Historic Preservation - Columbia GSAPP

Historic Preservation
Open House

The MS in Historic Preservation Online Info Session hosted by Program Director Jorge Otero-Pailos took place on Wednesday, October 23. Please see the recording below, and visit the main 2024 Open House webpage for other online sessions and resources.

MS Historic Preservation

MSHP Curriculum Overview by Program Director Jorge Otero-Pailos.

Watch the recording of Jorge Otero-Pailos’ course “Modern American Architecture” presented on March 30, 2020.

Preservation Technology Laboratory

This laboratory, fully renovated facility in 2019, enables cutting-edge research in preservation digital technology, materials science, and aesthetics.

Visit the Laboratory’s page to learn more.

rAAdio Episode 001: Dematerialization of the Body – Jorge Otero-Pailos

This Fall, M.S.AAD students launched rAADio, a podcast investigation on entanglements of architecture. The first episode features an interview with Professor Jorge Otero-Pailos, Director of the MSHP and PhD in Historic Preservation programs, conducted by Ali El-Sinbawy ‘22 MSAAD. Also in this episode, Pabla Amigo ‘22 MSAAD and Gabriela Junqueira Franco '22 MSAAD try to understand the implications of the dematerialization of bodies with our final resting places. Does the state of being alive only relate to the physical body? Can our bodies metamorphose into other forms?

Follow rAADio on Instagram at @gsapp_raadio.

Columbia GSAPP · Episode 001: Dematerialization of the Body

Student Work

Visit the online 2023 End of Year Show to see student work from the Historic Preservation studios and 2023 MSHP graduate theses.

You can also browse the digital archive and read summaries of M.S.HP theses here.

Housing Inequities in Harlem: The Black Experience, Nina Nahitchevansky, Shannon Trono

Historic Sites and Districts in the City of Syracuse, Meghan Vonden Steinen

Energy in Harlem, Jerry Schmit

The Shabazz Center: South Wall, Meghan Vonden Steinen, Daoxin Chen, Elaf Alsibyani, Kemuning Adiputri, Jerry Schmit

Walking Inside The Wall – Illuminating the Hidden History of Slaves, Tianyuan Deng

Ziming Wang

All Souls Episcopal Church, Damiana Yousef

Studio Reports

Many of the Historic Preservation studios produce a comprehensive report at the culmination of each semester. Browse the most recently published reports below and or a more comprehensive archive here.

Columbia GSAPP Lecture and Event Series

The Dean’s lecture and event series invites guests from across the world to deliver talks and participate in discussions with the GSAPP community. Below is a selection of events featuring Historic Preservation program faculty members.

2022 Fitch Colloquium

Preservation in China’s Future

March 3, 2022

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2022 Fitch Colloquium

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2022 Fitch Colloquium

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2021 Fitch Colloquium The Art of Preservation

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Cecilia Puga and Paula Velasco in conversation with Jorge Otero-Pailos

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2019 Fitch Colloquium: Record/Replay

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Stonewall 50: Defining LGBTQ Site Preservation

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Stonewall 50: Defining LGBTQ Site Preservation

Career Services and Programming

Career Services for the Historic Preservation Program encourages students to take advantage of an open-door policy; they’re met on an individual basis to discuss their interests, goals, and career trajectory. Services available include:

Individualized resume and cover letter support
24/7 access to job and internship postings through Engage, GSAPP’s online job/internship portal
Weekly program newsletter featuring professional opportunities including but not limited to job/internship listings, design and preservation competition opportunities, professional conference information, calls for papers, and scholarship opportunities
Access to GSAPP’s annual career fairs
Professional headshots
Mentorship through Preservation Alumni
Annual series career programming which includes Alumni Speed Networking, Recent Graduate Career Panel, Portfolio Review Workshop, Salary Negotiation Workshop, Job and Internship Basics presentation, and Faculty Lunch-and-Learn presentations
Access to online career resources

Mentor Mingle Event

Recent Alumni Panel Discussion

Career Services Speed Networking Event

Lunch and Learn Presentation by Francoise Bollack

Career Services Speed Networking Event

GSAPP Conversations: Historic Preservation Podcast

See the complete archive of ongoing podcasts on the GSAPP Conversations page.

Preservation Lecture Series

This series of talks organized by the Historic Preservation Program invites a wide range of international scholars to Columbia GSAPP. Below is a selection of highlights from the Spring 2021 Preservation Lecture Series.