Course Syllabus

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Course Description

This course provides a broad-ranging introduction to preservation planning and policy, and examines the ways in which historic preservation intersects with broader land use planning, real estate, management of the built environment, and civil society.  The course will cover heritage typologies and vocabularies, the history of preservation policy development, the assessment of significance/values as a participatory process, preservation planning theory and methodologies, heritage designation and management tools, legislation and regulatory frameworks, codes and zoning tools, property rights, financial incentives, and issues of community participation and social justice. The course will utilize theoretical and applied readings, lectures, case-based analyses, and dynamic discussion to explore the aforementioned issues. Primary focus will be on the United States, but the course will also examine international policies and practices. 

Learning Objectives and Avenues of Inquiry

This course will help students to:

  • Think critically about the role of preservation vis à vis society and the broader management of the built environment;
  • Advance preservation through the proficient use of planning tools and methods, community/stakeholder engagement approaches, socio-economic rationales, and financial incentives; and
  • Engage creatively and effectively in the decision-making about and evaluation of preservation policy.

Key questions to be explored include:

  • How do we decide what is heritage?
  • How do we manage heritage and incentivize its preservation?
  • How do we evaluate preservation planning and policy outcomes?

Course Requirements

Class Participation & Readings:  Policies, practices, and the concepts that underpin them will be explored largely through robust discussion of the texts, lectures, and cases presented. Therefore, it is imperative that each individual keep up with the weekly readings, prepare questions for each class based on the readings, and participate fully in group discussions, for their own benefit as well as that of their fellow students. Readings will be a critical foundation for assigned papers (see below).

Individual Assignments:  Two written assignments are due over the course of the semester; specific directions will be distributed and/or discussed in class:

  • LPC Meeting Analysis –requires attendance at a meeting of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) on a Tuesday afternoon directly after class. For a schedule of the LPC’s public hearing dates, see: http://www.nyc.gov/html/lpc/html/calendar/calendar.shtml#
  • Zoning Analysis – this will involve a zoning analysis related to your Site II assignment in Studio I.

Group Assignments:  Two small-group assignments will be undertaken over the course of the semester; specific directions will be distributed and discussed in class:

  • Local Regulation Analysis – a comparative analysis of municipal level legislation, policy, and processes.
  • Incentives Analysis – an examination of financial incentives used to promote preservation as part of real estate development.

Papers: Two papers will be prepared individually during the semester; specific directions will be distributed and discussed in class:

  • Midterm paper/case study – proposed strategy for assessing the significance of a heritage site
  • Final paper/case study – evaluation of a development project (within New York City or elsewhere) that demonstrates the application of one or more preservation incentives.

Due Dates

Oct 15:                  Meeting Analysis

Oct 25:                  Local Regulation Analysis (group presentation)

Nov 4:                 Zoning Analysis

Nov 14:                 Mid-term paper/case study

Nov 22:                 Incentives Analysis (group presentation)

Dec 15:                 Final paper/study

 Grading               

        Class Participation:  20%

        Individual Assignments:  20%

        Group Assignments:  20%

        Papers: 40%

Course Schedule

Sept 6       Course Introduction

Sept 13     Preservation History

Sept 20     Deciding what it Heritage and Assessing Significance

Sept 27     Heritage Planning Theory & Methodology

Oct 4        International Policy and National Legislation and Regulatory Frameworks 

Oct 11       Erica in Ethiopia with the Advanced Studio – no class

Oct 18       Local Legislation and Regulatory Frameworks 

Oct 25       Local Regulation Analysis  – Group Presentations

Nov 1        Land Use Policy, Building Codes, and Property Rights

Nov 8        No class (University holiday)

Nov 15      Economics, Financing, and Incentives

Nov 22      Incentives Analysis – Group Presentations

Nov 29      Evaluating Preservation Policy

Dec 6        Course Conclusions

Dec 15       Final Papers due

Course Summary:

Course Summary
Date Details Due