Like undertakers preparing a body for viewing, heritage conservationists often find themselves in the curious position of preserving something that has already died. Yet this preservation is further complicated by a generational paradox: those doing the preserving are typically not those who knew the “body” when it was alive. Instead, each generation becomes the caretakerContinue reading “The Afterlife of Buildings”
Tag Archives: architecture
The Private Surveyor
For years, a vintage postcard of Prague has held court on my studio table, a daily touchstone that speaks to something deeper than mere architecture. The Gothic spires and medieval towers rising against that moody sky aren’t just picturesque – they’ve fundamentally shaped how I see the world around me. Through this image, I’ve understoodContinue reading “The Private Surveyor”
Artificial Intelligence: Preservation, Destruction, and Cultural Intelligence
Attending Pratt’s conference on “Preservation in a Time of Precarity: Intersecting Indigenous Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence” laid bare the profound complexities of AI as both a preserver and a transformer of cultural heritage. The day’s discussions examined how our relationship with AI technology mirrors many of humanity’s historical patterns – it can either amplify ourContinue reading “Artificial Intelligence: Preservation, Destruction, and Cultural Intelligence”
Layers of Self: Identities in Transition
Like a person, a neighborhood carries the weight of its history in its name – a linguistic fossil that can outlive its original meaning. The Meatpacking District is now a paradox: a place defined by an industry that will soon be completely absent from its streets. This phenomenon creates what we might call a “nomenclatureContinue reading “Layers of Self: Identities in Transition”
One-night Stand: Living in the Shadows of a Diagram
I entered this one-night stand in a state of transition, personally and professionally. I hoped an overnight stay at the Pope Villa would take my mind off my situation and redirect my thinking outward. No such luck. Pope Villa, located in Lexington, Kentucky, was designed in 1811 by Benjamin Henry Latrobe for Senator John PopeContinue reading “One-night Stand: Living in the Shadows of a Diagram”
Nothing & Everything
As I walk past the white clapboard building on the corner, watching workers shore up its failing foundation with temporary beams and plywood barriers, I can’t help but feel a deep unease about what will emerge when the work is done. I’ve spent years studying and working in preservation, always wrestling with this fundamental tensionContinue reading “Nothing & Everything”
Twisted Preservation 