Preservation Starts with Understanding
Historic Preservation Month reminds us that the buildings most worth saving are often the most complex to preserve. The most meaningful preservation work happens at the intersection of old materials and modern demands, and often surfaces mid-project unexpectedly.
Our historic and heritage practice is built on building science. That means we go beyond what a building looks like to understand how it performs, i.e. how heat, air, and moisture move through traditional materials, where deterioration originates, and what interventions will hold up over time without causing new problems.
Here are three projects that illustrate why that foundation matters.
The Metropole | Seattle, WA
The Satterberg Foundation purchased the fire-damaged Metropole in Seattle’s Pioneer Square Historic District in 2019, to transform a vacant landmark into a nonprofit center for communities of color.
Under the Metropole runs a network of underground passageways known as the Pioneer Square Areaways. These spaces were created when original street-level storefronts were elevated to address chronic flooding. Retaining and incorporating this areaway into the building’s lower level was both historically significant and technically demanding.
The Challenge: How do you waterproof a below-grade space in an active urban environment adjacent to an active city street without complete excavation?
Our Approach: Our Seattle team developed a waterproofing solution on the existing below-grade wall with the incorporation of a new shotcrete wall, eliminating the need for distruptive excavation. The result is an airtight, waterproofed lower level now housing community meeting rooms.
Portland Art Museum Rothko Pavilion | Portland, OR
The Rothko Pavilion is a four-story fully glazed addition connecting the Portland Art Museum’s two historic buildings. With 100,000-sf of new gallery and public space, the pavilion is designed to maximize transparency while meeting the performance demands of the Pacific Northwest climate.
The Challenge: Achieving a high-performance building enclosure in a structure made almost entirely of glass.
Our Approach: Our Portland team provided enclosure consulting for the Owner at the start of construction as well as during the design phase with the architect during construction. We completed over 70 site visits for 3rd party below-grade waterproofing review, 14 days of air leakage and water penetration resistance testing throughout the glazed curtain wall and other fenestration systems, as well as air and weather barrier installation review at opaque walls. The pavilion now stands as a durable, high-performance addition to one of the Pacific Northwest’s most significant cultural institutions.
Harvard Business School Chase and McCulloch Halls | Cambridge, MA
Originally constructed in the 1920s, Chase and McCulloch Halls are two four-story residential buildings at Harvard Business School totaling approximately 103,000-sf that have not undergone significant renovation in more than 45 years.
The Challenge: Deliver world-class residential facilities, advance the university’s sustainability and climate goals, and preserve the historic masonry facade.
Our Approach: Our Boston team conducted brick testing to assess freeze-thaw deterioration risk associated with adding interior insulation — a critical step in preserving the historic structure while delivering a durable, energy-efficient solution designed to last another century. These residential halls are expected to open during the summer of 2026.