The World Monuments Fund, Preservation Trades Network, and the University of Florida sponsored an interdisciplinary eight-week program that combined historic preservation, traditional trades, green design, and sustainable construction. Graduate students in historic preservation, architecture and engineering from the University of Texas, Florida A&M University, Harvard, and Florida Gulf Coast University traveled to New Orleans in June to participate in the field school program.

The students worked with instructors from the University of Florida and the Preserrvation Trades Network to help restore historic structures in Holy Cross, a neighborhood located in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Holy Cross was severely damaged by hurricane Katrina. Subjects covered in the eight-week field school included:

• Survey, documentation, and pathologies of flood damaged historic buildings
• Sustainable design, conservation and rehabilitation practices
• Repair and reuse of wooden window sash, porch and trim elements
• Repair and conservation of interior finishes
• Repair of masonry and wood structural systems

Visit the the World Monuments Fund Blog on the 2008 Field School.