by Swanke Hayden Connell Architects

The Statue of Liberty, created by French sculptor August Bartholdi and architect/engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, was completed in 1886. While its restoration was monumental in terms of size, complexity, and visibility, the technical, design, access/egress, and deadline issues are similar—if on a larger scale—to those on many historic building projects.

These are some of the challenges faced by the restoration team:

The project had a strict deadline—completion by July 4, 1986.

Other challenges included egress and access to a site on a small island in a busy harbor, and a sculpture that stood 305 feet high. The project was carried out entirely in the public eye, reviewed by a committee led by the Architect of the Capitol, and subject to public presentations at key milestones.

This article is excerpted from Historic Preservation: Project Planning & Estimating, with permission of the publisher, R.S. Means Company, Inc.

 

The Statue of Liberty. Photo: Howard R. Katz Construction drawing for rehabilitation of the Statue's head. Image: Swanke Hayden Connell Architects   Click on thumbnail images to view full-size pictures.