strength of many.
Case Study: Shiloh School From May 2008 until May 2009, I was one of twelve students at the Design Build Master’s Program at Auburn University under the direction of DK Ruth and Anthony Tindill.6 We worked on a number of projects during that year and the vision for our largest project came from Elizabeth Ware Sims, a member of the local congregation of Shiloh Baptist Church and alumnus of the neighboring Shiloh School. She wanted to unite the history of place with the equally important desire to provide resources to a community in need. Her vision to convert the old Julius Rosenwald School into a museum and technology center provided the impetus for an historic renovation. We participated in intense design sessions during the summer months, developing overall site strategies, evaluating existing conditions, collecting budget information and estimating costs, and working with the members of the community to address specific needs and desires. During the subsequent fall and spring, those plans were evaluated, revised, and executed. The lessons we learned on the job site surpassed tangible understandings of building construction. We learned how to rely on those around us and to identify weaknesses in our own understanding. We learned to think on our feet and adjust when we discovered new problems. We learned that the project was bigger than any one of us individually. The bonds we formed to one another and to the place will continue into the future. Of the many lessons learned, the power of restoration struck a chord. Rather than simply starting over, we chose to understand what makes a building successful, and perhaps more importantly, what caused problems. We discovered a deeper understanding of the fundamentals of construction. To evaluate and constantly identify new problems required adaptive responses and 72