Additional fee, registration required.
The AIA Historic Resources Committee gathers annually for a luncheon and educational program at the AIA Conference on Architecture & Design. This year’s event takes place in the remarkable Guastavino Room of the Boston Public Library—an architectural landmark renowned for its structural and design innovations.With the library’s president, a panel of architects and engineers will discuss the library’s mission, significance, technical challenges, and future vision—and how its future renewal project relates to libraries nationwide.
This program will explore the building’s history, highlighting the pioneering work of Rafael Guastavino, an immigrant whose structural tile vaulting transformed architecture. Attendees will gain insight into the BPL’s ongoing renewal efforts, balancing historic preservation with modernization, and how these challenges reflect broader trends in cultural institutions worldwide. Before and after lunch, guests will have the opportunity to informally explore the building’s historic spaces.
Speakers include:
Ann M. Beha, FAIA - Architect
David Leonard - President, Boston Public Library
John A. Ochsendorf - Professor of Architecture and Civil & Environmental Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Founding Director, Morningside Academy for Design
Learning Objectives
- Understand the design principles behind the Boston Public Library’s famed Guastavino Vaults, the first work by Rafael Guastavino in the U.S., and their cultural significance.
- Learn about the Boston Public Library’s ongoing renewal efforts, preserving its historic fabric while enhancing services for contemporary patrons.
- Identify challenges faced by public institutions in modernizing client services in historic and community environments.
- Explore the intersection between art, library collections, and architecture, such as climate control, building envelope design, energy performance, and sustainability.