The Communications Subcommittee is very happy to present this edition of Preservation Architect you. I believe we have assembled an issue that will give you a glimpse into some of the serious thinkers in our field of architecture. James Kienle, AIA takes the argument of historic buildings being “green” to the forefront with his excellent article. James’s article makes a very important point regarding our dialogue with other practitioners: that historic spaces are green, always have been green and always will be green. It is a dialogue that we of the Communications Subcommittee see as essential to the continued work of the HRC.

When I read the precise for Gina Crevello on Electrochemical Conservation of Historic Buildings, I was impressed with the rigor of Gina’s work in this field. The final article reviewed by Raymond Plume, FAIA of your committee was not a disappointment. Raymond gave the final drafts high marks and I believe you will as well. I also feel that the article really opens a door on the potential of the fascinating application of knowledge of physics and electricity to our world of stabilization and conservation. It is a good read. The that truly turned up my creative juices, however, was Charles Phillips, AIA A Reliquary for Menokin. When the abstract for Charles’s work came across my desk several months ago, and having a sound knowledge of the work at Menokin here in Virginia, I thought the notion a bit absurd. Bowing to my instincts for scholarship at the edge of the box, however, I asked Charles to develop the thesis and give us an article. When I read the first draft I was amazed, as I am time after time with Charles Phillip’s thinking, at the plausibility and possibility of such an undertaking. Encapsulation in glass of truly significant monuments, in whatever condition they might exist, as a conservation tool took on new meaning for me, and I was convinced. Some may recall that this was Charles’s painstaking question at the APT meeting in New Orleans during the mind eighties that lead to the New Orleans Charter, and a serious effort to convince our colleagues to reconsider climate control inside historic building envelopes. Kudos to Charles.

Finally, we conclude with an exposition of the fine Historic Preservation program at the University of Texas School of Architecture in Austin. Started by Blake Alexander and Wayne Bell, FAIA in the seventies, the program has produced many accomplished practitioners to the field today. Professor Michael Holleran gives us a glimpse into this fine program and his new Chairmanship of the program as well as a glimpse as to what is in the future. With the partnerships and strategic initiatives Michael is building, the program continues on sound footing to assist the beginning professional for at lest the next two decades.

In the coming issues, we will continue on course to explore the Classicists Point of View, and then turn ahead to look at the field of Historic Buildings of the Recent Past. This subject was also the subject of the recent symposium at the Center of Heritage Conservation at Texas A&M this past month and we are hoping to glean some articles from the presentations of that meeting.

~Don Swofford, FAIA
2008 Chair, AIA/HRC Communications Subcommittee