Please join us for a symposium related to the exhibition Authenticity and Innovation. The exhibition explores the preservation and reuse of existing buildings in contemporary New York City, a particularly relevant topic for a metropolis characterized by perennial change. While New York City has about 1,500 individual landmarks and 139 historic districts that are overseen by the Landmarks Preservation Commission, Authenticity and Innovation will feature 28 projects that are not officially designated as “significant.” Their reuse represents a phenomenon that can be called preservation beyond the preservation law.
This accompanying symposium will explore topics and concerns raised by the exhibition including the sustainability benefits of adaptive reuse, why older buildings appeal to new businesses, the relationship between preservation and gentrification, and the underlying cultural significance of reusing old buildings.
