Lauren Patterson
Architectural Historian
Master of Historic Preservation
University of Georgia, 2019
BS Advertising/Business Adminstration
University of Florida, 2013
Photo: Portland Head Light, Portland, ME
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Architectural Historian
As an architectural historian for a consulting company, I review historic resources throughout the Southeast to determine their eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places, and what kind of effects infrastructure projects may have on their eligibility. My work has focused on Georgia, Alabama, and Louisiana, where I've been able to check out everything from Creole cottages to rambling Ranches. Use the button below to view the survey I led of historic Valdosta, Georgia.Â
Photo: The Crescent, Valdosta, GA
Internships
As the Athens-Clarke County Preservation Intern from January 2018 to May 2019, I experienced preservation at the local scale and the act of balancing interests. In my role, I reviewed and wrote recommendations for Certificates of Appropriateness in Athens' 15 historic districts; designed and published the annual report; presented at monthly Historic Preservation Commission meetings; researched and surveyed for the designation of two districts; and created new branding and a logo for the HPC.
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To escape the heat and experience New England, I took a summer hiatus from the county to intern with Greater Portland Landmarks in Maine. Together with three other interns, I surveyed six endangered neighborhoods; researched developmental history; led a walking tour of nearby Peaks Island; and created content for the GPL blog. I loved being a part of the day-to-day operations of a thriving non-profit and seeing how the public sector and NGOs complement each other.
CV
What do print and digital advertising sales, luxury hospitality, and collegiate communications have to do with historic preservation? They've all taught me invaluable skills in communicating clearly and developing collaborative solutions to creatively tell the story of the buildings and people that make a place memorable. Use the button below to view my CV and find out more.Â
Photo: Sloss Furnaces, Birmingham, AL
Thesis
Modern commercial development presents a host of questions for preservationists. How do we approach resources that were built with new and experimental technology? How do we consider the integrity of commercial resources that are meant to evolve with consumer tastes? What vocabulary do we use to describe them? To begin to tackle these challenges in the Athens community, my thesis focused on identifying single- and multi-tenant commercial resources built from 1930 to 1981 and developing a typology to categorize them. To do this, I researched the national and local historic contexts for Athens' commercial development, and reviewed 155 target buildings with an architectural survey form I designed. My goal was to create a framework from which the local government, for whom I interned, could identify and preserve the most significant resources.
Get in Touch
Photo: Sheldon Church Ruins, Beaufort, SC
