Local Architecture Project
OR
She’s a Brick . . . . . . .House!
BIG PICTURE.
The built environment has much to tell us about what has come before and about the shape of
things as they currently exist. The following questions should guide you in your research.
• Why does an edifice, public or private, look the way it does?
• What factors had the architect, inhabitant, or patron to consider, given historical
circumstance?
• What can we determine from the particular placement of this building?
All of these questions and more will help you to understand the ways that humans build
structures for form and function and then interact with them.
SPECIFIC RESEARCH GOALS.
Address each of the following items as you search for clues to tell the ‘story’ of your building:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
the history of the building and the builder
style, detail, and technology of construction
floor plan and use
change in structure and use over time
place in the neighborhood, town, and community
natural setting, including landscape and comparison to neighboring structures
RESEARCH STEPS.
1. Choose a 19th cen. public or private building that you can easily visit. Ask friends, relatives,
neighbors, or teachers for advice if you need it, or consult local architecture or history texts.
2. Create a research schedule to meet deadlines. Consider: time needed to telephone, arrange &
complete an interview/tour; hours of operation for libraries, registry of deeds, and historical
societies; scheduling appointments with special collection librarians; block of time to draw
original sketch; creation of visual display; creation of illustrated magazine interview article.
3. A TOUR IS REQUIRED. Arrange an interview/tour with someone who knows the
building well. Consider inhabitants, caretakers, neighbors, employees, or members,
depending on your building choice. Please complete the interview by
_____________________. Take ample notes during the tour and make sure to ask about
details as well as general features. Stories about people or events connected to the building
help to provide humanity to the project and to enliven a presentation. Remember also to
bring some sort of camera to the tour so you can shoot the appropriate pictures.
4. YOU MUST INCLUDE DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE IN YOUR RESEARCH.
Either before or after your tour, research your building by way of other historical sources. I
strongly encourage you to visit the Special Collections on the second floor of the Jones
Library (you need to schedule an appointment). Also consider the Hampshire County’s
Registry of Deeds in Northampton next to the Calvin Theatre. Franklin County records are
in Greenfield. Librarians there can help you to find the appropriate material. Many local
history books refer to old buildings or their inhabitants as well. The ARHS library has a
fine collection of many of these sources. Amherst College and UMass also have local
history special collections. Local historical societies are a good resource, such as the
Amherst Historical Society located at the Strong House Museum (next to Jones Library).
5. Acquire, or create, a floor plan of the building that you can use as part of your display.
6. Acquire, or create, a map showing your building’s location in context to its surroundings.
7. Produce an original sketch, taking into account perspective and scale. This may emerge as
color or black and white. While I realize that this task requires more effort from some of you
than from others, the technical thinking involved proves valuable.
8. Send a thank you note to key people who supported your research. (e.g., tour/interview)
I hope that, over time, you will each fall in love somehow with the building you have chosen.
Let the project create for you a memorable experience in which the journey lends as much or
more meaning than the final result.
PARTNER GUIDELINES: BOTH OF YOU must work on the key components:
interview/tour, document research, tri-fold display, & magazine interview article (i.e., you
cannot divide this work between you; both of you must be involved in each of these steps).
FINAL PRESENTATION & PRODUCTS. – see assessment below for details
1. Attractive visual tri-fold poster board display 3. Magazine interview article
2. Presentation to classmates
4. “Reading and Resources” in MLA format
LOCAL ARCHITECTURE PROJECT
VISUAL.
 Floor Plan (acquired or created)
 Original sketch of exterior (consider perspective, scale; color or b/w)
 2nd Original sketch of exterior -- if partner project
 Map (acquired or created)
 Timeline
 Visually appealing (e.g., layout design, color scheme, shows care & effort)
 Informative (e.g., captions, additional visuals/documents, range of topics, tells
building’s ‘story’)
MAGAZINE INTERVIEW.
 Informative & engaging
(e.g., investigation of form & function; insightful
questions; range of topics: history of building/builder, residents,
style/detail/tech of construction, purpose & layout, changes,
neighborhood/town/community, natural setting; delightful anecdotes)
 Visually appealing (e.g., 2-column format, single spaced, visuals integrated,
captions, effective layout, page #s, no empty space)
 Sufficient length
 “Reading and Resources” section in MLA format
EXAMPLES OF BUILDINGS CHOSEN IN THE PAST
This list is NOT comprehensive (i.e., you may find your own building, provided it meets the
guidelines). A private home is also an option, provided you have access & it is 19th century.
Amherst Town Hall
Henry Hills House (former Boys & Girls Club- may be private residence), Amherst (Main St.)
Leonard Hills House (Women’s Club), Amherst (Triangle St.)
Old Hat Factory (Paige’s), Amherst (Dickinson St.)
Grace Church, Amherst (Commons)
First Congregational Church, Amherst (Main St.)
South Congregational Church, Amherst (Southeast St.)
JCA (Jewish Community Center of Amherst) (Main St.)
Webster House, Amherst (Main St.)
Todd House, Amherst (Spring St. – now a B&B)
Evergreens (Austin Dickinson), Amherst (Main St.)
Bank Block (Merchant’s Row), Amherst (69 S. Pleasant)
Cook’s Block (Phoenix Row), Amherst (Main St.)
Old First National Bank Building, Amherst (Main St.)
401 Main St (Amherst Record building)
Central Vermont Railway Station, Amherst (Main St.)
North Amherst Library
North Amherst School (Sunderland Rd. – has survival center now)
Morgan Hall (Amherst College – has planetarium now)
Fayerweather Hall (Amherst College)
The Octagon (Amherst College)
East Experiment Station (UMass); West Experiment Station (UMass)
Memorial Chapel (UMass)
Spear Memorial Library (Shutesbury)
Shutesbury Town Hall
College Hall, Smith College
Forbes Library, Northampton
County Court House, Northampton
Northampton train station
Montague Book Mill