Discussion Questions
Read:
Preserving with Purpose
Reimagining Buildings for Community Benefit
By Amy Hetletvedt
Resources for incorporation into a historic preservation class
Chapters 5 (Who Owns the Past?), 7 (Perils to Built Heritage), and 8 (Options for Involvement) in Stubbs, John H., Time Honored: A Global View of Architectural Conservation Wiley. 2009
Or relevant portions of course text material, plus: Chapters 1 – 3, 7, and 8 in Hetletvedt, Amy, Preserving with Purpose: Reimagining Buildings for Community Benefit Island Press. 2025
Annotate especially:
- Barriers in historic preservation standards and designation for disinvested communities
- How preservationists can be a resource to communities
- Considerations for historic preservation standard application and designation within disinvested communities
- Ethical issues around the demolition or removal of historic resources in disinvested communities
- Potential benefits and pitfalls when a building professional is outside of the socioeconomic or cultural demographic of the community in which the professional is working
- Thoughts on Theaster Gates’ approach to the physical and cultural resources in his Chicago community
- Approaches to preservation at the Menokin site over time; both technical and narrative; and the effects of the preservation decisions that were made along the way
Research:
- Research and document a case study (800 – 1200 words) on a historic preservation project in an underserved community or disinvested community. How were preservation standards applied or adapted to the building’s or community’s needs? Would a partial or interim solution have helped (or did it help) with financing the project or retaining the building? What can be learned from this case study?
Discuss:
- Discuss the relationship between historic preservation and gentrification.
- How can preservationists add value to a community revitalization process? Where are a preservationist’s skills best used?
- Do building professionals have an obligation towards communities that cannot afford their services? Discuss.
- Do building professionals have an obligation to advocate for preserving existing buildings (rather than building new buildings)? Discuss the relationship between sustainability, historic preservation, and the building industry.
- How are historic preservation models evolving and what work remains to be done?
Discussion Questions
Preserving with Purpose
Reimagining Buildings for Community Benefit
By Amy Hetletvedt
Resources for incorporation into an architecture professional practice or architectural ethics class
Read:
Chapter 2 (Beliefs and Practice) in Cuff, Dana, Architecture: The Story of Practice MIT Press. 1991.
Portions of Chapters 1 and 6 (Pro Bono Work, Social Justice) in Fisher, Thomas Ethics for Architects: 50 Dilemmas of Professional Practice. Princeton Architectural Press. 2010.
Or relevant portions of course text material, plus:
Chapters 1 – 3, 4 (Moving case study only), 7, and 9 in Hetletvedt, Amy, Preserving with Purpose:
Reimagining Buildings for Community Benefit. Island Press. 2025
Annotate especially:
- Barriers to financing and delivering professional services in disinvested communities
- How architects can be a resource to communities
- Alternatives for financing and delivering professional services in disinvested communities
- Ethical issues around the demolition or removal of historic resources in disinvested communities
- Potential benefits and pitfalls when a building professional is outside of the socioeconomic or cultural demographic of the community in which the professional is working
- Thoughts on Theaster Gates’ approach to the physical and cultural resources in his Chicago community
- Assemble Studio’s approach to working in the Toxeth / Granby community. What value did they add to the process?
Research:
- Research and document a case study (800 – 1200 words) on an architecture firm that has successfully collaborated with and provided services to an underserved community or population. What was their model for financing the services? What were their methods of engagement and collaboration? Reflect on the firm’s work in light of what Thomas Fisher defines as an ethics of empathetic imagination (“in which we see the utility of benefitting as many others as we can” Fisher, p. 139 - 140). What can be learned from this case study?
Discuss:
- What are some effects (beneficial and detrimental) of the professionalization of architecture in our society?
- How can architects add value to a community revitalization process? Where are an architect’s skills best used? What value do we (as building professionals and as individuals) have to offer?
- Do building professionals have an obligation towards communities that cannot afford their services? Discuss.
- Do building professionals have an obligation to advocate for preserving existing buildings (rather than building new buildings)? Discuss the relationship between sustainability, historic preservation, and the building industry.
- How is the profession evolving and what work remains to be done?
