Preserving Modernism: Assessing and Rehabilitating Historic Twentieth-Century Curtain Walls and Window Walls
Perhaps no other visible architectural components embody the rise of twentieth-century American modernism more than the curtain wall and its technical sister, the window wall. Along with the steel skeleton frame and the elevator, the evolution of the curtain wall and window wall is fundamental to the rapid rise of cities like New York and Chicago into major world metropolises. Given their architectural prominence, preserving the surviving early- to mid-twentieth-century curtain walls and window walls should be a major priority. Sadly, many have already been lost and replaced with run-of-the mill contemporary aluminum facades for several reasons, including well-intended energy conservation improvements, knee-jerk replacement projects, or a lack of knowledge of how to evaluate and assess these historic assets.
In this webinar, we will describe construction types of early- to mid-twentieth-century curtain walls and window walls, discuss techniques and considerations for their evaluation and assessment, and explore critical factors in deciding whether to rehabilitate or replace. We will showcase project examples from assessing, rehabilitating, and replacing several projects, each representing different types of construction, different levels of historic significance, and different existing conditions.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After attending this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Describe some of the common construction types and assemblages of early- to mid-twentieth-century curtain walls and window walls.
- List some techniques for evaluating their condition, performance, and the feasibility of rehabilitation.
- Discuss some of the key considerations in the decision of rehabilitation versus replacement.
- Describe some approaches and techniques for rehabilitating various construction types of these curtain walls and window walls.
Participants will earn 1 AIA CES Learning Unit (LU/HSW) for attending the live webinar. Registration is free. Please note that space is limited – email events@sgh.com to join our waitlist if the session is closed when you register.
About the Speaker
Matthew Bronski is the SGH Preservation Practice Area Leader, and has led SGH’s projects on many iconic modernist buildings. He holds degrees in engineering, architecture, and historic preservation. He has published numerous papers on historic preservation and building enclosure issues, and has served as a guest lecturer or guest critic at numerous universities, including Harvard, MIT, and Yale. He also serves as an instructor in the Getty Conservation Institute’s annual international course on conserving modern architecture. In 2009, he became only the second engineer in 113 years to receive the prestigious Rome Prize, which he received in the field of Historic Preservation and Conservation.
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