If we accept the most basic definition of preservation as the protection of cultural works from loss and depletion, then the safeguarding of all cultural heritage — tangible and intangible — addresses and contributes to memory, itself basic to all human existence. Historic preservation as an academic pursuit is predicated on the belief that knowledge, memory, and experience are tied to cultural constructs, and especially material culture. Preservation--whether of a building, landscape, or city — helps extend these things and places into the present and establishes a form of mediation critical to the interpretive process that reinforces these aspects of human existence. With the escalating development and commodification of heritage in all its forms — as objects, places, and even symbols — for recreational, economic, and political purposes, the input of preservation professionals in shaping buildings, cities, and regions, becomes all the more critical.
Historic preservation is a defined field with a long history, complex theories, and diverse methods of practice. It is a critical component of contemporary thought and practice in the design and planning of the built environment. Today it is no longer a question of why but rather of how and to what purpose or end can preservation achieve its goals. Today, the benefits of heritage preservation are recognized as real investments — with high social and economic profitability, especially in view of our commitment to a better living environment and the need for real sustainable development in the next millennium. These are common interests shared by all departments in the School of Design and they go well beyond a traditional design agenda. At PennDesign preservation as an academic and applied field continues to evolve in accordance with new ideas and techniques, new talents, and within a broad array of subjects including the scientific and technical questions of conservation, the social aspects of local community, the relation of heritage to its environment, and heritage as economic resource and preservation as a dimension of sustainable development. These form the basis for all courses, research and practice and equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills required for a successful and rewarding professional life.
Frank G. Matero
Chair, Department of Historic Preservation
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