STANDARDS AND PRACTICES
FOR HISTORIC STRUCTURES AND SITES
AN ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO CONSERVATION, REHABILITATION
RESTORATION AND RECONSTRUCTION

The intent of Standards for Historic Preservation (SHP) is to give a concise, but general, technical manual for the professional to use in planning, researching, understanding, interpreting and executing the work required to renew the maintenance of an old or historic building: this is Historic Preservation. The book will be organized into six chapters, representing a logical division of the historic preservation project. The chapters are as follows:

  • Site and Cultural Landscape
  • Structure
  • Interior
  • Exterior
  • Systems
  • Construction Documents and Project Procedures
Each chapter will be divided into related subjects that are represented graphically on pages - similar to the original Architectural Graphic Standards. The presentation of the subjects within the chapters will be established by three important questions. These questions will place the subject in the context of the preservation project. The questions are:
  1. What is the design relationship of this subject to the total design of the building?
  2. What is the historical background of the subject?
  3. What are the recommended methods of treatment for historic preservation?
The field of historic preservation contains a profuse amount of writing from articles and books that describe historic preservation works in general concepts to those that describe the stabilizing of window muntin bars by injecting polymers. This information is dispersed in libraries and private and public offices and collections. Some may possess pieces, but very few possess the entire collection and if they did, there would be a lifetime of learning to gain the basic knowledge. In addition, a project is usually populated with consultants who add to the management issues of the project. SHP will present the practitioner with 350 pages of succinct knowledge of the project divisions, and the details within those divisions--in graphic form. Sources for additional detailed study of a component division will conclude each subject presentation. This should serve as basic instruction for the beginning professional, as a guide and as a reference for all of the professionals involved in historic preservation.

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