A workshop, "Seismic Retrofit of Historic Adobe Buildings," was held at the J. Paul Getty Museum on March 10, 1995. The workshop was a collaborative effort of the GCI, the National Park Service, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the California Office of Historic Preservation, the Los Angeles Conservancy, and the California Preservation Foundation.

The 10 invited speakers discussed topics that included: a survey of damage to adobe buildings following the 1994 Northridge earthquake; how preexisting conditions adversely affect the seismic performance of adobes; descriptions of recent seismic retrofits of historic buildings; and the results of experimental research at the GCI on new approaches to seismic retrofitting of historic adobes (the Getty Seismic Adobe Project). Following the presentations and lunch, the audience of about 150 engineers, architects, conservators, contractors, property owners, and government officials participated, along with the speakers, in extended roundtable discussions that ranged from adobe building conservation philosophy to details of traditional retrofitting techniques and of the new, stability-based concepts.

The proceedings of the workshop are available on request from either E. Leroy Tolles, Earthen Building Technologies, 2245 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91107, or from William S. Ginell, Scientific Program, the Getty Conservation Institute, 4503 Glencoe Ave., Marina del Rey, CA 90292. Telephone: 310 822-2299 / Fax: 310 821-9409.