"Reconstruction" is one of the most powerful tools that can reshape our culture and environment; however, it has grossly been neglected in our country.  In Europe, it has been widely used to create beautiful urban environments, recalling glorious landmarks of the past that were lost through unfortunate circumstances. 

This tool can be used as a means of educating people to the value of our built environment, stimulating interest in our past.  Reconstructed buildings have the potential to reshape our culture, by emphasizing beautify and detail.  Valuing the role of human craftsmanship creates a broad jobs market for skilled workers, technicians, artists and designers.

The historic 1887 Franklin County Courthouse in Columbus was tragically lost in the 1970s.  Its former site, proposed for the new Franklin County Common Pleas Courts, could become a great opportunity to reconstruct the exterior of this lost landmark while providing highly useful and beautiful courts facilities.

Another example would be The Gilman Building, at W. 3rd and St. Clair in downtown Cleveland. It is an important progressive commercial building designed by noted architect John Edelmann that is hidden under a 1960s covering.  It deserves to be uncovered and restored to become a key attraction in Cleveland's Warehouse District.   

An innovative plan has been proposed for a new Cuyahoga County Courts Facility that is housed efficiently in rectangular forms whose exteriors recall the mass and detailing of lost Cleveland landmarks.  It can be set in a beautiful park with fountains and ponds, relating to the nearby grand county courthouse and Cleveland City Hall. 

The Berlin City Palace is an amazing reconstruction project that was completed in 2022.  Steve McQuillin visited the project and explored its details.

One of the most famous reconstruction projects is the Frauenkirche in Dresden.  Destroyed during World War II, its reconstruction was completed in 2005.  Mcquillin visited the site during and after reconstruction. 

1. Reconstruction will be used to depict vanished or non-surviving portions of a property when documentary and physical evidence is available to permit accurate reconstruction with minimal conjecture and such reconstruction is essential to the public understanding of the property.

2. Reconstruction of a landscape, building, structure or object in its historic location will be preceded by a thorough archeological investigation to identify and evaluate those features and artifacts which are essential to an accurate reconstruction.  If such resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures will be undertaken.

3. Reconstruction will include measures to preserve any remaining historic materials, features, and spatial relationships.

4. Reconstruction will be based on the accurate duplication of historic features and elements substantiated by documentary or physical evidence rather than on conjectural designs or the availability of different features from other historic properties.  A reconstructed property will re-create the appearance of the non-surviving historic property in materials, design, color and texture.

5. A reconstruction will be clearly identified as a contemporary re-creation.

6. Designs that were never executed historically will not be constructed.
"Standards for Restoration & Guidelines for Restoring Historic Buildings"