Page 48 - ArchDC_Winter 2019

Rooftop function space, with sliding doors open to terrace. Lobby, with sculpted wall—evoking the slot canyons of Arizona
—at left, and exterior of Decision Theater at right.

historic district, nor was it an individually listed landmark, historic preservation in Washington, but starting in the 1990s,
so on the face of it, the HPO would have no role. But in recent HPO and HPRB moved towards requiring fuller-building
years, HPO has started a program of design review based on preservation. Nowadays, HPRB’s approval of a façades-only
the potential that a given building could easily be nominated for scheme is strictly limited to circumstances in which other
landmark status (or could become part of an expanded historic options aren’t viable.
district; or, if it already falls within a historic district, could have Second, CORE was able to pull the first floor down a half-
its formal status switched from “noncontributing structure” level to grade level. This provides a high-ceilinged main floor
to “contributing structure” within the historic district). In and tall windows and doors that give the building a strong
each of these circumstances, a lengthy process—during which sidewalk presence, and it greatly eases accessibility. From
the project essentially goes on hold—would virtually always the preservation perspective, however, it alters the historic
culminate in full oversight by the Historic Preservation Review condition, which was an English basement configuration. HPO
Board (HPRB). wisely saw that, in this case, the positives outweighed the
Recognizing the burden that such a situation can place on a negatives. Moreover, the original configuration is maintained
property owner, HPO has devised a process in which the owner at the bay windows at either end of the L-shaped façade, so the
agrees to a modest level of historic oversight in return for HPO’s history has not been erased.
not pursuing a higher level of historic preservation protection. An invisible type of preservation occurs in the walls
The oversight covers the most important aspects of preservation themselves. In older masonry buildings, the outer walls were
while providing significant flexibility on aspects of secondary or load-bearing, but typically when only façades are maintained
tertiary importance. in a rehabilitation project, the façade essentially becomes a
In this case, HPO’s primary requirements were a high- “curtain wall,” which is a non-structural wall supported by
quality restoration of the exterior façades and a significant the new structure beyond. In this case, however, the building’s
setback of the new eighth floor. Conveniently, these were things small footprint (approximately 60 feet square) did not allow for
that ASU and CORE wanted anyway—the restored façades the additional columns and beams that would be required to
to enhance the university’s image, and the setback to provide carry the weight of the façade, so in fact the exterior walls are
a roof deck for gatherings. But it wasn’t entirely so easy. In still load-bearing. This required a painstaking demolition and
exchange, HPO allowed some design elements that, in a project temporary bracing process.
subject to full historic controls, would typically be resisted and ASU wanted the building to be “of Washington,” but also
oftentimes denied outright. wanted symbolic ties to its home base. The architects wrote,
First, only the outside walls were kept; the entire interior “As homage to the American desert Southwest home of Arizona
structure was demolished and replaced by a new concrete State University, a sweeping 40-foot-long by 10-foot-high
frame. This technique was not uncommon in the early years of sandstone feature wall greets visitors in the building lobby.”

46 AZ IN DC