Savvy SVA students learn about Adaptive Reuse

On November 9th, SVA’s School of Interior Design brought together two of NYC’s best preservationist architects for its INSIDE THE BOX Lecture Series — AYON Studio Principal Angel Ayón and Françoise Bollack, a fellow practitioner and Adjunct Associate Professor at Columbia GSAPP. Angel and Françoise presented their own thoughts then engaged in a Q+A discussion immediately following.

The Adaptive Reuse Panel was moderated by Dr. Carol Bentel, Chair of SVA’s BFA Interior Design program “Built Environments,” who thanked the speakers afterward, saying they “turned the tide on the conventional understanding of what “adaptive reuse” is… I am certain we will have some continued discussions at school.”

Angel’s presentation offers detailed case studies for protecting historic fabric through adaptive reuse, including two of NYC’s most famous theaters – The Times Square Theater and Flushing RKO Keith’ — as well as the former Excelsior Club, a historic gathering place for African Americans in Charlotte, North Carolina. To learn more about these solutions and others, watch the full lecture here.

Reglazing Modernism Wins the APT Lee Nelson Book Award!

Principal Angel Ayón’s book, Reglazing Modernism - Intervention Strategies for 20th Century Icons (Birkhäuser, 2019), has won the 2021 Lee Nelson Book Award from the Association for Preservation Technology International (APT)!

The publication was recognized for being the most outstanding and influential book-length work on preservation technology. Given only every three years, the honor places Reglazing Modernism among merely seven previous winners, and is a tribute to the late Lee Nelson, an outstanding preservationist, APT founder, and long-time editor of the APT Bulletin. The award was announced at the 2021 Preservation Beyond Politics annual conference in Washington, DC. 

According to Gina Crevello, the APT president at the time,

"the jurors agreed that the book increases our technical understanding of a key component for the preservation of [Modern] buildings. And that it is valuable to both the student and the practitioner. The book includes historic images for all case studies, as well as photographs and technical 3D details of original conditions and alterations, highlighting the main intervention strategies for restoration, rehabilitation and replacement. The jurors were impressed with the clear presentation of the topic; how well it is written, and edited, and beautifully laid out; and voted Reglazing Modernism - Intervention Strategies for 20th Century Icons by Angel, Uta and Nathaniel as the best preservation technology book of the year."

Ms. Crevello congratulated the authors for "an excellent book” that she deemed “an excellent choice for the Lee Nelson Award."

Co-authored by Uta Pottgiesser and Nathaniel Richards, Reglazing Modernism provides 20 in-depth case studies of Modern architectural icons in both Europe and the Americas. Focusing on interventions to their steel-framed glazing assemblies, the book offers a critical assessment of these, while also exploring emerging technologies that may offer higher performance in the future.

For more on Reglazing Modernism, see https://www.ayonstudio.com/book.

Glass and Glazing at the Preservation Technology Lab

Conservation labs usually focus on assessing the nature and condition of historic fabric made of historic materials and finishes such as stone, fired clays, plaster, ferrous metals, copper, bronzes and other alloys. But not glass. That's exactly on what AYON Studio Principal Angel Ayón focused when discussing glass and glazing to Historic Preservation students at Columbia University's  Preservation Technology Lab. Part of Francoise Bollack's seminar titled Old Buildings – New Energy: History and Sustainable Practices, the program included a lecture followed by a lab session.

After presenting the findings of his research on conservation of Modern glazed enclosures included in his book on Reglazing Modernism, Ayón guided the students through understanding and evaluating visual properties of different types of glass, including clear, ultra-clear / low-iron, tinted, and low-e coated glass. Thermal performance was evaluated by measuring heat flow (energy loss/gain through transmission, radiation, etc.) through electronic heat flux sensors connected to different glass assemblies such as single-pane, insulated glass units (IGU) and vacuum insulated glazing (VIG).

The lab session allowed the students to think of glass as a man-made material and glazing as a construction assembly whose visual and performance characteristics (u-value, weight and thickness, SHGC, etc.) are relevant considerations to be taken into account during reglazing interventions. For more on Reglazing Modernism, see https://www.ayonstudio.com/book.

Talking to Archinect News About the Role of Preservation Architects

Online architectural  publication Archinect News reached out to AYON Studio to talk about the role of Preservation Architects. Principal Angel Ayón discussed the firm's focus on the conservation, rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of significant properties to help ensure their future long-term viability. He talked about our interest in historic buildings, and on helping to safeguard them for future generations while minimizing their carbon footprint.

AYON Studio is looking for like-minded candidates to fill a Preservation Architect position. We're a small but mighty MBE firm based in Union Square, NYC, focusing on the conservation, rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of significant properties to help ensure their future long-term viability. Come learn and grow with us, as we research, design, document, and oversee the construction of appropriate and innovative intervention solutions. Consider joining our team!

The Times Highlights The Chocolate Factory Theater’s Upcoming Move

Jutharat Pinyodoonyachet for The New York Times

Although its new home is not quite complete, The Chocolate Factory Theater (TCFT) recently said goodbye to its leased space on 49th Avenue in Long Island City, which it occupied for 17 years. Both a farewell and a celebration, TCFT’s jubilant parade from its old address to its new was captured by The New York Times.

Long a haven for experimental artists, TCFT will soon have its own dedicated building, transformed by a design team led by AYON Studio from a pair of former manufacturing facilities. Housing a flexible performance space, along with back-of-house and support areas, the structure will retain its industrial character, while providing a new arts destination within LIC’s evolving mix of uses.

Honoring Philadelphia’s Historic Buildings

Join AYON Studio for the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia’s annual awards program on June 9th. Angel Ayón, along with Peg Breen from the NY Landmarks Conservancy, Seri Worden from the National Trust, and local Architect Ian Smith, served as judges for the 2021 Preservation Achievement Awards.

Recently featured on local Philly news channel PHL17, the esteemed 28-year-old awards program selects “outstanding projects that exemplify historic preservation in our region,” said Paul Steinke, executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Preservation Alliance. “By converting buildings like this to new uses, you are saving a building from just being “thrown away into a landfill.”

But keeping the building intact is only part of the story. This year’s winners include a range of historic structures that are revitalized with new purpose, such as an old parking garage at the corner of 22nd and Pine turned The Goddard School, and Huntingdon Mills, a renovation of a former industrial complex. In Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood, an old elementary school is renewed as The McGuire Residence, supportive housing for struggling with opioid addiction. And in Franklintown, the historic Granary building on N. 20th Street is now The Tidewater, a new residential and retail mixed-use development.

For more information and to attend the virtual awards program, visit the Preservation Alliance’s site.

Balancing Tenant and Landlord Interests in NYC’s Latinx Neighborhoods

An preservation activist in the Harlem community, AYON Studio’s Principal recently participated in the Latin-X Summit on Housing and Development. Hosted virtually on May 15th, the summit gave insight into recent have affected NYC’s longstanding Latinx enclaves in areas like Spanish Harlem, West Farms, and Williamsburg/Bushwick.

The group cited the growing wealth divide, increased cost of living, and the move away from local shopping as contributing factors toward continued homelessness and gentrification in the city’s Latinx communities. By addressing these pervasive patterns of causation, now particularly urgent post-COVID, housing advocates and small building managers can unite to preserve Latinx communities. The panel also discussed the disproportionate and negative impact of rent moratoriums and recent rent reform laws on homeowners and landlords in communities of color.

Angel was joined by fellow speakers Ben Carlos Thypin, President of Quantierra; Yvonne Peña, Project Director of Community Services Society of NY (CSSNY); and Carla Fuquene Pena, Principal of Fabricka. Visit Latin-X Summit’s website for more info about their programs, supported by and engaged with Assembly Member Catalina Cruz and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

How can Preservationists help make ALL buildings more sustainable?

All building consultants, including preservationists, need to address the current urgency of the environmental crisis. On April 29, 2021, Angel Ayón, principal of AYON Studio, moderated the “Sustainable Preservation” webinar hosted by the Preservation League of NY State.

Nakita Reed from Quinn Evans led off the discussion with a common statement: "Preservation is inherently sustainable." However, she emphasized the deeper and more critical impact preservation can have through a more holistic approach, with cutting-edge sustainability and resiliency strategies.

Evan Mason from Sustainable Homes + Yards and board member for the NY League of Conservation Voters further stresses that “Policy is being made now… and with a new call-to-action facing the industry, preservationists have an opportunity to get a seat at the table.”

Melissa Auf der Maur (yes, the former bassist of Hole) also participated in the conversation, as the Co-Founder and Director of Basilica Hudson and River House Project, which she used as a case study for “place-based, green historic preservation, and how the cultural sector can help amplify their stories.”

The lively discussion also delved into how we all can use the current challenges and opportunities of sustainability to address well-established inequalities.

Reglazing Modernism Book Talk for APT TC-MH

Applying lessons learned from past architectural interventions can help inform better future ones. They can even impact a building’s long-term sustainability. On April 14, 2021 Angel Ayón shared Restoration, Rehabilitation or Replacement strategies, as studied and presented in his book, Reglazing Modernism: Intervention Strategies for Steel Frame Glazed Enclosures.

Hosted by APT Twenty Century-Modern Heritage (APT TC-MH) committee, the webinar explored how new window technologies can improve the performance of decades-old buildings and why staying true to the original design can, in fact, make Modern icons less viable down the road. Combining both building science and historic preservation perspectives, Angel and his coauthors explored a variety of efforts to preserve such mid-century marvels as Frank Lloyd Wright’s Guggenheim Museum and Walter Gropius’s Fagus Factory.

Angel’s lecture, which attracted more than 200 attendees, follows Kyle Normandin’s review of Reglazing Modernism, recently featured in the APT Bulletin: The Journal of Preservation Technology, published by the Association for Preservation Technology International. Normandin cites the book’s wide appeal and timely subject matter, pointing out that “Understanding the value of historic constructions and how to protect them is critical…to responsible stewardship of our built environment tomorrow.”

Restoring Beauty – and Safety – to Brooklyn’s Churches

AYON Studio was recently featured for its work in helping the New York Landmarks Conservancy (NYLC) with supporting Landmark Brooklyn churches as part of its Sacred Sites program. Many, such as Trinity Baptist Church in the Crown Heights North Historic District, needed to address Department of Buildings (DOB) violations without the funds to do so. The NYLC-funded project, completed masonry repairs at the brick façade and tower, making the building both safer and more beautiful.

A private non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting New York's unique architectural heritage and character, the Conservancy "gives New York’s preservation needs a voice, advocating for sensible development, providing financial assistance and technical expertise." Its Sacred Sites grants offer congregations the means to plan and implement exterior restoration projects, including roof replacements, masonry restoration, stained-glass restoration, and structural repairs. The grants cover associated professional services fees, while also providing technical assistance and workshops.

APT Bulletin Reviews Reglazing Modernism

The APT Bulletin: The Journal of Preservation Technology recently published Kyle Normandin’s in-depth review of Reglazing Modernism: Intervention Strategies for 20th-Century Icons, a book co-authored by Angel Ayón, Principal of AYON Studio. The review outlines the content of the book and highlights its contribution to preservation’s academic and practical knowledge base. “Reglazing Modernism will certainly be of interest to practitioners across a number of disciplines, including architects and engineers.”

Why should they care? As Normandin points out, “The timeliness of Reglazing Modernism underscores the critical nature and importance of this publication for many of us as we focus on the vast number of buildings constructed in the mid- to late twentieth century—in particular, Modern glazed assemblies…The sheer volume and inventory of buildings with glazed curtain wall assemblies, and how to maintain and improve them, raises questions about their continued use and viability. It also invites consideration of how we can sustain and reuse these buildings in the future.”

The book’s 20 case studies include World Heritage Sites in the US and Europe, including Fallingwater in Pennsylvania, the Guggenheim Museum in New York, and the Fagus Factory and Bauhaus Dessau, both in Germany. According to Normandin, “Understanding the value of historic constructions and how to protect them is critical…Lessons learned from interventions in twentieth-century buildings will lead to responsible stewardship of our built environment tomorrow.”

The APT Bulletin is published by the Association for Preservation Technology International.

NY State Honors the Fire Watchtower at Marcus Garvey Park

Photograph by Alexander Severin.

Governor Cuomo recently announced the winners of the 2020 New York State Historic Preservation Awards. And guess what? The Harlem Fire Watchtower Restoration made the list! We are thrilled to join our peers and collaborators in celebrating this project’s latest and most distinguished honor.

The preservation effort for this project didn’t come easy, by any means! AYON Studio Principal Angel Ayón began advocating to save the 19th-century structure at the turn of this one and has spent the last 20+ years working with the local community-based organizations, volunteers and professional teams to make it happen.

The project was recognized by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation as “an extraordinary commitment to preserving New York State’s built history.” Truly a collaboration among architectural and engineering professionals, craftspeople, advocates, and the community, we are so very proud that the project has made such a positive impact on the community and New York State as a whole!

Addressing Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Representation in Historic Preservation

The ongoing pandemic is changing the way we all live and work. Many professions are struggling to understand what this means for their business. Historic Preservationists are no exception, and on January 14, 2021, AYON Studio Principal Angel Ayón joined six other speakers and moderator Sloane Bullough at APTNE’s latest virtual event “How the Future of Historic Preservation will Change as a Result of COVID-19.”

Angel spoke passionately about COVID-19’s disproportionate effects on communities of color, which coupled with the inexcusable killings of unarmed black people in America, has shone a spotlight on systemic racism in our country. He urged attendees to first understand the issues, then have the critical conversations necessary to make meaningful changes in the preservation community—at the institutional level and a professional level. Ultimately, by taking responsibility and leading the way to becoming “anti-racist preservationists” he said, we can help tackle the issue of systemic racism and move toward equality.

He also pointed out the lack of protection of historic resources that are black-owned, or where the majority of inhabitants are black, indigenous, or people of color. “We need to address this legacy of mis-investment, poor planning, inappropriate zoning, neighborhood and community development and gentrification,” he said, “as well as cultural preservation…not everything that is historic is worthy of preservation.”

Angel also championed better leadership and mentorship training, and the need to better reflect the diversities of our broader communities within the preservation community itself. Lastly, he encouraged attendees to envision the challenges of climate change as issues of environmental justice, to achieve real and lasting progress.

Reglazing Modernism co-author Uta Pottgiesser to Chair Docomomo International

Dr. Pottgiesser, who co-wrote Reglazing Modernism with AYON Studio principal Angel Ayón, has been unanimously elected chair of Docomomo International. Her term, running from January 2022 to December 2025, will commence in conjunction with the relocation of Docomomo Headquarters to Delft University of Technology, where she serves as Chair and Professor of Heritage & Technology. Uta will join Wido Quist from Docomomo Netherlands, as Secretary.  

Docomomo plans to formalize the election results at the next Council Meeting on August 31, 2021, during the 16th International Docomomo Conference in Tokyo, Japan 2020+1. In September 2022, the 17th International Docomomo Conference will be held in Valencia, Spain. New chapters accepted into Docomomo International include Singapore and Thai.

Reglazing Modernism features 20 distinct case studies that explore the pros and cons of various materials and methods for intervening on Modern glazed facades. Released just last year, Uta and Angel’s book demonstrates their expertise conceiving and evaluating alterations to steel-framed glazing assemblies on Modern architectural icons, specifically their ability to meet contemporary building performance criteria. Docomomo International’s review of Reglazing Modernism deemed it "a first class lesson for all who have to decide on Modern Movement heritage and who ask how they get a road map to meet [its] inherited complexities."

Reflecting on HDC’s 50 years of Preservation Advocacy

How can past architectural preservationist efforts help forecast future issues and opportunities? Last Tuesday evening, AYON Studio’s principal Angel Ayón joined fellow panelists Samuel Brooks and Vicki Weiner to help uncover this and more in “What We Learned: Takeaways from 50 years of advocacy.”

Moderated by Tara Kelly, this final episode of the Historic Districts Council’s 50th Anniversary Lecture Series explored the preservation community’s progress over the last half-century, as well as the distinct challenges that await the next generation.

 Part recollection, part reminiscence, Angel cited his own professional experiences from the previous decades—through education, professional practice, and community activism. From his involvement the Harlem Fire Watchtower restoration, as well as numerous landmarked cultural institutions within New York City, to his ongoing involvement with Save Harlem Now!, the exchange highlighted some of the challenges and priorities to focus on during the next 50 years

Preservation League of NY State Honors the Harlem Fire Watchtower

What do a 5,000-pound bell, a cast-iron structure, and a copper roof all have in common? They’re all historically restored components of the Fire Watchtower at Marcus Garvey Park!

Last night, the Preservation League of New York State (PLNYS) celebrated this beacon of Harlem heritage with a 2020 Excellence in Historic Preservation Award – one of only nine – as a model effort. Also dubbed the Mount Morris Fire Watchtower, this prominent neighborhood feature was designated a NYC landmark in 1967 and made the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

For two decades, Principal Angel Ayón advised stakeholders in their fight to save the 1857 structure, the last of its kind in NYC and one of the oldest surviving in NY County. Honored by Peg Breen, President of The New York Landmarks Conservancy (NYLC), as a “proud symbol of the community,” the tower also received two other awards this year, including a prestigious Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award from NYLC and a MASterworks Award for Best Restoration from the Municipal Art Society.

Catch up with the recording of the 2020 PLNYS awards ceremony, and explore the fascinating history of this beloved Harlem landmark, and the 20-year struggle to save it.

Sustainable Design meets Reglazing Modernism at Harvard GSD

Young architects are learning that preservation isn’t just for pre-war buildings! Last Friday, October 23rd, Principal Angel Ayón and Uta Pottgiesser shared case studies from their book Reglazing Modernism with students at Harvard University Graduate School of Design.

Together with their host, GSD Lecturer in Architecture David N. Fixler, Angel and Uta shared how to make modern buildings more environmentally friendly by capitalizing on advancements in technology since the buildings were built. Briefed on their recent  FTI SKINS Podcast, an article entitled “Greening the Glass Box” from DOCOMOMO NY/Tri-State’s mōd publication, and spurred on by a controversial 2015 op-ed published in Fast Company magazine, the virtual class even explored the ethical dilemma of saving Mid-Century Modern icons with under-par building performance.

We’re curious to hear what you think about this important issue! Feel free to share your perspective in the comments below.

Facade Tectonics Institute's SKINS Podcast Discusses Reglazing Modernism

The latest episode of the Facade Tectonics Institute SKINS podcast includes a lively conversation on Reglazing Modernism with co-authors Angel Ayón and Uta Pottgiesser. During this in-depth exchange with Mic Patterson, the Institute's Ambassador for Innovation and Collaboration, Ayón and Pottgiesser discuss the origins of their collaboration, the motivations for writing the book, and its relevance for the facade alteration industry. Topics discussed include case study selection, editorial and publication process and their current plans for future publications. The podcast is a perfect opportunity to learn more about Reglazing Modernism ― Intervention Strategies for 20th Century Icons (Birkhäuser, 2019), which Docomomo International has called "a fist class lesson for all who have to decide on Modern Movement heritage and who ask how they get a road map to meet [its] inherited complexities."

Here is a link to the episode in the SKINS podcast:

https://www.facadetectonics.org/podcasts/episode-08-reglazing-modernism

How Low Can We Go? Historic Preservation and Carbon Reduction

The second annual collaboration between the AIA NY Historic Buildings Committee (HBC) and the Committee on the Environment (COTE) took place on September 25, 2020. Focusing this time on Case Studies in Carbon Reduction for Modern Heritage Buildings, the virtual panel discussion explored exemplary architectural projects at the intersection of Modern heritage and sustainability. Moderated by Scott Henson from Henson Architects, the panel included a presentation by Bruce Becker from Becker and Becker and Lois Arena from Steven Winter Associates on the conversion of the former Pirelli Tire Building in New Heaven (Marcel Breuer, 1970) into a Passive House boutique hotel. AYON Studio Principal Angel Ayón presented on the Window Wall Replacement at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in NYC (Frank Lloyd Wright, 1959), and Ghislain Bélanger from CO12 Architecture Inc. discussed the renovation of a residential unit at Habitat '67 in Montreal (Moshe Safdie, 1967). 

Click here to see the event details.

The Fire Watchtower Wins a Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award

On September 23, 2020 AYON Studio joined many friends and colleagues in celebrating the 30th Lucy G. Moses Preservation Awards. Bestowed by the New York Landmarks Conservancy to projects that demonstrate excellence in the restoration, preservation, or adaptive use of historic buildings, streetscapes, and landscapes, the awards are considered by many the Oscar's of Preservation in New York City. The 2020 edition of the prestigious award included the restored Mount Morris Fire Watchtower in Marcus Garvey Park, a project with which Angel Ayón has been involved for the last 20 years. AYON Studio congratulates all the awardees and specially those involved in the effort to safeguard this unique historic structure in Harlem.

Click here to enjoy a video of the event.