2016 is a great time to visit a national park and be part of the National Park Service Centennial celebration.  August 25th is its official birthday, and engaging events are happening yearlong.  The NPS system includes 412 cultural sites and parks including monuments, parkways, battlefields, cemeteries, and recreation areas (full list in the FAQ here) .

• Download maps
• Search for special programs
• Learn  about the visionary leaders and founders of the NPS.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0-wdrG-uC0&w=560&h=315]

Vertical Access is proud of our contributions to the preservation of these National Park Service managed landmarks!

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
Fire Island Lighthouse
General Grant National Memorial
Independence Hall
Lincoln Memorial
The Gateway Arch
The Easton Building / 15 State Street

#FindYourPark

June 20th marked the 50th anniversary of the incorporation of Historic Ithaca, one of the oldest nonprofits in New York State dedicated to historic preservation. Members of the Vertical Access team have been involved with HI in various capacities for nearly 20 years, as board members, staff, and volunteers.

Kristen Olson served as HI’s Preservation Service Coordinator before joining Vertical Access. She has been working as a volunteer on the organization’s 50th Anniversary activities, including HI’s participation in the annual Ithaca Festival Parade in June:

Kristen Olson carries a sign promoting Historic Ithaca in the annual Ithaca Festival Parade

Kent Diebolt served on HI’s board of directors from 1997 to 2000. During his tenure as President from 1998 to 1999, Historic Ithaca purchased and stabilized the State Theatre, saving it from near-certain destruction.

On June 20th, HI supporters gathered at the theater to hear Alternate Acting Mayor and city Alderperson Seph Murtagh read the City of Ithaca proclamation declaring Historic Ithaca Day, honoring the organization’s long history advocating for and protecting historic places.

From the lobby steps in the restored vaudeville-era theater, Kent and other former board members spoke about the organization’s work over the past 50 years. As a visual aid, Kent brought along an enlarged copy of the notice of condemnation that was placed on the theater in 1998, demonstrating just how close it came to demolition.

Kent Diebolt speaks at Historic Ithaca’s 50th Anniversary celebration

Here’s to the next 50 years for Historic Ithaca!

presented by ETH zurich at the 15th international architecture exhibition, ‘beyond bending’ is an installation conceived by block research group (prof. philippe block and tom van mele) that forms part of the biennale’s main exhibition at the arsenale.

The various elements – four prototypes of vaulted floor systems, a series of graphical force diagrams, and an expansive stone vault – demonstrate how architecture can learn from the building techniques of the past. the work asserts that aesthetics and the efficient use of resources are not mutually exclusive. through the use of novel structural design approaches and digital fabrication methods, excess steel has been eliminated, allowing more humble materials — such as earth and stone — to take precedence.
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Source: beyond bending: ETH zurich erects sandstone vault at venice architecture biennale

Source: Facade Repairs | Habitat Magazine