The Historic Dimension Series
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Concrete privacy in the Madmen era
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Originally found in high architectural designs, screen walls made of pierced, decorative concrete masonry units became ubiquitous across the American suburban landscape by the Atomic Age (1950s-1960s). This brief examines the history, application, technical issues, and preservation concerns for decorative concrete blocks, particularly as related to their exterior use. Key concepts include post-war suburban design, post-war material innovation, post-war DIY trends, and high design versus vernacular interpretations.
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Downtown Roots: Street Trees in Central Business Districts
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Throughout modern urban history, cities and towns have incorporated trees into their streetscapes in various ways and for various purposes. As today's cities work to revitalize their downtown commercial districts, the protection of existing trees and the installation of new ones is now viewed as an essential component of the revitalization and renewal process. This brief examines the history of street trees in urban environments, benefits to their use, and best practices regarding protection, selection, and maintenance. Key concepts discussed include street trees, the City Beautiful movement, the Main Street program, downtown historic districts, historic central business districts, urban planning and design, sustainability, and urban revitalization.
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Hotels Downtown: The Role of Boutique Hotels in Revitalization
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As historic urban cores are revitalized through various historic preservation and redevelopment efforts, an increase in tourism to these new-old places has simultaneously occurred. When tourists visit, they are increasingly looking for unique hospitality experiences which traditional hotel chains are unlikely to offer. Developers and hoteliers alike have capitalized on this trend to create the boutique hotel industry, looking to historic preservation and adaptive reuse in downtown historic districts to meet the needs of a growing market demographic. The presence of boutique hotels in historic urban cores can likewise spur further historic revitalization and adaptive reuse efforts. Key concepts discussed in this brief include boutique hotels, adaptive reuse, downtown historic districts, the impact of cultural shifts on the built environment, the economic case for historic preservation, and urban revitalization.
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Idyllic & Sustainable: The Ongoing Value of Streetcar Suburbs
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The streetcar suburbs of the early 20th century continue to offer a long-term option for sustainable American living. However, there are disparities in the designs of these homes and towns, compared to twenty-first century living, and the differences will only increase as years pass. This brief explores the characteristics that make early 20th century streetcar suburbs popular today and examines the ways these neighborhoods may need to adapt to changing lifestyle needs. Key concepts discussed in this brief include early 20th century streetcar suburbs, sustainability, urban revitalization, downtown historic districts, and American residential architecture.
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Innovative strategies: Preventing neighborhood displacement
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Gentrification and urban revitalization efforts can result in negative impacts to existing communities and neighborhood identities, particularly African-American historic districts, if steps are not taken to ensure housing prices remain affordable for existing residents. This brief examines the ways that gentrification can play a harmful role in altering the urban landscape and offers strategies for neighborhoods to protect the fabric and identity of their communities by maintaining control over revitalization efforts. Key concepts include the negative impacts of gentrification, community displacement, neighborhood identity, African-American historic districts, community land trusts, and urban revitalization.
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Leveling Up: Split-Level Houses in Post-War Suburbia
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The split-level house is instantly dated to its time period of origin: the post-war American suburban housing boom in the late 1940s to early 1960s. Myriad factors, from governmental policies to consumer expectations, shaped the size, form, and style of houses built during this unique time in American history and directly resulted in the immense popularity of the split-level house design. This brief analyzes the history of split-level house design and popularity, explores its unique architectural features, and makes a case for its resurgence today as an affordable and livable housing option. Key concepts discussed in this brief include the split-level house, post-war architecture, American residential architecture, suburban design, post-war innovation, the impact of cultural shifts on the built environment, post-war housing shortage, post-war design, American vernacular design, and affordable housing.
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Lost history: Happy Hill and freedman's enclaves
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Following Emancipation and the end of the Civil War, freed African-Americans built their own neighborhoods and communities. Such places were typically self-sufficient, with businesses, schools, and churches providing residents with necessary goods and services. However, such communities were often the target of urban renewal projects in the 1950s, and few remain to this day. Those that do remain are associated with poverty and crime, not the vibrant communities and people that built them. This brief uses as a case study the Happy Hill community in Winston-Salem, NC to examine the history of freedmans enclaves, the impact of urban renewal efforts on such communities, and historic preservation concerns relevant to remaining neighborhoods. Key concepts include freedman's enclaves, free Black towns, African-American communities, impacts of urban renewal, and historic fabric.
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Old house, new future: The revitalization of the shotgun house
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Shotgun houses are the most widely acknowledged expression of African-American architectural design in the United States, rooted in indigenous west African architectural and spatial traditions, and traced from west Africa to Haiti and on to New Orleans. Because of that history, they have also been prey to urban renewal efforts. This brief examines the orgins of the shotgun house design, the impact of urban renewal on historic shotgun house neighborhoods, and present-day preservation efforts working to protect the few surviving examples of this unique architectural style. Key concepts include shotgun houses, New Orleans architecture, African-American vernacular design, American residential architecture, impacts of urban renewal, and adaptive reuse.
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Shaping Spaces: Restoring Vitality to Historic Centers Using Form-Based Codes
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Form-based codes provide an alternative to traditional land use zoning ordinances, allowing for a reversal of the harmful effects of urban renewal on established city centers as well as sensitive development among historic structures. Where conventional land use codes strictly separate residential and commercial zones, form-based codes allow for mixed-use development, favor pedestrian over automobile use, and encourage visual appeal at a human scale. First implemented in the planned community of Seaside, FL, form-based codes have been adopted by municipalities across the country as a means of revitalizing central business districts while preserving historic structures. Key concepts discussed in this brief include form-based codes, land use zoning, urban planning & design, impacts of urban renewal, New Urbanism, downtown historic districts, historic central business districts, mixed-use development, and urban revitalization.
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Space for All: Conflict Resolution, Preservation, and the Power of Collaborating as Equals
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Conflict does not have to be a roadblock to efficient and effective preservation planning. As more cultures and communities engage in heritage conservation, different values regarding significance emerge. Conflict resolution is uniquely designed to efficiently manage differences of opinion and mold them into opportunities for culturally relevant, socially minded, and creative preservation projects. Case studies illustrate successful approaches to mediating preservation conflicts and building community consensus.
