MA in Preservation Studies Student Work

As part of their program requirements, the MA in Preservation Studies students undertake various types of research and scholarly project, occasionally publishing their work or presenting it at conferences and seminars. Our program faculty and instructors also host studios and workshops that engage undergraduate students in aspects of preservation.

Reimagining Minute Man National Historical Park Visitor Center Landscape: Landscape Design and Preservation Studio

The Landscape Design and Preservation Studio introduces students to design in the context of a historical landscape. This studio sample shows material of students’ studio work to reimagine the Battle Road visitor center landscape experience at Minute Man National Historical Park, Lincoln, MA. Explore the studio here.

The Afterlife of a Baseball Stadium

David Lewis (MA 2022) explored for our course on Adaptive Reuse and Revitalization the history of the Boston Braves’ baseball stadium in “The Afterlife of a Baseball Stadium: Braves Field and the Creation of Boston University’s West Campus.”

Brighton, Architectural & Community History Workshop

Over the course of the nineteenth century, Brighton’s landscape changed drastically, due in large part to the decline of the cattle market as a result of to new technologies, such as the invention of refrigerated cars, and increased awareness of public health. As the cattle slaughter began to wane, many wealthy members of the community began to look towards the potential profits in the real estate market as Brighton emerged as a commuter suburb of Boston. Many of those individuals owned large tracts of land and began selling them off for profit. Explore the workshop’s documentation here [Page under Repair – Please visit again shortly].

Jamaica Plain, Architectural & Community History Workshop

In 1800, Jamaica Plain was a quiet agricultural and residential district a few miles west of downtown Boston. The hilly landscape’s numerous farms and orchards provided fresh produce and milk to the nearby city. Along the shores of Jamaica Pond and on the banks of the Stony Brook, wealthy residents of Boston built extensive landscaped estates to which they retreated during hot summer months. Explore the workshop’s documentation here.

MA Capstone Projects

Each MA in Preservation Studies student completes a capstone as an independent research project, that is the culmination of their work at Boston University. For some selected topics of recent projects, click here.

Preservation Studies Internships

As part of their graduation requirements, MA in Preservation Studies students undertake an internship with a preservation organization, working on a diverse range of preservation projects and initiatives. Find some samples in our list of recent internships.

Architectural & Community History Workshop, including Workshop Resources, Research Tools & Process

The Architectural and Community History Workshop (AM 555) is a required course in the MA in Preservation Studies. The course allows students to work hands-on with primary sources to uncover the rich histories of Boston’s neighborhoods. Samples of the body of work compiled by the class each semester can be found by clicking through the below image, including course resources for the workshop, research tools and info on the research process.