Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP) is pleased to announce the launch of a new one-year specialization focusing on architectural preservation technology and reuse design, within the Master of Science in Historic Preservation (MSHP) Program beginning Fall 2026. Designed for students with advanced technical training and a strong interest in technology and design, this intensive program enables a critical and creative engagement with the reuse of existing buildings through the lens of experimental preservation.

Students admitted will earn the MSHP degree through a specialized one-year pathway, made possible by requesting advanced standing based on prior academic experience. Qualified applicants may receive up to 24 points of advanced standing toward the 60-credit degree, enabling completion in just two semesters of full-time enrollment (Fall and Spring).

Applicants must hold one of the professional or technical degrees listed below to be considered for advanced standing. Advanced standing is determined by the GSAPP Admissions Committee based on a thorough review of the applicant’s academic transcripts, course syllabi, portfolio, and relevant work experience. Applicants must demonstrate that their previous academic experience fulfills the foundational requirements of the MSHP curriculum.

The curriculum frames technology and reuse as methods of research and discovery—tools for unlocking the creative and cultural potential of existing buildings. Through GSAPP’s pioneering approach to experimental preservation, students explore the intersections of science, technology, design, and heritage, developing new forms of architectural expression grounded in reuse.

Students in the MSHP program take full advantage of the Preservation Technology Lab, a hands-on research and teaching facility equipped for the study and testing of historic materials and building systems. They also benefit from GSAPP’s extensive range of technical coursework, including offerings in the conservation of concrete, masonry, metals, wood, earthen construction and smells; building conditions assessment and diagnostics; energy performance; digital heritage documentation; 3D printing of replacement materials; building monitoring; and climate adaptation strategies. Admitted students will work closely with the Director of the MSHP program to tailor their course selections to their individual interests and research goals. All students complete a capstone thesis project, advised by GSAPP faculty. The thesis provides an opportunity to pursue independent research that connects technical and design inquiry with broader cultural, historical, and environmental questions. Applicants must describe their proposed thesis research project in their application.

Students admitted through this pathway are fully integrated into the MsHP curriculum and community. The one-year focus in architectural preservation technology and reuse design is ideal for applicants who wish to bring their technical fluency into conversation with preservation’s most pressing challenges—whether scientific, cultural, or aesthetic—and who seek to contribute to the future of the built environment through innovation in reuse.

Application is through admission to the MSHP program. The deadline to apply for 2026 admission is January 15, 2026. For more information please see:

• Application Process and Requirements webpage
• Historic Preservation program page