines how different preservation standards are applied to preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, and reconstruction activities. It also examines the close interaction required for these activities by a number of stakeholders including property owners, architects, engineers, fire professionals, insurance companies, and historic preservation professionals. This treatise is organized in two general parts. The first part examines how significance, identity, and integrity are understood by preservation professionals, as specifically related to fire damaged buildings. It also examines firefighting, fire investigation, and insurance, and their role in preserving a building’s significance, identity, and integrity. The second part consists of four case studies to place the hypothesis in real world context. This analysis shows that a building can retain significance and integrity after being damaged by fire. This thesis research shows the importance of integrity of association and feeling in post-fire preservation. These two aspects of integrity can sometimes outweigh other aspects of integrity after a catastrophic event. This research also shows the importance of a building’s identity. A building with historic significance but little identity sometimes has little chance of being preserved. However, a building with immense identity but little historic significance will be preserved because the community becomes a partner in preservation.