Present: Bill Barry, Matthew Bronski, Taya Dixon, Lisa Howe, Jack Glassman, Patrick Guthrie, Chris Hanlon, David Kelman, Dennis Kulesza, Abla Navain Lambah, Laura Mackowiak, Jackie McBride, Doug Manley, Colleen Meagher, Henry Moss, Susan Schur, Sara Wermiel, Gary Wolf 1. SPNEA Modern House Symposium: This year's Abbot Lowell Cummings symposium explored the development of the modern house in New England. There was fresh material and the day-long event allowed for a broad and detailed look at the topic. Marcel Breuer's partner, Herman Beckhard, illustrated his office's in-kind design approach to additions to the early houses. The houses were relatively small but owners seem to value their spaces and materials, so "tear down" acquisitions have been less of an issue than how to retain the indoor/outdoor relationships when they are expanded. [See Architecture Without Rules, Breuer and Becharad Houses by David Masello.] David Fixler, DOCOMOMO_US/New England President showed the unfolding of work by little known architects who built the first Modern Movement houses in New England and others who built extensively after the second World War in the Boston area, on Cape Cod (the Wells House) and in western Massachusetts. Betsy Friedberg, who manages the Commonwealth's register of historic sites, described the more vernacular development of suburban housing in the two decades following World War II. SPNEA hosted the symposium as part of their exploration of how they should approach collecting and interpreting Twentieth Century history and how they should develop their photographic and drawing archives. 2. Chapter 34 Revisions: In a preparatory discussion for an open meeting of the BSA Codes Committee, several general points emerged. Dennis Kulesza of Metropolitan Waterproofing explained the BSA Building Envelope Committee's concern about how insulation and vapor barriers installed in existing buildings interfere with moisture cycles. Bill Barry cited a 2001 Tech Note from the National Park Service that explains why building walls (especially) should not be insulated where they had not been meant for insulation. In our November meeting, Wagdy Anis reported that the new Chapter 34 energy code section will incorporate this point of view in order to protect masonry buildings from freeze/thaw damage within their walls during the winter. 3. APT Northeast Chapter: Henry asked if anyone knew if there is a separate membership registration and membership fee for the Northeast Chapter of APT. No one present seemed to know. 4. Chestnut Hill Waterworks: Albert Rex and David Kelman led an important discussion of the proposed zoning change of the old one-acre "Pipe Yard" site at the Chestnut Hill Waterworks. The Boston Preservation Alliance (BPA) and Historic Massachusetts Inc. (HMI) organized a well-attended charrette to explore ways to finance rehabilitation of the three historic buildings on the larger (7.9 acre) site, which has a forecourt facing the reservoir that was designed by the Olmsted office. After the charrette, which proposed development on the Pipe Yard site (among other things), BPA hired Chan Krieger to do an urban design analysis and feasibility study for the parcel. Extensive and often heated interaction with area residents did not bring an easy consensus about the type of development that would be most likely save the pumping buildings and fit well with the neighborhood. BPA asked for our committee's support at the May hearing to determine if the one-acre site could be rezoned from Open Space to allow for six story buildings. Patrick Guthrie reported that the Board of the Society of Architectural Historians had drafted a letter of support. Jackie McBride urged that the Planned Development Area that would result from rezoning be managed to protect the historic open space of the Olmsted office. [Henry attended the zoning hearing and spoke in support of the zoning change on behalf of the committee; representatives from the National Trust, SAH, and the Boston Landmarks Commission also attended. The site has been rezoned in accordance with the proposed development.] 5. Fire Safety: Sara described a NOVA television program that analyzed the causes of the collapse and core construction of the World Trade Center (a video version can be purchased from NOVA/WGBH); it showed how thin gypsum wallboard partitions separating office space from the escape stairs contributed to the difficulty of evacuating the towers. In one location, people used a window washer's squeegee to break through the sheetrock and climb out of an elevator. Sheetrock enclosures at stairs and elevators also collapsed into the stairwells blocking escape. After the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, it took between two and three hours to empty the building. The evacuation plan for the building was to leave the floor where a fire occurred, move up or down several floors and wait for the fire to be extinguished. One of Sara's points was that people don't take fire alarms seriously and that there are seldom fire drills to familiarize occupants with exit locations and procedures for emptying their buildings. 6. Twentieth Century Exterior Metals Preservation Conference: Susan Schur announced that "poster" presentation proposals will be due September 15, 2002. 7. HRC Party at the Old State House: On June 19 at 6:00 PM, the committee will have a party to recognize the accomplishments of one of its founders, Bob Neiley. As the party is catered, please contact the BSA (617) 451-1433 ext. 221 to help us plan for quantities of food. We are requesting a $10 contribution to support the committee's activities. Claire Dempsey will introduce us to the Vernacular Architecture Forum 8: 00 a.m., Thursday, June 13, 2002 The Architects' Building, 52 Broad Street, Boston, Fifth Floor |