Upcoming Symposium Survey

Click Here to Take Survey

Symposium Theme

“Technology, though ceaselessly striving toward the future, has continually revised how we view the past,” Ben Rowen.

Preservation of the built environment requires a thorough understanding of historic construction and craftsmanship, but preservation professionals frequently walk the tightrope of integrating old construction with new technologies. Too much focus to either side and a building can lose historic character or risk becoming obsolete. As the world moves towards integrating new modes of technology into all phases of construction, we also risk the loss of knowledge from trades and craftspersons as younger generations are drawn towards the latest and greatest, at the expense of the tried and true. 

Preservation is left to wrestle with a number of the following questions.  What are the risks, opportunities, and challenges of a greater focus on technological advancements and new construction materials?  Are there limits to what new technology can accomplish that mean there will always be a place for traditional trade skills?  How can trades adapt to modern methods and materials to ensure long-term relevance?  Can technology and tradition coexist and what practices can preservationists utilize in their project development to ensure that both are integrated in the process?  How can vernacular architecture take advantage of modern technology in response to changing culture, code requirements, and development?  In what ways, if any, does new technology threaten the historic integrity of built structures?