Remembering Frank Matero (1953 – 2025)

The Weitzman community is deeply saddened by the passing of Frank Matero, the Gonick Family Professor in the Department of Historic Preservation and a professor of architecture, on December 19, 2025, following a protracted battle with cancer.

“In his dedication to students and colleagues, his advocacy for historic preservation—the original sustainability, he was fond of saying—and his commitment to professional reform, he was without peer,” said Weitzman Dean and Paley Professor Fritz Steiner.

Matero joined the faculty in 1990, when the historic preservation program was just 6 years old, and he put Penn on the map. He taught courses on theory, architectural surface finishes, masonry conservation, and the conservation of archeological sites, and advised hundreds of students on their capstone projects. He organized sold-out conferences on topics like concrete architecture, and he founded and directed the Center for Architectural Conservation, a powerhouse for applied research that has protected dozens of priceless cultural heritage sites, from Taliesin West to the Guggenheim Museum to the Ayyubid Wall in Cairo. His engagements took him around the world, but he was particularly proud of his work in Mancos, Colorado, where he collaborated with local residents and colleagues to revitalize an abandoned newspaper office and print shop as a community center. He also founded Change Over Time, the international journal on conservation and the built environment published by Penn Press, where he was the editor-in-chief. He served two terms as department chair (1994-2009 and 2018-2025) and was instrumental in the Department of Historic Preservation achieving departmental status.

A prolific scholar as well as a sought-after educator and practitioner, Matero focused on the historical and material investigation of architectural technology and its implications for the interpretation and conservation of built heritage. In the course of his career, he authored over 100 publications on conservation history, building technology, ethics, and professional practice, and he was invited to speak at universities and professional forums around the world. In recent years, he was focused on developing a framework for material and site risk and vulnerability related to climate change, and he was completing a book on the conservation of concrete architecture. 

Matero recently spoke to PIK Professor Lynn Meskell about his career and the profession. Read "A Life in Ruins: An Interview with Frank Matero" in Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites (Vol 27, No.1).

Weitzman will hold a gathering for members of our community in March of 2026. Students, faculty, staff and alums will receive details via email. In addition, there is a public memorial service planned for Saturday, March 21 at 1:00pm at the Wagner Free Institute of Science (1700 West Montgomery Avenue, Philadelphia 19121). RSVP is required.

Written appreciations may be sent to news@design.upenn.edu for future publication on this page.

Mark Alan Hewitt (MArch’78)
Principal, Mark Alan Hewitt Architects

Frank Matero graciously welcomed me to the Preservation Program faculty at Columbia in 1985. Shortly afterward we had tea at his apartment and he showed me his fine collection of arts and crafts furniture and pottery. I was later pleased to see him teaching at my alma mater, Penn, and getting to know my dear friend Tony Atkin. Frank and I also collaborated on one of my first preservation projects in Greenwich Village, which won a prize in the National Trust Great American Home awards. We taught together briefly at Penn when I helped lead the preservation planning studio during a semester in the early 2000s. We corresponded often on projects of mutual interest, and he was always generous with his time. Frank was an extraordinary man in so many ways—a brilliant professional, talented teacher, and warm human being.

Zhang Peng
Deputy Dean, College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University

I have just learned of the passing of Professor Frank Matero. On behalf of the College of Architecture and Urban Planning at Tongji University, I would like to express my condolences to our colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania. I had the honor of meeting Frank during my first visit to Penn in 2005. Over the following decade, I recommended many Tongji graduates to pursue studies in historic preservation at Penn, and my students often shared how much they appreciated Frank's thoughtful mentoring and care. During my academic visit to Penn in 2016-2017, I had many in-depth conversations with Frank about the history of Penn's historic preservation program and exchanged ideas on the development of Tongji's Historic Architecture Conservation program. Throughout that year, I fully participated in the courses he taught, from which I benefited greatly. Frank was not only an educator in heritage preservation but also a prolific preservation practitioner. He was not only a technical expert but also a theoretician in the field. Frank will be forever remembered!

Shixin Zhao (MSHP’21)
PhD Researcher, Institute for Sustainable Heritage, University College London

Frank was the most noble and generous faculty member during my time in the MSHP program.

He gave me the opportunity to join the Center for Architectural Conservation (CAC), where I gained invaluable hands-on and on-site experience across the U.S.

When I was applying for my PhD, Frank provided unwavering support and guidance: helping me navigate programs, build connections, and stay encouraged throughout the journey.

It is with great sadness that I heard of his passing. I hope this message conveys the deep gratitude and respect felt by many of us.

Rest in peace, my dear professor, supervisor, and mentor.

Tiffani Simple (MSHP’10)
Principal, Simple Design Studio Architects

Frank convinced me to choose Penn for my graduate program and I learned so much from him in my time there and beyond as a professor, advisor, and friend. He has impacted my life greatly and I am so thankful that I got to experience his shared knowledge and mentorship. A light that will be greatly missed not only by me, but by many.

Evan Oxland (MSHP’17)

It is with great sadness that I read of the passing of Frank Matero. He was one of the most inspiring and supportive professors I have ever had the privilege of working with. As a lecturer he opened our eyes, as a researcher he connected with so many while pushing new limits, as an advisor he challenged and supported us to grow. 

While he will be missed, his memory and life force will no doubt live on with the institutions, professional practices, critical inquiry, passionate advocacy, and communities that he helped fashion and nurture from local to global stages.

Hector Abreu (MSHP’90)

I am devastated by the news of Frank’s passing. He was my mentor and reason for embracing the field of architectural conservation. When I entered the graduate program at Penn in 1989, Frank had just come from Columbia University and started the establishment of the Conservation Lab. I was not sure what area of study within Historic Preservation I wanted to focus on. Discussions with Frank started to gear me towards conservation. I was one of the first students to enter the program at Penn and even assisted Frank in getting the lab running. I was also one of the first post-graduate students to work on project at the Conservation Lab, the Ohio Statehouse stone conservation study. For many years after, I kept in touch with Frank as he followed the progression of my career and he always was available to provide sage advice. I last saw him in DC in 2024, in his role as a member of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation which I also attended as the Federal Preservation Officer for the Department of Veterans Affairs. I was not aware of his health condition, we talked and he wished me well in all my endeavors and finally said he was proud of me. May he rest in peace now and I hope he knows that I will never forget him.

John Landis
Professor Emeritus of City & Regional Planning

The terms giant-in-his-field, authentic, and grace are much overused these days, and rarely in combination, but to me, they perfectly describe my colleague, Frank Matero, who departed this world much too early.  I had heard of Frank long before I met him, when, as a department chair at UC-Berkeley in the late 1990s, I proposed that the planning department teach a new course in historic preservation. “Copy whatever Frank Matero is doing at Penn,” one of my Berkeley colleagues advised me, “He’s the best in the business.” Indeed, he was, and upon arriving at Penn in 2007, I had the privilege of meeting Frank in person. With that characteristic and mischievous twinkle in his eye, Frank was welcoming from the first day, and over the next eighteen years, he demonstrated daily what it meant to be a distinguished scholar, a dedicated teacher, a professional committed to his craft, and, above all, a human being who led with empathy and understanding. I never had the pleasure of teaching a course with Frank or working on a research project with him, but we spent many hours together in monthly Executive Committee meetings, and when Frank spoke–always patiently waiting his turn–it was invariably with wisdom, authority, and conviction. Frank was that rare person whom you knew you could ALWAYS depend on to say and do the right thing, whether for students seeking knowledge, colleagues seeking advice, or those seeking meaning in their collective past and a connection to the future.

Eugénie Birch
Lawrence C. Nussdorf Professor of Urban Research and Education

Frank Matero was an incredible teacher and researcher and even more incredible colleague. I knew him as a member of several committees that guided the school–Executive and Personnel were two–when he spoke, we all listened carefully as his was the voice of wisdom and common sense. He was thoughtful, imaginative, and inspiring. He will be sorely missed but much appreciated for the years he dedicated to his craft and the school

Wanda Lopez Bobonis (MSHP’05)

The past few days I have been reflecting on friendships, relationships, and accomplishments. 

I had just found out about the loss of an old friend, someone that was integral to my professional formation, and indirectly my path here in Philadelphia.

I first met Frank 22 years ago when he visited our architecture school in Puerto Rico. I was immediately drawn to the work that he and his students were conducting in the Island, so right after finishing my undergraduate degree, I joined Frank and his team at the Historic Preservation Program at the University of Pennsylvania, class of 2005.

Frank’s vision and technological knowledge was unparalleled, and he was always eager to share it with his students and colleagues from all over the world. He truly helped shape our future and opened many doors for us throughout the years.

Frank was an amazing person, a mentor, and a friend. And even though our paths eventually took us in different directions, I was always eager to see and read about his ongoing work and adventures. I will forever cherish our conversations, his words of encouragement, and his wisdom.

Frank, thank you for all you gave us. You are and will forever be missed. . . but your legacy and spirit will remain with us. Rest in peace old friend.

Mojtaba Saffarian (MSHP’24)

I feel a deep sense of gratitude for Frank Matero, whose guidance made me believe in myself, helped me find my path, and profoundly shaped my understanding of architectural conservation science. I will miss you deeply and remember you forever—your wonderful voice and laugh, your seriousness about our work, and your unwavering passion for educating students. I am deeply honored to have been your student, to have worked with you and earned awards together, and to have served as the TA for your final class, Preserving Wright—another precious opportunity to learn from you and work beside you.

Rest in peace, my lovely Frank.

Andrea Cochrane Tracey (MSHP’96)

I'm truly saddened to learn of Frank Matero's passing. He had just taken on the mantle of Historic Preservation Chair when I started in the preservation program at UPenn. Frank's dedication to education, scholarship, professional practice, and advocacy was invaluable. We've lost a preservation pioneer; however, thankfully Frank Matero's legacy will live on in the many people and heritage places he impacted during his life. My heartfelt prayers go out to Frank's family.

Irene Matteini (MSHP’14)
Lecturer in Historic Preservation; Scientific Director, Concreto Academy

Caro Frank,

On a quiet Friday morning, you flew away.

From the moment I started working with you, Frank - There was never a dull moment. Always energetic and interesting conversations over great meals together. You entered the room, and the air changed color. You always knew how to make things happen, and with that Italian swag of yours (especially with your latter black glasses frame), it was very hard to say NO to any ideas. With your negotiating skills, somehow, I would say YES to any ideas, projects without even officially signing off on it!

Your love for life, your endless curiosity to discover something new, and your courage to take leaps will remain a profound inspiration for the rest of my life.

Working together at Taliesin West is one of the most precious memories I hold tight in my heart. The complexity and yet simple beauty of this architecture is somehow how I want to remember you. Within the infinite line of the desert horizon marked by solitary saguaros, the building powerfully stands up from the desert floor, changing colors every hour of the day, every season. Embodying the principle of organic architecture with its rawness, and yet meticulous combination of materials used from desert stones, concrete, wood with the larger boulders marking the entrance to a spiritual place. Drinking early morning coffee sitting underneath the veranda and walking around wondering how the fellows chose each stone, who built this part or that—was it Paolo Soleri? Or maybe not?. Endless concrete adventures, always trying to find the “magic” in everything. I promise, I will continue to look for that “magic”, Frank.

Arrivederci Caro Frank. We will meet again. And I am sure we will find more concrete buildings to work on.

Un grande abbraccio, Mi mancherai tanto,

Irene M.

Rachel Levy
Director, James Marston Fitch Charitable Foundation

It is with great sadness that we at the James Marston Fitch Charitable Foundation express our profound sorrow upon the passing of our friend and colleague Frank Matero. Frank’s boundless passion, tireless dedication, and unwavering commitment to educating others resonated with people around the world, leaving an indelible mark on the field of architectural conservation and cultural heritage.

Frank epitomized what it means to be a gifted leader, a devoted educator, and a firm believer in the human spirit. Frank studied with Jim Fitch at Columbia and manifested his professor’s passion for expanding our field and practice. Like Fitch, Frank devoted his long career to mentoring, teaching, and celebrating the richness of diverse cultures and iconic places around the world. In a recent interview at ICCROM in Rome reflecting on the evolution of the field, Frank urged us to be “humanistically as broad as possible and scientifically as detailed as possible” – to allow this to continue to guide our thinking and remind us that asking the right questions is what matters most.

Many of us at the Fitch Foundation and Fellows that we supported over the years are deeply honored to have had the opportunity to know him, to have worked alongside him, and to have been graced by his wisdom and guidance.

As we mourn his loss, we also commit to preserving his legacy by continuing to practice and impart the invaluable lessons he taught us through our own work and the support of future Fitch Fellows.

Glenn Boornazian
Founder & Principal Conservator, Integrated Conservation Resources, Inc.

I was a student of Frank's when he was teaching at Columbia University. I also had the honor of working closely with him when he was the Director of the Center for Preservation Research there, and on projects and courses over the following years. What an honor it was to work with him, to learn from him, to be guided by him, to have his attention, and to share laughs with him. What an exceptional person we have all lost. He will be deeply missed in so many ways. Rest in peace dear Frank

Kwesi Daniels
Department Head and Associate Professor of Architecture, Tuskegee University

I was saddened to learn of the passing of Frank Matero and would like to extend my heartfelt condolences on behalf of the Tuskegee University Department of Architecture and the Historic Preservation program. I first met Frank about four years ago through Randy Simon, during the early stages of the Tuskegee/UPenn partnership. At that time, we had ambitious plans for creating a historic materials conservation lab but were unsure how to begin. Randy recommended we speak with Frank, and his guidance proved invaluable. He helped us define the scope of the lab and assisted in developing an initial list of supplies to get started.

Since that first meeting, the relationship between our schools, through Randy, has truly flourished. On November 18, 2025, we officially cut the ribbon for the Tuskegee University Historic Materials Conservation Lab, a milestone achievement for our program. Frank played a significant role in shaping the early vision for this lab, and his expertise in materials conservation was instrumental in moving us forward. We are deeply grateful for the knowledge and support Frank shared with us, and are truly sorry to learn of his passing.

Amy Freitag (MSHP’94, MLA’94)
President, The New York Community Trust

If you are lucky - truly lucky in your life, you will have someone that inspires you, drives you, educates you, and makes you laugh. That person for me was Frank Matero.

I met Frank when he was still a New Yorker. His stories of hanging out at the Algonquin (he had the best seat in the house) and teaching at Columbia inspired my pursuit of preservation as a career.

By the time I applied, Frank had migrated to Penn where he encouraged me to pursue a joint degree in landscape architecture. Surrounded by incredible teachers (Ian McHarg, Christa Wilmanns-Wells, Ann Spirn, Kathryn Gleason, Jim Corner, David Delong) Frank paved a path for me that forever changed my life.

Dinners on Panama Street, food adventures at Reading Terminal, antiquing in New Hope - Frank was an incredible guide to the Delaware Valley. Soon our adventures expanded to the Southwest: Las Vegas, NM, Bandelier, Taos and Fort Union National Monument. Frank was always expanding horizons, finding new adventures, embracing new challenges.

Our last chat was tough - his voice was super weak but he remained buoyed by his work - did I know about the quarries and cement factories right near our new home in Vermont?  He sounded best when he was talking about his work - still obsessed with “landscapes of extraction.”  I loved that fire in Frank - his passion for a great project, a new area of investigation, a monument to be conquered.

Through his teaching, his publications, and his countless students, I trust Frank’s fire will never die. Our field is forever marked by his brilliance and creativity.

Annie Yang Liang-Zhou
Master of Historic Preservation Student

I am writing to express my deepest gratitude for Frank Matero, an esteemed professor, mentor, and institution in the field of historic preservation. I chose to attend the Weitzman School of Design's HSPV program because of Frank, and it was my only choice because of the impact he has had in this discipline, around the world, and to us the students. Rest in peace and may his legacy continue with the innumerable people and places he has influenced.

Lauren Drapala (MSHP’10)
Director of Programs, Historic Preservation Education Foundation
Lecturer, Boston Architectural College

Frank was one of those rare magnetic personalities that seemed to guide everything around him. As an educator, he gave so much to his students and he will forever inspire me to show up, make connections and foster opportunities for others whenever possible.

He made preservation look so cool. I'll never forget him in his leather jacket on our first trip to the Whitney Studio in NYC where everyone seemed to hang on his every word- his keen observations and expertise a gift to anyone within earshot. This contrasts in my mind with his Indiana Jones-esque presence in Dolores, CO where I was privileged enough to spend a summer with him stabilizing finishes at Mesa Verde. I belonged to a group of students that enjoyed coffee each morning in the Airstream next to his cabin, listening to mixed CDs on the long drives up the mountain to our work site.

He supported so much of my early professional work, but more importantly, he helped forge key memories through his humor, storytelling, fascination with taxidermy and charisma. I'm grateful to have benefited from his presence, along with so many others that have worked and learned along his side.

Lastly, Frank has and will continue to inspire us all through his writing, urging us all to advance theory and practice in the conservation field through his thought-provoking prose. I will forever be grateful for his generosity as a scholar, educator, practitioner and friend.

Angela Lombardi
Professor of Architecture and Heritage Conservation
Director, Center of Cultural Sustainability
The University of Texas at San Antonio

Dear Frank,

It has been several days now since you are no longer among us. Your absence is beginning to feel heavy. I miss you.

I will miss your irony, your sharpness, your energy, and your constant encouragement. You had a rare ability to cut straight to the heart of a question, always with clarity and intellectual generosity.

Last December, you wrote to me about the Museum of Herculaneum—one of those casual, incisive questions you used to ask. I replied immediately. An hour later, you had not responded. Strange, I thought—you always answered right away. That unfinished exchange will stay with me.

You were one of the external reviewers for my promotion to Full Professor—a role you embraced with the same generosity, intellectual honesty and passionate and passionate engagement that defined everything you did. I will always be grateful for your encouragement, support, and authentic appreciation at a moment that mattered deeply to me.

The trip we were planning to Molise will never happen. The conversations we imagined—reorganizing together the “mess” of one of our ongoing projects, debating ideas, finding direction—will never take place. These absences feel painfully concrete.

I will remember our conversations over food and Brandi’s ideas—sharing a grain pie, a tradition linking the two shores of the Atlantic—simple moments that revealed your curiosity, warmth, and deep sense of cultural continuity.

I will not be the only one who will miss you. The field of preservation has lost "un faro, una guida", at a critical moment in its history. At a moment when our discipline is urged to reconcile the relevance of its role within civic society—through humanistic values, scientific rigor, and ethical responsibility—your voice, always lucid, grounded, and humane, would have been essential.

Your spirit and your legacy will continue to guide us: in how we teach, how we practice, and how we care for the material and cultural worlds entrusted to us.

Arrivederci, caro Frank!

John Hinchman (MSHP'01)
Senior Research Associate and Lecturer

For my mentor,

Frank Matero and I worked together for more than twenty-five years, on projects across the country and around the world. While his greatest love was the American Southwest and the national parks we served, Frank taught me that all preservation is worth being excited about. He found as much joy in a 4,000-year-old site like Gordion, as he did in places like the Magic Gardens here in Philadelphia. He loved adobe ruins as much as he loved manufactured houses. In his mind, a site did not even need to be that old, or that important to be worth preserving.

While architectural conservation was his passion, he showed me one fundamental truth: the sometimes sterile world of the hard sciences should never be applied without the underlying importance of history, and building analysis and interpretation was the gateway to finding both the questions and the answers to any conservation effort. His passion for all of this flowed out of him, and it was infectious. He made all of us love what we did by convincing us that we should care about, and celebrate, the grandness and intimacy of all the different expressions the built world offered. And that we should do it as passionately as he did.

Through all the years we worked together, he would always ask about former students I had stayed in touch with and how they were doing. He wanted to know not only that they were working, but that they were happy. Whether someone worked with Frank for twenty-five years or spent just one semester in his class, the impact was no less profound.

Frank’s passing is a great loss for me, and for all of us. He had an extraordinary network and seemed to know everyone in the field of preservation. Yet no matter how wide his reach, he never lost sight of what mattered most to him which was his students. They always came first. He was not only a longtime colleague, but a mentor to hundreds of people. Each of them carries a little of Frank forward in the work they do. Through them, his influence continues to reach even those who never had the chance to know him directly. He spread his wings for all of us, and we are deeply indebted to him for that.

Emily Smith
Executive Director, Philadelphia's Magic Gardens

I have a vision of Frank standing in the Magic Gardens' courtyard, his eyes wide and excited. That was the first time I met him. He was passionate about art environments and visionary spaces; the more we talked the more I could see this change sweeping over him—an understanding of connection and dreaming and possibility. Collectively, we believed these types of spaces were vital to our humanity yet so misunderstood. What could we build together as colleagues, teachers, preservationists, community members, to change that narrative? 

He stayed passionate and thrilled by our partnership over the years. Even in his last few weeks with us, he was emailing me about future projects and hopes for building more together, not only for the next generation but for the genre of art environments and visionary artists as a whole. I hope people realize that unique part of his legacy: He loved "outsiders" and championed their significance. He was only getting started. I am grateful for the time we were able to dream together, and we'll keep dreaming and building in his memory.

Jake Barrow
Executive Director, Cornerstones Community Partnerships

In October 1990, midway through the 6th International Conference on Earthen Architecture being held in Las Cruces NM, I met Frank Matero for the first time—life-changing experience. At the conference, Frank collared me because at the time I was a National Park Service Preservation Specialist/Architectural Conservator for the Intermountain Region located in Santa Fe.  He quickly broached the idea of reviving "Parks as Classrooms"—a concept dating back to the 1930s. He wanted to bring students to national parks and activate the UPenn mission of "Theory and Practice." I listened attentively and we parted with a shake and a commitment. By the following summer, he launched his first field school at Fort Union National Monument in Watrous, New Mexico. The class focused on conserving the 19th century lime plaster fragments that remained on ruined adobe walls. A fantastic journey ensued from that moment—the most rewarding I’ve ever been involved in. So many students, so many parks, so many problems, so much research, so much learning, so many solutions—a continuous saga that introduced so many individuals to the theory and practice of conservation. In our last communication, we planned a new field school for the summer of 2026. Frank never paused. Now it's our turn. His remarkable spirit inspires us to step up.

Micah Dornfeld
Weitzman Preservation Department Coordinator

I would like to reiterate what I told you (with a fake mustache & goatee on) when we celebrated your tenure as Department Chair last May: “You have been a teacher and role model to me. No one works harder or navigates the Penn bureaucracies better than you. You constantly find a way to create opportunities that I thought were impossible and I know have lasting impacts—it has allowed students to travel across the country and even globe, it has given them research skills, funded internships, made lifelong preservation connections, and more. What I love about working with you is that you are a YES, person. You will do whatever you can to help our HSPV community. I have learned so much from watching you support students, guiding their learning, pushing them to take risks and giving them opportunities to grow. Thank you Frank for making the Preservation Office such a welcoming place to be and it’s a privilege to get to support the important work that you and everyone does.”  It is without a doubt that your legacy will be a blessing. 

David Myers (MSHP'00)
Senior Project Specialist, Getty Conservation Institute

This is to offer my deep gratitude to Frank for his instrumental role in helping forge my path in the heritage conservation field, as I know he has done with countless others. As an educator, Frank stressed solid first principles and a sound philosophical approach. He also made an immense impact to so many by providing for invaluable opportunities to gain practical experience through internships and field schools. In many cases (including mine) this was through government agencies such as NPS, providing exposure to the merits of contributing through public service.

As a mentor, Frank also stressed rigor in our work. He instilled a sense of duty to conduct our work in ways that can be readily carried forth by those who come after us, and that heritage conservation is a multigenerational endeavor. Our own role is no more or less important than those before or after us. Throughout his career he has exemplified the ideal of freely sharing knowledge, experience, and opportunities with others, and actively worked toward those aims.

Frank led a life well lived, and as a result so many of us have benefited and been inspired. His memory can serve as ample fuel to carry on as he would.

Lauren Meyer
Program Manager, Intermountain Historic Preservation Services (Vanishing Treasures, Historic Structures, Cultural Landscapes and History)

From Frank's National Park Service colleagues in the Intermountain West

Frank Matero was a tireless advocate for the National Park Service, for the cultural heritage preserved within our public lands, for the communities connected to places of legacy and learning, and for the practitioners who dedicate their lives to safeguarding the resources that shape our understanding of history and place. He was a trusted partner to our parks and programs, leaving an indelible mark on hundreds of historic structures, archeological sites, and cultural landscapes across NPS lands over a career spanning decades. He generously shared his passion for conservation and education with all who sought to learn – building, inspiring, and championing a generation of stewards and preservation professionals.

We on the Intermountain Historic Preservation team know that our program, our mission, and our vast Southwestern landscapes held a great place in Frank’s heart, and we will forever hold him in ours. Many of our life and career trajectories would have been vastly different, as would the field of historic preservation both locally and globally, were it not for his vision and influence. He never said no to an interesting project, advised us through great challenges, found creative ways to accomplish and overcome - often in times of significant change, dared us to think critically and act with intent, and encouraged us to innovate and lead. His impact is etched into the fabric of the many parks he touched, including Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, and Mesa Verde National Parks; Bandelier, Casa Grande Ruins, Florissant Fossil Beds, Fort Union, Hovenweep, Pipe Spring, Tumacácori, Tuzigoot, and Wupatki National Monuments; San Juan National Historic Site; Independence, Pecos, and San Antonio Missions National Historical Parks; and more.

Frank's absence will be deeply felt, and his influence will continue to resonate through the work of his students and colleagues. With both sorrow and immense gratitude, we remember our teacher, mentor, colleague, collaborator and friend.

Shao Yong
Professor, College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University
Secretary-General,World Heritage Institute of Training & Research for the Asia & the Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO (WHITR-AP), and Director of WHITRAP Shanghai

It was heartbreaking to hear the news of Professor Frank's passing at the end of 2025. The memory of our winter conversation on the University of Pennsylvania campus two years ago remains vivid. We sat together, sharing his joy in seeing the Historic Preservation Program he championed evolve into an independent department, and sketching out various possibilities for future transcontinental collaboration. Though the farewell took place in a bitter cold wind, my heart was warmed by our shared passion for heritage conservation.

To me, the name Frank Metero has long been synonymous with the excellence of heritage conservation education at the University of Pennsylvania. My personal connection with him began through an introduction by Mme Guanghan Li, one of his most brilliant former students, more than 15 years ago. During a break at a conference in New York, I visited Penn, where I had the honor of being received by him and Professor Randall Mason. It was during that visit that Frank personally took me into his proud laboratory, offering detailed explanations about the experiments and teaching related to various materials. In that moment, I deeply understood that architectural heritage conservation is not only about history and theory but is also rooted in rigorous scientific material analysis.

Our deeper collaboration involved co-organizing the 13th World Congress on Earthen Architectural Heritage (Terra 2022) in Santa Fe, USA. Unfortunately, Covid prevented me from attending the conference in person, but I am well aware that the great success of that event was built upon his immense dedication and tireless effort.

Professor Frank Metero was not only an outstanding scholar but a great educator. He translated professional knowledge into practice and built bridges of understanding and cooperation on the international stage of heritage conservation. He warmly hosted students and visiting scholars from Tongji University, fostering in-depth academic exchanges between the two universities in the field of historic preservation. His departure is a significant loss to this field worldwide.

Though he is gone, his legacy endures. The light of scholarship and the flame of practice he ignited will continue to illuminate the path for those who follow. I offer this writing to express my deepest condolences and fond remembrance. May he rest in peace. May the cooperation and friendship between the two institutions, built upon his great contributions, endure for years to come.

Andrew Fearon (MSHP’06)
Lecturer
Principal Conservator, Heritage Conservation Collective

It is with deep sorrow that we acknowledge the loss of Frank Matero, a founder of our field, mentor, professor and friend. I’ve been privileged to learn from him for 22 years, first as a graduate student then later as a supporting faculty member.  Through his leadership at Penn for three and a half decades, he crafted a curriculum that has come to define the contemporary practice of built heritage conservation as a scientific, holistic and cross-disciplinary endeavor.  His contribution to field is immeasurable in shaping generations of heritage practitioners now working around the globe, leaving each with the resonance of lectures unmatched in thoughtfulness, depth and clarity. He exercised a singular ability to articulate the complex ideas that surround the field of architectural conservation and the role it plays, not just as professional practice, but its significance within a greater context as a part of our shared culture as humans.

Franks’ expertise was diverse, developed since 1971, building on pedagogies learned at Stony Brook SUNY, Columbia University and NYU, he continued to pioneer conservation methodology of the built environment with focus on stone, earthen architecture, archaeological sites, architectural finishes, concrete and more recently the impact of climate change on heritage. He taught conservation theory as a foundational course in addition to material seminars and guided countless thesis students and university projects around the world. Founder and editor of the journal. Change Over Time, and as rigorous researcher and giant intellect, had over 100 publications to his name. He was constantly writing, collaborating, forging new connections and engaging others passionately even in his final days. His students continue to occupy the top positions in the field now leading conservation firms of the private sectors, government agencies and non-profits in the US and abroad. He stayed connected to his community, collaborated frequently with a list of organizations among them National Park Service, Getty Conservation Institute, Agah Kahn Foundation, ICCROM, UNESCO, Penn Museum and the American Institute for Conservation that recognized his contributions with the Sheldon and Caroline Keck Award for excellence in the education and training of conservation professionals.

“Conservation is everything but conservative, as it is rather subversive by nature “Matero’s words, once spoke at an AIC meeting in Chicago, are indelibly imprinted in my thinking.  Frank was a prolific, forward-thinking scholar rooted in pragmatism, a true conservator by all definitions but so multi-dimensional and constantly evolving, he often transcends any conventional category of academia or profession.

It is our task to continue to follow his legacy, to advance our shared culture of stewardship along a path Frank describes in recent ICCROM interview as both “humanistically as broad as possible and scientifically as specific as possible”.

Matero sent me a manuscript in progress just days before his passing. SEE/ DESCRIBE /MAKE/ EXPLAIN, was the working title of his essay and within it he writes:

“Seeing, describing, making and explaining are the foundation of conservation thinking. They require us to slow down to contemplate what each brings to better understanding.”

The last essay begins with the dedication: “for my students, who taught me to see”.

His endless devotion will remain with us always.

Evan Oskierko-Jeznacki (MSHP/MEBD’17)
Historical Architect, Vanishing Treasures Program
National Park Service Regional Office - Santa Fe

“Head west. Keys are on the porch.”

Those were Frank’s words—along with an address—given without hesitation when I left Philadelphia nearly a decade ago, looking for direction and a place to hang my hat. I’ve been out west ever since.

Thinking back to when I first met Frank 12 or so years ago while visiting the University, I never would have imagined—truly—that I would be where I am today. And it’s almost entirely Frank’s fault, for which I am forever grateful. I had pursued historic preservation to better hone my skills as an architect, but gradually, with every conversation, course, site visit, and project, his passion for the field fully inspired me, and I never looked back.

Though, twelve years doesn’t seem right. In my heart, I feel like I’ve known Frank for so much longer because of just how big a part of my life he was. I studied under him at the University and worked with him and John Hinchman at the CAC (then called the ACL) for several years during and after that. He served on my dissertation committee, and through my position with the NPS I engaged with him constantly on partnership projects, workshops, and site visits.

I live in Santa Fe, New Mexico now, only a few hours south of that ranch, in the heart of the American Southwest. And to me, Frank lives on out here, and I am reminded of him every day. With every step out my front door in the morning, I am surrounded by the place, culture, and resources he introduced me to all those years ago.

As a professor, Frank taught me the tenets of preservation, the nuances of conservation, and the need to always push the envelope—thinking and rethinking the way we approach the complexities and challenges involved in understanding and saving our most sensitive and cherished heritage.

As a mentor, Frank led by example and always reminded me not to sweat the small stuff, to enjoy life, and to learn from everything and everyone around you—but also not to forget to share that knowledge with others.

I owe my career and much of my path in life to Frank. His influence on our lives and on this field is unmatched, and he will be greatly missed.

Kuanghan Li (MSHP’04, Advanced Certificate ’05)

Frank Matero was the person who led me into the heritage profession. I knew almost nothing about the field when, during a single campus visit to Penn, I met him—and that one conversation was enough to make me fall in love with both the school and the profession.

Throughout my time as a student, Frank was my most steadfast supporter. Whether it was a scholarship, a research project, or any opportunity for further study, he would do everything in his power to help me the moment I raised it. On every major American holiday, he invited me to dinner at his home, so that I, a foreign student far from family, would not be alone.

Frank recognized my potential before I did. At a time when I was not yet sure what kind of person I would become, he already believed wholeheartedly in my abilities. He made me feel that my seemingly distant dreams might not be so distant after all. After graduation, when I was penniless and chasing fieldwork in remote corners of the world, he told me: accumulate as much experience as you can, pursue what interests you, and your dreams will come true.

A few years ago I returned to visit him. He sat in the same office, smiling as he listened to my life, his belief in me unchanged from the first time we met twenty-four years earlier. I deeply regret that I never succeeded in bringing him to China to witness the conservation work his teaching helped to build.

My heart is filled with love and gratitude. You will be remembered, always.
 

Harris Steinberg (C'78, MArch'82)
PennPraxis, founding executive director, 2002-2014

When Gary Hack asked me to set up PennPraxis in the early-2000s, there was no guarantee that faculty would be interested in participating in a nascent faculty-student.design practice. Conceived as a vehicle for faculty to work on real-world projects without having to set up an office and for students to be able to participate in the work, Frank understood the benefits from the get-go. He enthusiastically embraced the opportunity to work on projects in Gordion,Turkey and Mesa Verde, Colorado and was a stalwart supporter of the idea of PennPraxis. His generosity extended to projects that arose serendipitously from casual cab rides in Philadelphia and he was a trusted source for experts to help populate panels on subjects such as an early charrette we did on the future of the Reading Viaduct. Frank represented the best of PennDesign - a gentleman who was a true renaissance man, equally at home in the studio and in the field.

Joseph King (MCP’95, MSHP’95)
Senior Director, ICCROM (retired)

Frank’s impact on the field was not limited to the University of Pennsylvania or the United States.  I had the pleasure of meeting Frank for the first time in April of 1991 when I attended the ICCROM Architectural Conservation Course.  Frank taught for a week on the topic of the conservation of painted architectural surfaces.  As an architect with an interest in urban conservation, I knew I would never be working in a conservation laboratory, but I still found the lessons to be of relevance as it gave me the tools to speak with conservation science professionals, to ask necessary questions of them, and to understand the answers.  Following ICCROM, I came to Penn to study both Historic Preservation and City and Regional Planning.  Thanks to Frank, the combination and integration of both areas of study prepared me to eventually return to ICCROM where I spent the following 25 years organizing a range of conservation courses and programmes across many topics. Frank remained a resource person for ICCROM over the years.  This gave me an opportunity to appreciate the work that Frank did around the world and to watch his impact on architectural conservation.  I last saw Frank in July of last year (2025) at a Summer School on Sustainable Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites, a joint course of ICCROM and UPenn.  Although I had retired from ICCROM the previous year, being invited to the course and watching Frank along with the other great resource persons that had been invited reminded me of how important he was for my own education and the education of a whole generation of conservation professionals worldwide.

Casey Weisdock (MSHP’16)
Director, International Masonry Institute
Lecturer in Historic Preservation 

When I think of Frank, I see his impish smile, the twinkle in his eye. I can hear him say, “Oh! I have something for you!”. I can feel him thrilled to share a new discovery, something interesting he knows I would find interesting too.

When I think of Frank, I remember the first moment I encountered him. It was in the Architectural Conservation Laboratory, a stop on a tour during the graduate program’s open house. “It was like he was talking directly to you”, my dad said. When Frank spoke, it felt like he was talking directly to you even in a crowd. He had that way of shining his light on you, making you feel seen and also an immediate accomplice to his enthusiasm.

This enthusiasm, dynamism, curiosity, sheer wonder, and adventurous spirit of Frank’s ignited the same in me and continues to light the way in many aspects of my life.

As a mentor, Frank encouraged us to think critically, research rigorously, and pursue the aspects of the industry that were uniquely interesting to us, while also working to support the greater good. Never condescending, always generous with his time and attention, Frank helped me to see and trust my own intellectual and academic strengths at a time when I struggled to do so. I carry this with me now as an educator and try to meet all of my students with the same level of respect and kindness that Frank would.

When I think of Frank, I hear him making connections between academic theory, material science, craft, history, culture. He was able to move between worlds so gracefully. I see him in awe, standing before slate quarrymen, using simple age-old techniques to split stone. I see him lecturing in a three-piece suit. I see him raising a glass in a cowboy bar in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I see him leading a laboratory exercise in a white lab coat. I see him mixing mortar on a historic ranch. I see him tickled to eat Shrimp Etouffee with friends at Antoine’s in New Orleans. 

Frank’s passing is an immense loss - light going out. But he will shine on in the world in the hearts, minds, places and spaces that he impacted. I’m so grateful to have borne witness to his brilliance. Cheers to you, Frank.

Jean K. Wolf (MSHP’93)
Wolf Historic Preservation

Frank became a dear friend after his arrival at Penn from Columbia in 1990 and is already greatly missed by all who knew him in his many different walks of life as a conservator, preservationist, scientist, thinker, devoted teacher, a great cook, entertainer, and a gentleman with a great sense of humor and a warm, happy demeanor. In 1986 I accepted the position of Assistant to the Chair of the Historic Preservation Program, who then was architect and professor David DeLong. We had two small offices on the second floor of Meyerson Hall for the Master of Science program that included dedicated adjunct faculty members for diversified courses. Soon David wisely recognized that luring Frank Matero to Penn for his broad conservation science expertise would strengthen the curriculum and increase enrollment. By then, as an employee of Penn I had also enrolled as a student in the graduate program to learn more about preservation, having grown up in the ever-changing city of Manhattan and summers spent assisting parents repair a colonial post-and-beam house on the south bank of New Jersey’s Manasquan River. When Frank joined the program as a full-time faculty member a new spurt of vitality sprang forth from Historic Preservation. Our offices moved to the first floor of Meyerson with three office spaces—perhaps finally recognizing preservation of the built environment as a qualified degree in the School of Design. Frank then needed a conservation laboratory for students and teaching. Laboratory space was allocated on the north end of the 4^th floor of Meyerson and detailed plans defined on paper. Frank trusted me to measure, order, and coordinate the installation for conservation research, paint analysis, and the like. I soon learned that Frank could quickly assess what a student could learn or do—a positive trait that built student confidence. Conservation science then became a career component to a new group of graduate students who learned, pursued projects on their own, and became professionals in their individual fields.

Frank also plotted student summer programs or field schools at Mesa Verde or in the southwest at National Parks where he had projects and connections. These became great opportunities for learning under a master of the trade. Fraternizing after-hours among students and at fireside meals with Frank offered other learning experiences. Frank’s contacts at ICCROM also brought the international world of conservation and preservation to Penn at times through his colleague Jeanne Marie Teutonico. She not only taught conservation courses at Penn but arranged a six-week conservation program in Italy at a Villa outside Sienna. Italian conservators lectured on their preservation expertise with visits to historic sites for observation of conservation treatments—unique opportunities for all.

In recent decades Frank established new conservation facilities and publications to build his legacy of a devoted, inspiring teacher and scholar. Another important trait was exposing students to projects beyond the classroom that needed professional conservation expertise. After my graduation in 1993, I said goodbye to my office administrator’s job and become a part-time project coordinator for Frank. One project made a deep impression. The National Park Service needed a bibliography of relevant publications to help resolve stone conservation problems at the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials. Frank picked me and experienced students or graduates to fulfill the task. We traveled with Frank to Washington, D.C., met a NPS conservator there, climbed over affected sections of both memorials, and returned to campus to compile our bibliographic research. For all of us, it was an opportunity that quickly taught us how to climb a steel ladder to high elevations. At the top, being face to face with the stonework of two grand monuments honoring notable presidents of the United States of America made a lasting impression. We are all grateful to Frank for what he taught us with positive spirit, great knowledge, and love of the profession. I visited Frank in the hospital a month before his death, he had a smile on his face, we chatted, and he still seemed hopeful. Alas, cancer won out, but Frank’s legacy is embedded at Penn and around the world now in concrete, or buildings with brickwork using the right pointing formula, exteriors or interiors of buildings finished with historic period-selected paint colors, repaired are native American monuments, appropriately treated archaeology sites, and two presidential marble monuments in our federal city that presumably were cleaned or repaired by conservators who used the right products on these enduring monuments of America’s history. Thank you, Frank, for all you taught us, may your soul now rest in peace.