Next week I’ll be doing an extended online seminar with Alan White discussing the concepts behind WHY we document cultural heritage.
https://californiapreservation.org/events/documenting-historic-buildings-method-standards-practice
The session will cover old technologies like HABS and HAER large format film recording and new technologies like laser scanning, emerging technologies and non-destructive testing… but we’ll also talk about the practice and intent of the recording process.
This seminar explores how historic building documentation functions in real preservation practice. Using examples from projects conducted under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, the program examines how documentation is developed, what agencies and consulting parties expect, and how preservationists translate field observations, archival research, and photography into meaningful records of historic resources.
Participants will explore the core methods that have long defined preservation documentation—measured drawings, field surveys, historical narratives, and documentary photography—alongside rapidly evolving digital tools such as laser scanning, LiDAR, photogrammetry, and other forms of reality capture. The session will discuss when these technologies are most effective, where they fall short, and how they can complement traditional documentation practices rather than replace them.
Documenting for Heritage Conservation: Methods, Standards, and Practice
Tuesday, April 7th, 2026 | 10am-1pm Pacific (This will probably be on the California Preservation Foundation website and Youtube Channel as a recorded session later)
ELIGIBLE FOR 3 AIA LU | 3 APA CEU
https://californiapreservation.org/events/documenting-historic-buildings-method-standards-practice