Publishing Real-World Case Studies

Case studies are an important learning tool for both professionals and students in the field of heritage conservation. They provide an understanding of how others effectively identify and solve problems, offer a bridge between the theoretical and practical and, if done well, discuss successes as well as failures so others can learn from them.

The need for such case studies was articulated by the more than sixty experts who participated in the 2013 Colloquium to Advance the Practice of Conserving Modern Heritage to identify ways to advance the practice modern heritage conservation and to shape the Conserving Modern Architecture Initiative’s program. The need was further confirmed through Conserving Modern Architecture Initiative's 2020 global survey of educational and training institutions.

Launched in 2018, the Conserving Modern Heritage series, published by Getty Publications, is designed to address the field’s need for recent, practical, well-vetted, real-world examples of the application of sound conservation methods to twentieth-century heritage structures and places.

Each volume features a collection of case studies devoted to a single material, technical, or methodological challenge specific to modern heritage, and is edited by a team of subject matter experts. Case studies are selected to represent diverse types of places in different parts of the world. They are written by practitioners about their own projects, and are aimed primarily at fellow practitioners including architects, engineers, conservators, planners, and other heritage professionals.

In addition to project successes, some candidly discuss challenges and failures, exposing common pitfalls and problems. Such unvarnished analyses of completed projects are highly beneficial to practitioners working through similar challenges. Each volume is designed to facilitate comparison between case studies, which are written following a consistent format that reflects a best practice conservation approach.

Books in the series are generously illustrated with historic photos, as well as images that document conditions prior to the project, work in progress, and after completion of treatment. Technical drawings, test result tables, and other types of illustrations further elucidate many of the project approaches.

Titles

• Planning and Management Tools for Modern Places: Case Studies in Conservation Practice, forthcoming 2025
• Managing Energy Use in Modern Buildings: Case Studies in Conservation Practice, 2021
• Concrete: Case Studies in Conservation Practice, 2019