The decorative plaster elements in the ceiling coffers of the Wisconsin Historical Society Reading Room were exposed last week when the plexiglass panels that conceal fluorescent tubes were removed. Modifications made to Society Headquarters in the 1950s and 1960s that were intended to modernize the building have compromised the architectural integrity of spaces through out. However, the Reading Room has retained a good deal of its original historic fabric along with its monumental volume. Having been "tucked away" for fifty years may have spared these decorative elements from further alteration.
Friday, February 02, 2007
Obscured by Plexiglass
The decorative plaster elements in the ceiling coffers of the Wisconsin Historical Society Reading Room were exposed last week when the plexiglass panels that conceal fluorescent tubes were removed. Modifications made to Society Headquarters in the 1950s and 1960s that were intended to modernize the building have compromised the architectural integrity of spaces through out. However, the Reading Room has retained a good deal of its original historic fabric along with its monumental volume. Having been "tucked away" for fifty years may have spared these decorative elements from further alteration.
