Introduction

A floor plan, the arrangement of spaces, and features and applied finishes may be individually or collectively important in defining the historic character of the building and the purpose for which it was constructed. Thus, their identification, retention, protection, and repair should be given prime consideration in every preservation project. Caution should be exercised in developing plans that would radically change character-defining spaces or that would obscure, damage or destroy interior features or finishes.

The interiors of mills and industrial buildings are frequently open, unadorned spaces with exposed structural elements. While these spaces can serve many new uses, the floor to ceiling height and exposed truss system are character-defining features that should be retained in rehabilitation. Photo: NPS files.

While the exterior of a building may be its most prominent visible aspect, or its "public face," its interior can be even more important in conveying the building's history and development over time. Rehabilitation within the context of the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation calls for the preservation of exterior and interior portions or features of the building that are significant to its historic, architectural and cultural values.

Interior components worthy of preservation may include the building's plan (sequence of spaces and circulation patterns), the building's spaces (rooms and volumes), individual architectural features, and the various finishes and materials that make up the walls, floors, and ceilings. A theater auditorium or sequences of rooms such as double parlors or a lobby leading to a stairway that ascends to a mezzanine may comprise a building's most important spaces. Individual rooms may contain notable features such as plaster cornices, millwork, parquet wood floors, and hardware. Paints, wall coverings, and finishing techniques such as graining, may provide color, texture, and patterns which add to a building's unique character.

Not only are the features of this early 20th century interior worthy of preservation, the planned sequence of spaces impart a grandeur that is characteristic of high style residences of the period. Photo: Jack E. Boucher, HABS collection.

Virtually all rehabilitations of historic buildings involve some degree of interior alteration, even if the buildings are to be used for their original purpose. Interior rehabilitation proposals may range from preservation of existing features and spaces to total reconfigurations. In some cases, depending on the building, restoration may be warranted to preserve historic character adequately; in other cases, extensive alterations may be perfectly acceptable.