I am interested in preserving architectural heritage and repurposing old heritage sites. Buildings that have deep and valuable cultural meaning can be modified to create spaces that people can experience and live while understanding cultural stories and events. It is important to not only preserve tangible cultural heritage but to convey a sense of value embodied in the architectural heritage.

Cultural and Historically significant sites not only allow for the preservation of history, but a connection of experiences for past and future generations. These historical sites are crucial to the makeup and individuality of each campus as they merge existing conditions with modern elements. Given the historical significance of HBCU campuses, it is important to remember their legacies, yet design them to be efficient for the present needs of the 21st century student. With the practice of Adaptive Reuse, designers will be able to preserve the legacies of these historical buildings yet allow for modern design advancements and renewed use within the interior.

Century-old buildings leave us to retell their stories through their materials, forms, and spaces. I created the phrase “perfectly imperfect” as a way of finding beauty when two materials and/or forms blend with existing materials to form a singular artifact that is perfectly imperfect. Using an estate of grand size and beauty, historic as it is, deserves a mission and purpose grander than its original one-family function. A “legacy of purpose” will be resurrected with this historic estate, honoring Helen Gould’s mission and values in how the estate should be repurposed, as a fashion and textile trade school for high school graduates. If she were alive today, she would want the estate to contribute to the greater New York City’s underserved youth in this way. Three beautiful buildings on this historic site will be greatly enhanced by these renovations and this relevant, contemporary mission.

It all begins with an idea.

Old buildings are an integral part of America’s cities. They tell us about the history of place, where we came from, and what happened before we were here.

This thesis explores the confluence of new with old in interior environments. The interventionist approach to adaptive reuse is a powerful tool to use in making old buildings pertinent in today’s world, thus preserving the cultural heritage that they bring while adding relevance, accessibility and sustainability to their presence. An interventionist approach has been applied to the proposed renovation of The Coach Barn at Shelburne Farms.