Adaptation + Preservation

Workshop

WE16 - Reconciling Preservation and Adaptation in Downtown Boston

Panelist(s)

• 

  Adria Boynton

  Resiliency Specialist
  Weston & Sampson
• 

  Matthijs Bouw

  Founding Principal
  One Architecture & Urbanism (ONE)
• JK

  Jesse Keenan

  Lecturer
  Harvard GSD
• SZ

  Stephanie Zurek, AIA

  Associate
  Union Studio Architecture & Community Design

The latest district under study by the Climate Ready Boston initiative will address constraints and opportunities for resilience in Downtown Boston - an area characterized by historic buildings and landmarks central to early American narratives, from the Paul Revere House to the Long Wharf. Today, this same area is in the floodplain, and under risk of frequent tidal flooding by 2070. In this panel, experts in building and urban scale climate adaptation and historic preservation will examine the unique challenge of building-level adaptation for historic structures at risk of inundation.

This session will explore technical solutions and guidelines the City of Boston developed for retrofitting historic buildings. Speakers with international experience and knowledge will discuss flood protection strategies and examples from European cities. And highly recognized academics will discuss the potential implications of climate mitigation for Cultural Resources.

Learning Objectives:

• Thorough understanding of regulatory constraints to resilience retrofits and site adaptation for flood resiliency in Boston’s historic districts
• Understanding of techniques for building-level adaptation for flood resiliency in Boston’s historic districts
• At least two successful examples of adaptation to climate change from areas outside of Boston
• Learn about the multiple approaches to preservation in flood-prone areas and gain knowledge on the thought process of decision makers