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courses

ARCH6856-1 / Fall 2025

Jonathan Bell

Master Class: A Fluid Matter - Heritage and its Relationship to Water

Canvas

Syllabus

The ancient relationship between humans and water showcases our species’ ingenuity in water resource management. From capturing and storing to diverting and releasing, we have long engineered our access to this life-giving substance. As formal disciplines, both heritage preservation and water resource management focus on the implementation of modern engineering solutions to address all water-related needs, often ignoring or replacing pre-existing infrastructure and technologies. The outsized impacts of climate change exacerbated by population growth and greater demand on water worldwide underscore the value of sustainable systems and methods much closer to those of times past. Increasingly, we contend with too much or too little water in communities, at heritage places, and across large landscapes. Historic solutions and enhanced traditional practices provide viable and cost-effective strategies to living with water and sustaining our access to it.

This master class will consider the complex relationship between humans and water through a heritage lens, highlighting examples of truly inspired historic water infrastructure and modern preservation strategies for responding to water-related needs. The examples and discussions will tackle some of our most daunting global challenges and cast preservation as a relevant and essential element of sustainable resource management and community resilience. The sessions will be thematically structured, accompanied by a relevant reading list, and illustrated with preservation efforts that help expand our modern relationship to water and the broader field.

Location & Time

Preservation Technology Lab (655 Schermerhorn)

M, TU, TH 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM (11/6 & 11/10, 11/11 & 11/17, 11/18 & 11/24)

Session & Points

Session B

1.5 Points

Sequence

HP Elective

Call Number

10753

Programs

M.S. Historic Preservation

Other Semesters & Sections

Course	Semester	Title	Instructor	Syllabus	Requirements & Sequence	Location & Time	Session & Points	Call No.
A6856‑1	Spring 2025	Masterclass	Krzysztof Wodiczko	Syllabus	HP Elective	655 Schermerhorn M 11 AM - 1 PM	FULL SEMESTER (1/27/25 - 5/5/25) 3 Points	11400
A6856‑1	Fall 2024	Master Class			HP Elective	Preservation Technology Lab M/ TU/ TH 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM	SES A (9/23, 9/24, 9/26, 9/30, 10/1, 10/3)	10613
A6856‑1	Spring 2024	Master Class	Aron Vinegar		HP Elective	Preservation Technology LAB - 655 SCHERMERHORN 2/5: 6-8pm \| 2/6: 6-8pm \| 2/8: 9-11am \| 2/12: 6-8pm \| 2/13: 6-8pm \| 2/15: 9-11am	SES A 1.5 Points	14175
A6856‑1	Spring 2023	Master Class	Robert Hewison		HP Elective	CONSERVATION LAB - 655 SCHERMERHORN T/TH 6:30-8:00, F 2 PM -3:30 PM	SES B (3/20-3/31) 1.5 Points	11516
ARCH6856‑1	Spring 2022	Master Class: Public Memorials Reimagined	Aleksandr Mergold		HP Elective	CONSERVATION LAB - 655 SCHERMERHORN M 9 AM -1 PM: 3/7, 3/21, 3/28, 4/4, 4/11	SES B 1.5 Points	14387
A6856‑1	Spring 2020	Master Class A	Laurajane Smith		MINI SESSION HP Elective	CONSERVATION LAB - 655 SCHERMERHORN 2/21/20- 2/28/20	SESSION A 1.5 Points	20115
A6856‑1	Spring 2019	Adaptation: Rebuilding American Cities	Barbara Campagna		MINI SESSION HP Elective	CONSERVATION LAB - 655 SCHERMERHORN M,T,W,TH,F - 6pm-8pm + F - 3pm- 5pm	SES A: 1/22-3/1 1.5 Points	98197
A6856‑1	Spring 2018	Caribbean Modernism as an Expression of Technological Evolution	Beatriz del Cueto	Syllabus	HP Elective	655 Schermerhorn 1/26, 1/29, 1/30, 1/31, 2/1, 2/2 - 6 PM - 8 PM	Session A: 1/16-3/2 1.5 Points	13780