AIA Houston Historic Resources Committee Speaker Series w/William Dupont, FAIA

SAVE THE DATE! 

Wednesday April 24, 2019

Join AIA Houston Historic Resources Committee Speaker Series

Speaker: William Dupont, FAIA, San Antonio Conservation Society Endowed Professor

Title: Cultural Sustainability in Cuba, lessons on architectural design from Havana

AIA Credit: 1.0 HSW/LU

William Dupont will describe the work of the US Technical Team collaborating since 2005 with Cuban colleagues to preserve Ernest Hemingway's legacy in Cuba.  Topics will include past restoration efforts at the main house, plus ongoing cultural resource management issues.  The latest project element, completed march 2019, is a new preservation lab specially designated for heritage resilience.  The building will be explained, including spatial volumes and functional aspects of climate management, electrical, plumbing, and lighting systems.  The new facility integrates principles of resilience and sustainability to achieve primary cultural heritage objectives: preservation of Hemingway's legacy, including all tangible remains associated with the last 22 years of the author's life.

Bio:
William Dupont, FAIA, San Antonio Conservation Society Endowed Professor, directs the Center for Cultural Sustainability at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). The research center considers the heritage of people as a core element of a sustainable future. Projects have evaluated conditions and reuse of historic buildings; produced feasibility plans to save intangible heritage; provided conservation training for mid-career professionals; supported city leaders and community groups grappling with development and growth issues in heritage zones; and set conservation objectives for internationally significant cultural resources. Bill established the UTSA Graduate Certificate in Historic Preservation in 2009, and he teaches architectural design studios and graduate seminars in historic preservation. He has led a U.S. technical team supporting Cuban preservation efforts at Museo Ernest Hemingway in Havana since 2005. Previous to joining the faculty at UTSA he was Chief Architect at the National Trust for Historic Preservation in Washington, DC.