Virtual
Kecia Fong
Jharna Joshi
Christina Paterno
Kuanghan Li
Bhawna Dandona
Ifrah Asif
What are the most pressing challenges, current trends, and practical needs Asian heritage conservation professionals face today? Who are the principal agents of conservation in their respective countries; how do these different actors perceive, interpret, and leverage heritage; and with what outcomes? Is there a relationship between the primacy of particular conservation actors and national governance structures or economies? What are the opportunities for conservation education and training? And perhaps, most importantly, what can we learn from our Asian colleagues to expand our thinking and improve our practice? We want to hear from you, our Penn Preservation alumni. Come share your thoughts and ideas. The purpose of this roundtable is to learn from our alumni about the principal challenges they face and how Penn can marshall its resources to better serve our students and support ongoing conservation efforts in Asia. To kick off the conversation, please join Jharna Joshi (MSHP ’99, Nepal), Christina Paterno (MSHP '00, Philippines), Kuanghan Li (MSHP ’04, China), Bhawna Dandona (MSHP ’06, India), and Ifrah Asif (MSHP ’21, Pakistan). There will be plenty of time for open discussion.
Speakers:
Kecia Fong (moderator, MSHP ‘98), Lecturer, Graduate Program in Historic Preservation, Editor, Change Over Time
Kecia Fong is a conservation professional of the built environment. She has worked internationally as a conservation practitioner and educator for the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, US National Park Service (NPS), and the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) among others. Her work in the field has addressed multiple scales and contexts from the revitalization of the historic Islamic core of Cairo; conservation of earthen plasters at ancient Puebloan sites in the American southwest; emergency conservation and stabilization of the ancient city of Zeugma, Turkey; to the conservation and adaptive use of 20th century architecture in North American cities. As a conservation educator Kecia brings a global perspective to her teaching. She is committed to understanding the impacts of applying universalisms to the place specificity of culture. To that end, she is particularly interested in engaging with diverse cultural perspectives of heritage and its conservation.
Jharna Joshi (MSHP ’99), Architect, Visiting Associate Professor, Kathmandu University
Jharna Joshi has more than twenty years of experience in architecture, conservation, tourism and teaching in Nepal, China, Hong Kong, USA, Vietnam, Greece, Pakistan and New Zealand. She has worked as a heritage and infrastructure specialist with national and international agencies as well as educational institutions. Her notable project includes the Bandipur Eco Cultural Tourism Project that developed Bandipur, a hilltop town in Nepal as a new tourism destination by promoting and preserving the local culture and heritage engaging the local stakeholders and international partner cities. Currently, she is involved in designing and restoring traditional buildings as well as teaching at architectural institutions and consulting in various projects.
Christina Paterno (MSHP '00), President, ICOMOS Phillippines
Tina Paterno is an architectural conservator. She completed her M.S. in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania, and was Senior Conservator at Integrated Conservation Resources, Inc., New York City, United Nations Building complex, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Federal Reserve Bank. She then founded her own firm, T. Paterno Conservation Inc., also in New York City. Projects include the Times Square Theater, New York. Returning to the Philippines, she co-founded the San Sebastian Basilica Conservation and Development Foundation, Inc. as was its executive and technical director. For this work, she received was awarded by the of Outstanding Manilan Medallion of Honor, conferred by the City of Manila. She is the current president of ICOMOS Philippines.
Kuanghan Li (MSHP ’04), Director Assistant, WHITRAP (Beijing), Research Fellow, School of Archaeology and Museology, Peking University, Director of Global programs, Global Heritage Fund
Dr. Kuanghan Li is the Director Assistant for the UNESCO World Heritage Institute of Training and Research in the Asia and Pacific Region (WHITRAP Beijing), research fellow at the School of Archaeology and Museology, Peking University, senior editor of the Chinese academic journal Study in Natural and Cultural Heritage, she also serves as the Director of Programs for Global Heritage Fund (GHF). She graduated with a B.A. in architectural studies from the National University of Singapore MSc in historic preservation at the University of Pennsylvania, and received her Ph.D. in archaeology from Peking University. Her specialty is in heritage management and community development and has diverse international experiences in design, conservation and development projects.
Bhawna Dandona (MSHP ’06), Co-Founder & Director, Meaningful Design Labs
Bhawna Dandona is a conservation architect with an MSc from the University of Pennsylvania with a specialization in architectural materials conservation. In her practice, she has engaged with heritage in India and the United States. She has experience in developing sustainable conservation treatments utilizing scientific techniques. Bhawna has a keen interest in construction histories and investigative tools for heritage buildings and sites. She has research experience with organizations such as the Indian National Trust for Art & Cultural Heritage, the American Institute of Indian Studies, the National Park Service, the Centre for Architectural Conservation, and the Getty Conservation Institute. She was awarded the INTACH Research Scholarship for her research on Lakhori brick. She has presented research papers on terrazzo from British Period Delhi, earthen construction in Ladakh, and construction histories of embassies in New Delhi. She has recently completed a Specifications Manual for technical conservation works for built heritage in India with Agha Khan Trust for Culture. Bhawna has been working full-time and as a visiting educator since 2011. She is currently researching sustainable materials and engaging with climate action.
Ifrah Asif (MSHP ’21), Lecturer, School of Art, Design and Architecture (SADA), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan
Ifrah Asif is an architect, preservationist, Fulbright scholar, and a graduate of University of Pennsylvania with a Master of Science in Historic Preservation. She has worked with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture in documentation and preservation of the world’s largest mural wall in Lahore Fort. Ifrah is currently working as a Lecturer at School of Art, Design and Architecture (SADA) in National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Pakistan, where she has been reshaping architectural education, through the introduction of design projects in architecture studios focusing on issues related to the climate crisis, disaster resilient architecture and energy-efficient design. She also leads the Heritage and Restoration studio at SADA.
The Heritage Conservation in Asia Roundtable Series is an initiative of the Stuart Weitzman School of Design, Graduate Program in Historic Preservation. The purpose of the HCA Roundtables is to draw attention to how heritage and conservation in Asia are central to a raft of broader cultural, governance, urbanistic, and environmental concerns. Issues of national identity, rapid urbanization, sustainable development, international relations, political and religious conflict, civil society, public good, design, public art, and climate change all intersect built heritage and the built environment. As one of the most dynamic regions of the world today, what happens in Asia impacts the globe. The thematically oriented HCA Roundtables are designed to amplify existing Asian heritage-related work at Penn, generate insightful multi-disciplinary discussion, and identify key research questions addressing contemporary contexts, pressing needs, and current heritage conservation practices. Each roundtable features Penn faculty or alumni with diverse expertise and experience whose work in Asia or with Asian diasporic communities offers valuable perspectives and methodological approaches for evolving a global perspective on heritage and a more relevant conservation practice. Come expand your minds and your networks.
This is the third in our Heritage Conservation in Asia Roundtable Series.
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