http://rmhf2009.com/ Richard Morris Hunt Fellowship 2009-2010 en-us Nucleus CMS v3.32 � Weblog http://backend.userland.com/rss http://rmhf2009.com//nucleus/nucleus2.gif http://rmhf2009.com/ http://rmhf2009.com/index.php?itemid=289 Between Tradition and Innovation: Achieving Design Harmony in Historic Contexts, Using Traditional Craftsmanship and 21st-century Technology." You can follow his experiences at his blog.

Vanessa Fernandez, the 2010 Fellow, recently completed her final of three two-month visits to the United States. Her topic of research: "Innovation for Preservation. 21st- century tools to restore 20th century heritage."

More information on the research of all Hunt Fellows, as well as current activities, can be found on the newly launched Richard Morris Hunt Fellowship website. ]]> About Richard Morris Hunt Fellowship http://rmhf2009.com/index.php?itemid=289 Sat, 24 Sep 2011 10:03:29 -0700 http://rmhf2009.com/index.php?itemid=287 Copyright & Disclaimer http://rmhf2009.com/index.php?itemid=287 Fri, 12 Aug 2011 06:30:57 -0700 http://rmhf2009.com/index.php?itemid=132 Update 5 July 2010 -- Even though the Commission nationale des monuments historiques accepted the proposed modifications to the ancient Bibliothéque Nationale de France (BNF) last fall, the debate has not stopped there. The debate centers around the potential loss of a protected stair of honor, designed by Jean-Louis Pascal (architect BNF 1875-1912). There have been two news reports, indicating that the Minister of Culture himself, Frédéric Mitterand, is intervening: Le Monde, 3 March 2010 and Le Figaro, 21 April 2010. ICOMOS France is hosting a 2-day workshop on the proposed project and associated issues, 5-6 July 2010, in Paris.

Stair of Honor
Stair of Honor, view from the bottom.

Stair of Honor
Stair of Honor, from the bottom side.

Stair of Honor
Stair of Honor, view from the top.

2 November 2009 -- In the United States, when a proposed alteration to a significant historic monument is controversial and cannot be resolved at the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) level, the issue is taken to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. In France, when a proposed alteration to a historic monument is problematic, the proposed design is taken to the Commission nationale des monuments historiques, a group of approximately 20-25 people representing a wide range of disciplines: architecture, architectural history, archaeology, etc., as stipulated by the law.

About once a year a really problematic case comes before the Commission nationale des monuments historiques sur les travaux - and a site visit is required. Today I joined the Commission nationale on a special tour of the Bibliotheque Nationale, rue de Richelieu, in preparation for their meeting a week from today. A change in occupancy from the National Library of France to an Arts University Library precipated the proposed project. Access and circulation are the primary functional drivers for the proposed changes, which may alter facades to add entryways and may replace an interior grand stair to improve spatial connections. Unlike in the US, Commission Nationale meetings are not open to the public.

Labrouse Reading Room
Reading Room designed by Henri Labrouste and completed in 1862. ]]> Week 07 - Commission Nationale des MH http://rmhf2009.com/index.php?itemid=132 Mon, 5 Jul 2010 03:30:00 -0700 http://rmhf2009.com/index.php?itemid=119 Update 5 July 2010 -- Attention on preservation issues in China have come to American attention with the opening of the Shanghai Expo 2010. On 2 May 2010, the New York Times published a detailed description of various buildings and neighborhoods - threatened and protected - in Shanghai. The article highlights the efforts of the Ruan Yisan Foundation. Many of these sites were featured in the exposition at the Musée Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine (Oct-Dec 2009). I have added some images from the exposition to my Week 5 blog entry "Water Towns".

20 October 2009 -- This week begins a three-week stay with the Ministry of Culture in Paris. The week actually began at 8 AM on Sunday when I joined a Chinese delegation of preservationists on a two-day bus tour of the Loire Valley: Château de Chambord, Château de Chenonceau, the Cathédral Saint-Gatien in Tours, the Château de Chinon followed by the historic center of Chinon, and several welcoming receptions by officials as well as in a lovely modernized 15th or 16th century private home in l'Ile d'Or, next to Ambroise. The visit coincided with the grand opening of an exhibition on Cities and Heritage in China at the Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine in Paris and the publication of a book on the historic Water Towns of the lower Yangzee River.

Exhibition Installation
Finishing touches being put on the exhibition at the Cité.

In China, the rapid pace of economic development is threatening significant historic sites across the country. In 2006, Professor Ruan Yisan created a foundation to raise awareness and to facilitate preservation of historic buildings and towns. It is the first non-governmental organization (NGO) created regarding historic preservation in China: Ruan Yisan Heritage Foundation


Professor Ruan Yisan speaking at a formal meeting between the Chinese delagation and Isabelle Maréchal, Adjunct Director of Direction de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine(DAPA), Ministère de la Culture et Communication (MCC)

For images from the exhibition "Cities and Heritage in China", click on "Read More". Pingyao
Pingyao, the first protected city in China.

Former Jewish quarter in Shanghai
Tilanqiao, the former Jewish quarter in Shanghai

Former Jewish quarter in Shanghai
Tilanqiao, Former Jewish quarter in Shanghai

Industrial Heritage, River Suzhou
Industrial Heritage, River Suzhou - traveling from the west to the port of Shanghai.]]> Week 05 - Loire Valley & Chinese (MCC) http://rmhf2009.com/index.php?itemid=119 Mon, 5 Jul 2010 02:30:00 -0700 http://rmhf2009.com/index.php?itemid=264
May 12-16 was the 2010 Richard Morris Hunt Fellows reunion conference in Chicago. Organized by Mary Brush, AIA, 2005 Hunt Fellow and Preservation Group Leader at Holabird & Root, in collaboration with the American Architectural Foundation, the reunion conference continued the rich cross-pollination between French and American fellows, our sponsors and supporting organizations. Fourteen fellows participated, including the first French and American ones. Five fellows (Mary Brush, Kyle Brooks, Linda Stevenson, Ruth Todd, and Yves Deflandre) presented their recent professional work, and the two most recent fellows (Diego Rodriguez and myself) presented our research. The 2008 fellow, Diego Rodriguez, reflected on contemporary design in historic contexts, and encouraged all to think about the growth and change that is required as we pass our heritage on from one generation to another, to keep it rich with life and meaning.

The fellows also welcomed Vanessa Fernandez, the 2010 recipient. Experienced in the restoration of 20th century French modernism, Vanessa will be researching "21st century technologies for the restoration of 20th century architecture". She will begin her investigations in America for two months this summer. Due to her teaching obligations in France, she will continue her research in early 2011.

John Syvertsen, FAIA, President of OWP/P | Cannon Design and AAF Board Member, graciously hosted the opening reception. The OWP/P offices have received a LEED-CI Gold Rating from the US Green Building Council and afforded excellent views of the City Hall and County roofs. Another AAF Board Member, Stephen Bonner and his wife Lisa generously opened their home for an honors dinner, where individual certificates were bestowed upon each fellow. I was honored with a certificate in anticipation of the completion of my final report!

John Robbins, First RMHF
John Robbins, the first Hunt fellow, receiving his certificate from co-founder Michèle le Menestrel-Ullrich and Ron Bogle, AAF President and CEO. John is now Deputy Administrator of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.

In conjunction with the reunion conference, the first French Hunt Fellow, Pierre-Antoine Gatier, ACMH, IGMH, publicly presented his recent restoration projects of Le Corbusier's Maison La Roche in Paris and Eileen Gray's Villa E.1027 in the south of France. Lafarge, who became a funding partner for the Hunt Fellowship in 2009, also provided significant technical and financial assistance for the restoration of Villa E.1027. This well-attend public presentation was co-hosted at the Chicago Architectural Foundation, a partner of the American Architectural Foundation.

The fellows benefited from special tours of local landmarks, sophisticated examples of restored, revitilized, and city centers and urban campuses.
- Vegetated roof of the 1911 Chicago City Hall
- Vegetated roof of the 1897 Cultural Center and its Tiffany dome, restoration designed by Holabird & Root
- Aqua Tower, a new 82-story skyscraper designed by Studio Gang Architects and featured on the cover of the May 2010 issue of Architectural Record
- Recent restorations and additions at Mies van der Rohe's Illinois Institute of Technology, as presented by Patrick Rosen (Holabird & Root)
- Unversity Park Condominums, by architect Araldo Cussatto, FAIA, and a long-time supporter of the fellowship
- Chicago Theological Seminary, tour led by architect Ann Beha, FAIA, now charged with transforming the seminary building into the Milton Friedman Institute for Research in Economics at the University of Chicago
- Keck & Keck private residence in Hyde Park
- Muchin Magnet High School in the Loop, designed by Wheeler Kearns, that stimulated much discussion into education differences between the US and France
- Krause Music Store in Lincoln Square, rehabilitation by Wheeler Kearns
Many thanks to all our guides and organizers.

To see more photos and highlights from the conference, associated tours and special events, please click on "Read More". Fellows Reunion Conference
The offices of Holabird & Root provided an inspiring venue for reunion conference meetings. Fellows flank Ron Bogle, President & CEO of the American Architectural Foundation, and Michèle le Menestrel-Ullrich, co-founder of the Richard Morris Hunt Fellowship. Alan Schwartzmann, FAIA, another long-time supporter of the fellowship, is seated to Ron's right.

Vanessa Fernandez
Vanessa Fernandez, the 2010 Fellow, presenting her recent study of the original natural ventilation design of the 1958 UNESCO building, by Breuer-Nervi-Zehrfuss in Paris.

Chicago City Hall's green roof
The vegetated roof of Chicago City Hall includes beehives, a tree, and parapet walls too shallow to allow for unsupervised public access. The adjacent Cook County building has a white (high albedo) roof, affording a comparison between the environmental benefits of these approaches to "green" roofs. When the vegetated roof was installed, the County building roof was a black asphalt roof. Early studies showed the dramatic benefits of the vegetated roof. On a hot humid afternoon, we were impressed with the comfortable climate of this beautiful roof garden.

Araldo
Architect Araldo Cossutta, FAIA, now in his 80's, provides insights into his design for the University Park Condominiums, one of the urban redesign efforts of the 1960's in Hyde Park. It is technologically notable for the narrow window surrounds of its prefabricated concrete facades.

Ann Beha
Ann Beha, FAIA, was recently commissioned to implement the transformation of the Chicago Theological Seminary, rich with Christian imagery, into the Milton Friedman Institute for Research in Economics. As Preservation Group Leader, Holabird & Root, Mary Brush, led the preceding feasibility study effort for the University of Chicago.

IIT after
Wishnick Hall (1945-46) was designed by Mies van der Rohe at the Illinois Institute of Technology; this image shows Wishnick Hall after its recent restoration by Holabird & Root (2008).

IIT before
The adjacent Siegel Hall (1945) is very similar to Wishnick Hall, and shows what the before conditions were, including rusting steel, single-glazed windows, and window air conditioning units.

Larry Kearns, Krause Music Store
Larry Kearns, Wheeler Kearns showed us their rehabilitation of the Krause Music Store, the last commission of Louis Sullivan. The ornate terracotta tile facade was restored and the interior renovated into offices for Studio V Design.

Jazz at The Green Mill
Following the green preservation theme, we found ourselves immersed in jazz at The Green Mill, a Chicago institution. ]]> Postscript: 2010 RMHFReunion Conference http://rmhf2009.com/index.php?itemid=264 Sun, 13 Jun 2010 12:58:20 -0700 http://rmhf2009.com/index.php?itemid=271
Scott at Beaubourg
Scott relaxing at the Centre Pompideau rooftop cafe, that provides fantastic birdeye views over the 3rd arrondissment, part of the Marais Secteur Sauvegardé, and central Paris.

View from Notre Dame de Paris
View from the towers at Notre Dame de Paris, which were heavily restored in the 19th century by Viollet-le-duc. In the pavement, you can see the outline of earlier buildings, testimony to earlier times. The banks of the Seine, from the Louvre to the Eiffel Tower, are a UNESCO World Heritage SiteDouble windows at the Rodin Museum
Double windows and interior shutters at the Rodin Museum, Paris -- held wide open at a museum on a gorgeous April day.

Louvre "Do Not..."
The universal language of pictures is demonstrated in the "Do Not ... " signage at the Louvre.

The Roman arena in Nimes
The Roman arena in Nimes, was built under Emperor Augustus in the 1st century A.D. and is purported to be the best preserved amphitheater of the Roman era. (Image: SSP)

Gladiator re-enactments in the Nimes arena.
One weekend a year, the Nimes arena is brought to life through gladiator re-enactments, the Great Roman Games.

Maison Carrée in Nimes
Recently restored rear facade of the Maison Carrée in Nimes, another Roman masterpiece, with the 1993 Contemporary Arts Museum to the left by Sir Norman Foster. The juxtaposition of new and old creates architectures true to each time and strengthens the vibrancy within the close quarters of the medieval historical center of Nimes.

Pont du Gard
Roman aquaduct over the River Gardon in southern France; the aquaduct carried water for 500 years. The stones of the Pont du Gard are covered in grafitti; many are marks of the Compagnons who helped conserve and restore the bridge from as early as 1611. Pont du Gard is a UNESCO world heritage site.

Pont du Gard
The Roman aquaduct of the Pont du Gard carried water to the city of Nimes over 50 kilometers from a source near Uzès. Today, kilometers of walking paths follow the ruins on either side of the Pont du Gard. This photograph shows the enormous size of the water channel, as well as glimpse of the cement lining.

Aigues Mortes from the canal
The walled city of Aigues Mortes and adjacent canals were developed by King Louis IX (Saint Louis) in 1240 as a launch-point for crusades in the Mediterranean to take back the Holy Land from the Muslims. Saint Louis embarked on the seventh (1248) and eighth (1270) crusades from here.

Aigues Mortes
The town walls of Aigues Mortes were entered in the Register of Historical Monuments in 1903. The salt hills are visible in the distance, right side.

Flamingoes with salt hills behind them
Flamingos with salt hills behind them in the Camargue. Salt is gathered in an evaporation method. In the briny waters, a red plankton flourishes. The flamingos turn pink from eating this plankton.

Chateau Peyrepertuse
The hilltop castle of Peyrepertuse blends into the hillsite, as seen from the road below.

Lower Castle of Peyrepertuse
The lower castle of Peyrepertuse, seen here, dates to pre-French times; the upper castle was built by King Louis IX (Saint Louis). Peyrepertuse was one of a chain of five castles that protected France against Spain.

Peyrepertuse
The castle of Peyrepertuse had four cisterns. One is located behind Scott, who is standing in the doorway of the chapel.

Circle town
Medieval town laid out in a circle around the church. There are maybe 1,000 of these in southern/southwestern France. (Image: SSP)

Canal du Midi, Trebes
The Canal du Midi, built between 1667 and 1694, travels 360 kilometers from Toulouse to the Mediterranean. Today it is largely used by tourist boats. We watched a young boy catch his first eel on the banks near Trèbes, 7 kilometers east of Carcassonne. The Canal du Midi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Reconstructed windmill in the Montagne Noir
Reconstructed windmill in the Black Mountains, northeast of Carcassonne. Wind powered the millstones.

Modern windmills
Modern "éoliens" or wind-turbines along the road between Carcassonne and Nimes. The French government has created large incentives for landowners to install wind-turbines, creating much debate in historical and natural landscapes, such as around the Mont Saint Michel on the English Channel.

Camargue bulls, horses, and cowboys
Camargue bulls, horses and cowboys. (Image: SSP)

Young Camargue horses
Young Camargue horses are born with varying degrees of grey and brown, but turn pure white by three years of age.
]]> Vacation Adventures http://rmhf2009.com/index.php?itemid=271 Sun, 13 Jun 2010 10:05:49 -0700 http://rmhf2009.com/index.php?itemid=263
La Tour Lopez was designed and constructed between 1952 and 1959 as the offices for "La Caisse Centrale des Allocations Familiales de la Région Parisienne" (CAF). The architectural team was Raymond Lopez, Marcel Reby in collaboration with Simone Lopez, Michel Holley and Henri Longepierre. The building represented mid-century experimentation with architecture, technology and urban design. Lower height buildings lined the street edge, but the tower was rotated at the center of the block. Architecturally, the buildings, especially the tower, explored the open floor plan with a central core and structure that allowed the maximum flexibility in the arrangement of interior offices. The tower utilizes a steel structure in contrast to the reinforced concrete structures more typically used in France and represented an experiment in the construction efficiencies and economies of this industrialized material and a plasticized curtain wall assembly.

Historic view of La Tour Lopez
Historic view of the CAF

La Tour Lopez, April 2010
La Tour Lopez in April 2010, completed and awaiting its new occupants.In 1997, the CAF sought to restructure their lot in the 15th arrondissement in Paris and requested a demolition permit of the tower. In their eyes, the tower had become obsolete and the workplace conditions were poor, due to the total absence of acoustic and thermal insulation, minimal to no protection against fire, and degraded facade panels.

The demolition request triggered the French Ministry of Culture to seek protection of the tower as a significant 20th century structure. It was listed on the French Inventaire Supplémentaire des Monuments Historiques in 1998, but the CAF contested this listing in court. In 2002, the highest court, the Conseil d'Etat, ultimately de-listed the building, and the CAF again submitted a request for a demolition permit for the tower to the city of Paris.

The permission to demolish the tower was not granted, although demolition of some of the smaller buildings on the lot was granted by the SDAP. While the tower itself was not listed, any proposed work on the tower and its adjacent buildings remained subject to the review and approval of the Service Départemental de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine (SDAP) of Paris, under the "titre des abords des monuments historiques" (see Endnote 1).

In 2002, OGIC and BNP Paribas Immobilier became involved. Together with the architects Dominique Hertenberger and Arte Charpentier, they designed a transformation of the lot and the tower. Their goals: for the tower to retain the functionality, transparence and modernity of its original conception, while providing the modularity, luminosity, and energy performance of a contemporary office building. The tower boasts a new double glass skin facade and has earned the HQE label (démarche Haute Qualité Environmentale). The secondary buildings have been replaced with 150 housing units, including 40 social housing units. The housing buildings are broken up to provide views from the street of the central tower.

The environmental successes include the following.
- improved integration into its urban site
- reduced impact of the construction site on its neighbors and environment (acoustics, run-off, waste, truck management, etc.)
- exemplery energy performance benefiting from the city's district heating system and a new double glass facade designed to admit light but control solar gain, and allow for natural ventilation
- interior designed to provide a comfortable workplace environment, with acoustical separation from the urban site, high ceilings to allow daylight to penetrate deep into the interior, operable shades to allow control of direct sunlight adjacent to the windows, etc.
- reduced operational costs: in addition to reduced energy usage, rainwater will be recuperated to irrigate the gardens, and controls help reduce use of potable water.

Model of the proposed renovation
Architectural model of the proposed renovation

Housing
Views of the tower are afforded between the new apartment buildings along the street

The reflection of La Tour Eiffel
The Eiffel Tower is visible from La Tour Lopez. This view also shows the windows shades located within the double skin curtain wall, provided to give occupants solar control.

Typical office interior
A typical office floor benefits from a raised access floor and tall windows and high ceilings that follow the upward taper of the structural beams.

The cafeteria
The renovated cafeteria on the first floor reuses the bubble skylights of the original design.

le livre "La Tour Lopez"
More information on the project can be found in the book, "La Tour Lopez: 1952 > 2009 La Renaissance d'une Belle Endormie"
-------------------
Endnote 1. The "titre des abords" is the rule that anything within a 500 meter radius or that is co-visible with a historic monument is subject to review and approval by the Minister of Culture. Initial review occurs at the départemental level, by the SDAP. If the proposed work is controversial or has a substantial impact on a historic monument, then a secondary review may occur at the regional level (DRAC), and a third and final review may occur at the national level, by the Commission Supérieur des Monuments Historiques.
]]> Weeks 23-26 http://rmhf2009.com/index.php?itemid=263 Sat, 5 Jun 2010 16:39:14 -0700 http://rmhf2009.com/index.php?itemid=262 Palais Royal is located just north of the Louvre. Architectural work there is managed in a similar way to that at the Louvre, however here some of its complexity derives from the many groups of occupants and owners. The southern section houses governmental groups -- the Conseil d'Etat at the south side, the Constitutional Council at the southeast side, the Ministry of Culture at the southwest side, a bank at the northwest side, a theater at the northeast corner, and about 100 private residences and shops at the north and northeast sides. With so many owners and uses, managing the cohesiveness of the exterior envelope, its historic elements and new features, is challenging.

Similar to the Louvre, architectural work at the Louvre involves the SDAP de Paris and an Architecte en Chef des Monuments Historiques. These are images of the Palais Royal, from several site visits with the SDAP.

Palais Royale north court
North court of Palais Royal, east side. A view of four or five bays, each with several floors of private apartments. Some have retail shops on the ground floor level behind the arcade. Jardin du Palais Royale
The garden of the Palais Royal (north court), designed by architect Victor Louis in 1784

South court of Palais Royale
The "Colonnes de Buren" sculpture in the south court of the Palais Royal dates to 1986 and reopened in January 2010 after an extensive restoration.

Conseil Constitutionel
Historic interior of the Conseil Constitutionel

Recently renovated attic of Conseil Constitutionel
Recently renovated attic of Conseil Constitutionel, with the structural ironwork designed by the 18th century architect Victor Louis.

Victor Louis iron detail
Iron was a new material to architects at this time, and many of the details are based on wood trusses, as the structural properties and behaviors of iron were not yet well understood. In the restoration, special fireproofing paints were applied to the newly re-exposed iron members.

]]> Weeks 23-26 http://rmhf2009.com/index.php?itemid=262 Sat, 5 Jun 2010 13:50:34 -0700 http://rmhf2009.com/index.php?itemid=257
LouvreOne of the recent efforts of the ACMH was to select the best materials and methods to clean the facades for the next 10-30 years. This effort included the scientific expertise of the Laboratoire de Recherche des Monuments Historiques (LRMH, see Week 17). M. Goutal explained to me that several cleaning protocols were selected, depending on the location of the facade and the type of pollutants. For example, the area along Rue du Rivoli is heavily exposed to vehicle exhaust. Most of the vehicles in France run on diesel fuel. Those facades need a treatment that works best on the particulates deposited from diesel fuels. The court facades where there is little vehicular traffic are exposed to pollutants more associated with rain, etc, and cleaning protocols will need to be applied to these areas less frequently than on the facades adjacent to the streets. The studies found about four different conditions in all. Cleaning tests were finishing up during my visit; I hope they will be published in Monument, the journal of the Centre des Monuments Historiques, or other publications.

Louvre stone cleaning tests
Cleaning tests on the south facade, adjacent to the Seine.

The SDAP shared with me two projects they were working on. The first was a children's garden within the Tuileries that was under construction. The second involved selecting a roofing contractor for a contract similiar to IDIQ (indefinite deliverable indefinite quantities) contracts in the USA. IDIQ contracts are typically not for a specific project, but rather are a means for an Owner to obtain competitive bids and have a team of people ready and available to work on smaller projects. Typically the IDIQ contracts have a maximum dollar or euro amount. Like in America, the contractors are given pre-bid tours of buildings or potential work areas -- and in this case, I benefited from a pre-bid tour of the Louvre roof for the contractors to help them better understand the issues they might encounter over the upcoming time period of the IDIQ.

Louvre roof
The complicated roof of the Louvre includes slate, metal (lead roofing and flashing), skylights and decorative sculptures.

Louvre construction of islamic art court
The court Visconti is currently under construction on the south side of the Louvre to create new gallery space for the Islamic Art collection.

Every two weeks or monthly, the Louvre architect/project manager leads a coordination meeting with the ACMH, SDAP, and any other active design team members, to review the status of the long list of projects currently in design or in construction. It is also in this meeting that any new problems observed in the field, such as cracked balcony edges. This kind of coordination and tracking meeting is essential to the management of a facility as immense as the Louvre and its associated gardens and courts.

Stone idenitification of statue tryptich in Louvre
Conservators talk with LRMH stone scientists, who are being asked to identify the source quarry for this statue at the Louvre. The Louvre is closed to the public on Tuesdays to facilitate conservation work on the artwork and the building.

Louvre gallery
With a building as large and complex as the Louvre, how are its occupants, its irreplaceable objects, and the building protected against fire? How is a 200-meter long gallery protected when architecturally it is impossible to add fire barrier walls, even hidden ones? One way: to provide an on-site fire department, and station a crew of fire fighters throughout the building at all times! ]]> Weeks 23-26 http://rmhf2009.com/index.php?itemid=257 Sat, 5 Jun 2010 06:13:38 -0700 http://rmhf2009.com/index.php?itemid=254
The last three weeks of the Fellowship I remained based in Paris, meeting with many individuals and wrapping up as much of my research as possible. More remains, but I hope to continue via the wonders of the internet as I begin preparing public presentations and my final report for the fellowship.

On April 13th, I made the first public presentation of my research in France at the annual meeting of the French Heritage Society in Paris. Much of the work of the French Heritage Society supports the restoration of chateaus across France; the evening's presentations reinforce how many wonderful historic buildings exist in France that are worthy of preservation. My presentation highlighted issues that at first may not have seemed as relevant to FHS membership, but everyone can agree on the costs of energy and the challenges that we face in learning how to reduce consumption without harming the architectural integrity, structural capabilities, or occupant health within traditional buildings. The support of the French Heritage Society, manifested in the daily individual attention of Simone Monneron and Michele le Menestrel-Ullrich, was essential and unforgettable. My gratitude to them is endless.

The week of April 17-25, my sweetheart Scott joined me in France, and we traveled to the southwest of France -- the Nimes and Carcassonne areas -- places I had not yet seen. Our sight-seeing including gladiator re-enactments in the Nimes Arena (2000 years old), the Maison Carrée in Nimes, the Pont du Gard, the medieval walled city of Aigues Mortes, the Camargue, several Cathar castles, the medieval walled city of Carcassonne heavily restored by Viollet-le-duc in the 19th century, and more. Thankfully, neither the volcano nor the train strikes slowed our travels, and the sites reinforced many of the lessons of the past six months.

I returned to work at Quinn Evans Architects on April 29th, and was immediately assigned an interesting project with an initial deadline 2 1/2 weeks later! The afternoon I arrived was a joint presentation between the Ann Arbor and DC offices on about 12 recent projects, presented by more junior staff. Projects included the Accident Fund Headquarters Building, Michigan; Franklin Court Museum, Philadelphia; Ann Arbor Municipal Building, Michigan; and H.D. Cooke Elementary School, DC; Crystal Lake Arts Center, Michigan; American University School of International Service, DC; University of Wisconsin School of Education Building, Madison; National Academy of Sciences, DC. The work is impressive, the individual commitment to excellence clear, and I am happy to have re-joined a firm with such a deep commitment to great design, staff development, and the joint missions of preservation and sustainability.

May 12-16 was the Richard Morris Hunt Fellows reunion conference in Chicago. Hosted by Mary Brush, 2005 Hunt Fellow, and the Director of Preservation at Holabird & Root, the reunion conference continued the rich cross-pollination between French and American fellows and our supporting organizations. Fourteen fellows participated, including the first French and American ones. Five fellows presented their recent professional work, and two most recent fellows presented our fellowship research. The 2008 fellow, Diego Rodriguez, reflected on contemporary design in historic contexts, and encouraged all to think about the growth and change that is required as we pass our heritage on from one generation to another, to keep it rich with life and meaning. The fellows also welcomed Vanessa Fernandez, the 2010 recipient. Experienced in the restoration of 20th century French modernism, Vanessa will be researching "21st century technologies for the restoration of 20th century architecture". She will begin her investigations in America for two months this summer. Due to her teaching obligations in France, she will continue her research in early 2010.

In conjunction with the reunion conference, the first French Hunt Fellow, Pierre-Antoine Gatier, ACMH, IGMH, presented his recent restoration projects of Le Corbusier's Maison La Roche in Paris and Eileen Gray's Villa E.1027 in the south of France. Lafarge, who became a funding partner for the Hunt Fellowship in 2009, also provided significant technical and financial assistance for the restoration of Villa E.1027. This well-attend public presentation was co-hosted at the Chicago Architectural Foundation, a partner of the American Architectural Foundation.

I cannot thank enough all of the individuals in France and America who so graciously met with me, suggested other contacts and resources, expanded my thinking, and expressed a sincere desire to continue the conversation. We have accomplished much, and there is much more to accomplish together. ]]> Weeks 23-26 http://rmhf2009.com/index.php?itemid=254 Sun, 23 May 2010 12:41:57 -0700