observations contents

CONTENTS

Observations articleshave now been indexed by title, subject, and (where someone else wrote them) author, and links between the index and the articles have been installed. Clicking on this link will take you to the index..

1. Is it old or antique?
What distinguishes an antique building from one that is merely old? What effect does an owner's action have on an old building's "antique-ness?"

2. The house that never was (a cautionary tale).
Sometimes restoring each part of a building to its earliest appearance results in an esthetic, philosophical, architectural, and historical disaster. Read how Mr. and Mrs. New Owner did it to what once had been a fine old house.

3. Inconspicuous utilities for an old house.
Modern heating and lighting devices and controls can be obtrusive in an historic building interior. This case study describes how the problem was addressed in an award-winning museum restoration.

4. From the Observatory.
Four short articles on historic structures reports, resolving the conflict between what you want to built and what you can pay for, acting as your own general contractor, and a review of The Apple Corps Guide to the Well-Built House.

5. From the Observatory.
Short articles on matching and patching brickwork, and on the risks of using heat to remove failed existing paint.

6. Stewardship and old churches.
Taking appropriate care of an old church building means diverting funds from the main purpose for which the church exists, but is that necessarily a bad thing?

7. From the Observatory.
Short articles on whether using an architect will save money, appropriate scale and its importance, architecture as a thoughtful discipline, and short consultations--an inexpensive way to get professional help.

8. From the Observatory.
Short articles on common terms that apply to the process of keeping old buildings around, and on the dilemma posed by a poorly-restored building.

9. From the Observatory.
Short articles on the differences between National Register and local historic districts, and on the functions of historical societies, historical commissions, and historic district commissions.

10. From the Observatory.
Short articles on finds in a first-period house, the impossibility of getting work done "good, fast, and cheap," how much professional service is enough, and a review of a simply delightful book about design and seeing.

11. From the Observatory.
Short articles on a source of help for small museums that want to improve the stewardship of their resources, and a review of two essential books for the small house museum.

12. From the Observatory.
Short articles on the underlying difference between eighteenth and nineteenth century architectural style, the nature of change, the consequences of not deciding, checking a contractor's (or an architect's) references, and a review of the closest thing to a Roger Tory Peterson guide that old-house viewers are likely ever to see.

13. From the Observatory.
Short articles on the importance of the story line in restoration work, the dangers of messing with asbestos, professional services for even very small matters, humidistat-controlled heat as a promising technique for dealing with damp basements, and what this architect looks for in new projects (and clients).

14. From the Observatory.
Short articles on cracks in plaster and wood trim and what they may mean, infra-red imaging as a non-destructive too for investigating building structure, further thoughts on trying to get work done "good, fast, and cheap," and some thoughts on building-remodeling projects as the modern equivalent of the ancient ritual of Trial by Ordeal.

15. From the Observatory.
Short articles on nails as an aid to and dating old buildings, an approach to extending the distressingly short life of wood shingles, building codes and historic buildings, and setting goals for an old-building project.

16. From the Observatory.
Short articles, including an introduction to the vexing matter of humidity and old buildings, problems caused both by low indoor winter humidity and by attempts at solutions, thoughts on the real nature of a small museum's competition, and why I work with museums and how it helps other clients and their buildings.

17. From the Observatory.
Short articles on a variety of topics, including the need to take zoning regulations into account when planning your project, the illusory values of "maintenance-free" exterior cladding products, more about The Material That Won't Go Away (asbestos), how writing a family Christmas letter may help decision-making for an old-building project, and making sure that you don't try to make time flow backwards.

18. From the Observatory.
Short articles including an introduction to the way wood was shaped before modern sawmills, an encounter with a church whose walls looked like they had been built by a drunken carpenter, and a discussion of two different ways of laying out a timber frame and how they can help us date a building.

19. From the Observatory.
Short articles including an encounter with a barn that was falling over (or was it?), the conflict between established error and novel fact, fake divided-light windows in an unexpected place, and a review of an excellent book for stewards of old houses.

20. Damp and wet basements.
Dampness and old-building basements seem to go hand in hand. If not controlled, it can threaten the continued existence of the building itself. What are the causes, and what can reasonably be done to deal with the situation?

21. Conservation assessment report.
Conservation assessments are important tools for understanding old buildings, and for planning how best to deal with them. Here is the complete text of such an assessment report, showing the range of issues addressed and the way in which we address them. This assessment was prepared for a museum; we also undertake assessments for churches and private residences.

22. From the Observatory.
Short articles including a review of the best book on New England building to come along in years, why ship's carpenters aren't responsible for the odd angles of old houses, why hardwoods and softwoods in the same building frame don't necessarily indicate change, further thoughts on nails as an aid to dating old buildings, a review of some useful publications, and more.

23. From the Observatory.
Some thoughts on the perennial issue of whether to replace historic windows, why it's so hard these days to see a really good house addition, how making a nice house out of an old barn isn't as straightforward as it might first appear, and summary assessments--the small consultation that can go a long way.

24. From the Observatory.
Approaches to getting longer life out of wood shingles, what foggy windows may be trying to tell you, and what I learned as an evaluator for a preservation-grant program.

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