Threatened Atlanta Architecture Presented at International Conference
On Thursday 18 September 2008, preservation advocate Jon Buono spoke on current threats to Atlanta’s under-recognized 20th-century historic architecture. Buono is a preservation architect, Board Member of DOCOMOMO-US, and co-founder of DOCOMOMO Georgia. His speech, entitled “The Modern ‘D-list’ versus the ‘Bottom Line’”, was presented at the DOCOMOMO 10th International Conference to an audience of preservation and cultural heritage experts representing over fifty countries.
Buono’s lecture defined the limitations of municipal protection for Atlanta’s significant 20th-century architectural heritage and described recent examples of both private and public developments that lead to unmitigated demolition of historic buildings and landscapes. The author’s research has estimated that in the past 25 years the national annual rate of demolition has outpaced the rate of new construction by 10-20%.
Three demolition case studies were used to stress the relevance of historic preservation to responsible economic and sustainable development – 615 Peachtree Building, Peachtree Hills Apartments, and the impending demolition of the Atlanta Constitution Building. Based on research by the US Department of Energy, calculations per demolition project yield enormous energy losses equal to the annual energy consumption of 3,000 to 7,000 homeowners.
Buono concluded that to counter the economic arguments of public and private development interests, preservation advocacy must further publicize the environmental impact of demolition and the economic value of building adaptive use and rehabilitation.
On Friday 19 September 2008, Buono was elected by the organization’s International Council to serve on the Scientific Committee for Registers. The 8-person Committee leads international research projects to support the documentation and conservation of buildings, sites, and neighborhoods of the modern movement.
Also on Friday, the multi-day conference concluded with a lecture by Barry Bergdol, Chief Curator of Architecture and Design at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City. Bergdol discussed the challenges and threats to the preservation of 20th-century architecture and highlighted the uncertain future of the Atlanta Fulton County Public Library, designed By Marcel Breuer.
ABOUT:
Jon Buono is an Architectural Associate with Einhorn Yaffee Prescott Architecture & Engineering in New York, NY. Jon received his bachelors of Architecture from Cornell University and began his career as a Historical Architect with the National Park Service (NPS) in Atlanta, GA. While with the NPS he authored cultural resource management plans for significant historic sites in the Southeast and received the agency’s top honor for this work in 2003. His research included work on the period of progressive modern architecture that defined the NPS in the postwar era – the building program known as “Mission 66″.
A frequent writer and lecturer on regional architecture and historic preservation, Jon’s work has been published in the DOCOMOMO International Journal, Creative Loafing and has spoken at conferences of the National Park Service, American Institute of Architects, Society for College and University Planning, Georgia Planning Association, and various academic institutions. In 2004, Jon was selected for the U.S./Russia Volunteer Initiative, organized by the U.S. State Department, and traveled to Yaroslavl, Russia to assist in the restoration of the 18th-century Church of Sts. Peter & Paul.
Jon is an active member of the Association for Preservation Technology (APT) and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). In 2007 he was elected to the DOCOMOMO (documentation and conservation of the modern movement) U.S. Board of Directors and serves as the Chair of the Register Documentation Committee.
DOCOMOMO stands for DOcumentation and COnservation of buildings, sites and neighborhoods of the MOdern MOvement. DOCOMOMO promotes the study, interpretation and protection of the architecture, landscape and urban design of the Modern Movement. It promotes the exchange of knowledge about this important legacy which extends from the planned city and the iconic monument to the house next door. DOCOMOMO is an international organization. Founded in 1988 in The Netherlands, today it has national chapters or working parties in 54 countries and over 2000 individual members. The organization works in official partnership with UNESCO, ICOMOS, the International Union of Architects and other international organizations, national governments, and regional and national associations.
DOCOMOMO Georgia increases public and professional awareness of Georgia’s Modern Heritage through organized events and tours, development of useful Internet resources, electronic mailing lists, ongoing documentation, and outreach to other preservation organizations and professional groups.
Documentation of Georgia’s existing Modern resources seeks to assist preservation efforts. DOCOMOMO Georgia maintains a statewide inventory of these resources, known as the GA Register. This growing register documents important districts, buildings, landscapes, interiors, and public art and supports nomination of resources to the national DOCOMOMO Register.
The chapter also maintains an online resource identifying important contributors to Georgia’s Modern heritage; a timeline identifying important dates; technical and historic resources; a bibliography; and photographic documentation of structures identified in the register.
DOCOMOMO International
www.docomomo.com
DOCOMOMO United States
www.docomomo-us.org
DOCOMOMO Georgia Chapter
www.docomomoga.org
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