AIC's 53rd Annual Meeting

For various decades, countless natural threats —particularly hurricanes— have assailed Puerto Rican built heritage. Even in recent years, the effects of climate change have increased the intensity of these phenomena. Besides all the havoc, the recurrence of these events threatens the conservation of built heritage. However, climate change is not the sole risk factor for historic properties. Factors such as planning and preservation policy, urban development, and financial stability further exacerbate the vulnerability of historic buildings in Puerto Rico. As a potential step forward, vulnerability assessments are a proper tool to understand the vulnerability of historic sites from climate change vis-à-vis these external factors. Vulnerability assessments (VAs) generally allow exploring how ecosystems, communities, and historic properties are vulnerable to a changing climate. In the long-term process, VAs help identify potential mitigation and adaptation measures that contribute to decreasing vulnerability and protecting resources for long-term resiliency. Nevertheless, most of these existing tools focus on a particular historic resource and its specific conditions. This approach complicates the possibility of applying a protocol on a larger scale to other historic sites and resources because it overlooks the socioeconomic, cultural, and political histories, decisions, and processes that can aggravate the vulnerability of an overall region.

Considering the strengths and limitations of the existing heritage-focused tools, this paper proposes an alternative and experimental framework for VAs that addresses how general external factors beyond the particularities of a specific historic site can further influence the vulnerability of historic properties of an overall region. The methodological alternative is based on a multidisciplinary analysis of the geographical and historical complexities of the Central Aguirre Historic District in the southeastern municipality of Salinas in Puerto Rico, a former sugar mill company town that functioned from 1899 to 1990. A set of overarching questions about Puerto Rican history and the historic district’s conditions led to the development of the alternative VA protocol, composed of different indicators and criteria that range from policy, economy, conditions, and social issues. This proposal facilitates the calculation of the climatic vulnerability of Puerto Rican built heritage in general, quantifying the vulnerability of historic properties vis-à-vis environmental, political, sociocultural, and historical conditions in the archipelago. An applied protocol test with twenty properties out of the over four hundred properties of the historic district demonstrated how varied circumstances (such as ownership, current conditions, materials, and use of incentives) can sway the vulnerability of historic properties despite exposure to climatic risks. In the end, this result captures how the proposed framework can respond to the environmental and historical particularities of the archipelago when trying to understand the vulnerability of historic properties regardless of their location.

Esteemed American horticulturist and author of The Architecture of Country Houses, A.J. Downing played a pivotal role in the emergence of the American Picturesque movement of the mid-19th century. His ideals are expressed in the minutiae of material usage and finishes as well as in the pattern books that resulted from his influence. Over time, his work has shaped scholars’ understanding of the architectural colors of the period. Despite A.J. Downing’s well-documented influence on the American Picturesque movement, little empirical research has been conducted on the actual use of color in architecture from this period. Most existing studies are unpublished and largely inaccessible, creating a gap in our understanding of how Downing’s theories were applied in practice. Ivy Lodge, a key example of mid-19th-century Italianate architecture in Philadelphia’s Germantown neighborhood, offers a rare opportunity to analyze original finishes that have remained largely intact. By examining the paint layers and comparing them with Downing’s pattern book prescriptions, this study not only challenges prevailing assumptions about his influence but also provides crucial insight into the material culture of the American Picturesque. The findings contribute to the field of architectural conservation by offering new data on historic color practices, helping to refine our understanding of 19th-century American aesthetics and their practical applications. Using cross-sectional and polarizing light microscopy to analyze paint samples, the paper illuminates the chosen color palette. It offers perspective on the actual influence of pattern books and Downing’s specific prescriptions for color during the American Picturesque Movement.

The analysis of Ivy Lodge's paint layers reveals a dominant early finish of white lead-based paint rather than the anticipated earthen tones displayed in Downing’s pattern books. Later layers introduced colors like gray, brown, and green, aligning with the period's broader palette. Differences in stratigraphy among windows and exterior details suggest varying approaches to trim and cornice paint, with some dark gray paints appearing in isolated areas. These findings challenge the assumption that Ivy Lodge's color scheme followed A.J. Downing’s recommendations for the American Picturesque Movement. While Downing advocated for natural tints and rejected white exteriors, Ivy Lodge's white-painted trim more closely aligns with earlier Colonial and Georgian aesthetics, suggesting that the homeowners may have blended Downing’s ideals with prior influences. Furthermore, the later introduction of Picturesque colors in the 1870s, post-Downing era, implies that his influence may have expanded over time rather than being immediately adopted. This study broadens our understanding of mid-19th-century American architectural finishes, questioning the extent of Downing’s impact on contemporary color choices.

Originally constructed in 1879, the Conservatory of Flowers in the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California is a rare example of the wood-and-glass conservatory in the late Victorian style constructed using early techniques of mass production and assembly of simple glass units. Following extensive wood decay and significant windstorm damage, the building underwent extensive restoration and structural upgrades from 1998 to 2002.

Preserving and maintaining an active greenhouse is no easy task, and working around plants that cannot be moved or environmental conditions that cannot be drastically altered calls for careful planning and thorough research and material testing, even for the simplest tasks, such as painting. This presentation aims to review some of the unique challenges that we have come across during our three decades of work at the Conservatory of Flowers and the rigorous planning and research we had to conduct to extend the maintenance window of the building while having minimal impact on its unique aesthetic and the collection of rare and exotic plants. Two projects we aim to discuss are the replacement of failed glazing putty with silicone extrusions and surface preparation and painting mock-ups in the Conservatory’s Aquatic Plants gallery. They provided opportunities to consider and evaluate alternate solutions for longevity, durability, and appropriateness to the unique environment of the Conservatory of Flowers.

Join our second annual examination of practice panel at the 2025 Meeting. This year, we will dive into the topic of laser cleaning on masonry to look at the development and efficacy of treatments both past and current. Panelists will introduce the mechanics of laser ablation before moving into a Q+A session meant to spark conversation on the successes and limitations of this approach for cleaning masonry materials. This is intended to be a collaborative event, gathering colleagues and their valuable insights from all specialty groups. We hope to see you there!