Architectural History

By Kelly Yannucci/ RoViSa

A professor and a student go to study a building and discover love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Sep 27, 2018
• ISBN: 9780359119394

Book preview

Architectural History

ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY

By Kelly Yannucci

ISBN:978-0-359-11939-8

Have you ever really looked at a building, I mean the building, not the paint or decorations. You have to really look at every piece to appreciate the building as a whole. Pay attention to what the floors and walls are made of…I know interior house walls are usually drywall. Try a public building, inside and out and how they’re put together. New buildings are horribly different; they’re a boring, sterile world unto themselves!

My house was built in 1956; the exterior is red brick with ‘weeping mortar’ and the interior has finally been restored. It was a modern mess when I bought it! I replaced all the wood trim and the single pane windows were now triple pane but ‘divided’. The appliances and plumbing fixtures are energy and water efficient but I was able to keep the character. I had to argue with the contractor when he suggested ‘clean and sleek’, but he admitted that the final look is beautiful. Besides my girlfriend Maggie… he was my longest relationship, the work took 3 years!

My favorite studies besides my house, are courthouses and schools from around the 1900’s to 1930’s. The structures were meant to stand for hundreds of years; they carved the wood, combined with brass, marble and stained glass. The buildings were made carefully by craftsmen over time, not slapped together as fast as possible.

I’m an associate professor in my off time; my coworkers have mentioned more than a few times that I look like one too. I guess it wasn’t a compliment; I wear jeans or overalls, I love the pockets! My hair is sort of unkempt; a wild mass of reddish brown that I keep pulled out of my face with a hair tie or bandana or both. When I take a little time… I can settle it down and I suppose it looks okay; Maggie says I should make the effort every day.

My real name is Charlotte Martin, but I go by Charlie. My co-professor and best friend since high school is Maggie Smyth, we usually teach classes together, but she works alone when I get a job.

The jobs started with an old building here in Ohio that was going to be torn down to put in a strip mall. I went to the protest rally; save our history and all that… I got on the news, they asked my name and occupation…

I guess when you say you’re a professor of architectural history, it gets attention. That was 8 years ago; after that I started getting calls from around the country. Historical groups would ask me to check buildings they wanted saved; they did some of the research and I was supposed to lend my expertise and save the building.

I refused at first, the board of regents said it was a wonderful idea; it put our university in a very good public light and Maggie