Character Home | jeffery holley
The book, A Meaningful Life by L. J. Davis, appeared in 1971 at a moment when American cities began rethinking what houses meant. Davis, born in Boise in 1940 and educated at Stanford and Columbia, left Idaho for New Yor...
A National Conversation on Preservation and Progress
The Land Use and Housing Study Committee met on October 24, 2025, at the Idaho Statehouse. Around the table sat Senator Ali Robbi, Senator Taves, Representative Woodward, Mayor Chadwick of Star, county commissioners, dev...
It started with yellow paint catching morning light. A small structure at the edge of a park, square in plan, gabled, quiet. What used to be a railroad stop now stands as a shed, but even in its stillness it tells a stor...
Clouds drift across the street, pulling the light in and out as if testing how the house should be read. I came here because the record is missing. A search in ICRIS, a historical record database, turns up nothing for th...
Boise’s North End is often described as the city’s first true suburban neighborhood. Its tree-lined streets, narrow alleys, and mix of bungalows, foursquares, and cottages grew rapidly during the streetcar era between 18...
The North End Neighborhood Association publishes a newsletter a few times a year.
I'm summering in Idaho this year, staying with my sister, who has generously offered me the guest room, also known as the Emotional Support Dinosaur Sanctuary. It's a Jurassic panic attack waiting to happen. Nothing says...
Here’s a line I come back to often: “Best of all he loved the fall, the leaves yellow on the cottonwoods, leaves floating on the trout streams and above the hills the high blue windless skies.” —Ernest Hemingway, Idaho r...
Summer dispatch from Old Boise: Updating vague and flat surveys from the 90s with richer and appropriate detail for homes that contribute to a historic district.
A building like the Ogden Union Stockyard Exchange shouldn’t have to beg for its life. And yet—here it is: fenced off, half-forgotten, its windows darkened, its surfaces marked like punctuation on a sentence someone mean...
In the last semester of my architectural history degree studies, I was caught between two vastly different interpretations of what architecture is—and what it should be. On one side stood Zaha Hadid’s Patrik Schumacher, ...
Effective Home Improvement: Partnering, Communication, and Expectations
My friend Andy Staszak recommended High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America, and I’m glad he did. The first episode, Our Roots, captivated me by exploring history, identity, and cultural memory. ...
"Can we forget the crack of the whip, the cowhide, the whipping post, the auction block, the handcuffs, the spaniels, the iron collar, the negro-trader tearing the young child from its mother’s breast as a whelp from the...
As I approach graduation with a master’s in architectural history and historic preservation, I reflect on the path that led me here. High-profile roles in visual merchandising, interior decorating, and real estate broker...
Growing up in the American West, I was surrounded by the iconic ranch-style homes that defined mid-20th-century suburban landscapes. With their low profiles and sprawling layouts, these homes were symbols of the era’s op...
In Gardens and Landscapes in Historic Building Conservation (2014), Marion Harney explores the preservation, restoration, and management of historic gardens and landscapes, emphasizing the complexities of balancing cultu...
Architectural heritage studies evolve as new lenses and filters emerge, deepening our understanding of preservation and its broader implications. This article, part of a more extensive series exploring repair, reuse, and...
I was honored to attend an enlightening panel discussion at the Architecture School at UVA on "Empty Pedestals: Countering Confederate Narratives Through Public Design." This impactful book delves into how Confederate mo...
The world of cultural landscapes, outsider preservation, and otherness is an intricate tapestry of visible and invisible threads. While precise in its aims, this checklist is tethered firmly to the tangible—a tool to dec...
Fear. Not just a feeling. A barrier, a force trapping us in comfort, thick with “what ifs” and “why me?” Life is not about indulging fear. It is about confronting it, finding steadiness in conflict, trading hesitation fo...
Yesterday, the University of Virginia’s School of Architecture welcomed Liu Yichun of Atelier Deshaus for the 2024 Weedon Lecture in Asian Architecture at 5 pm in Campbell Hall, Room 153. Complementing this event, the De...
Europe in the 17th Century: The Mechanics of Revolution in Thought and Architecture
Francis Bacon, early seventeenth century, Renaissance England—a man who wrote essays on beauty, youth, and deformity in three of the 58 essays he wrote. On the surface, these essays seemed to offer clear definitions for ...
I'm stepping back from traditional social media platforms. This decision reflects a deep desire to reclaim my digital presence and align it more closely with my values, professional aspirations, and specific audiences.
Social media often creates an illusion of interconnectedness, presenting our posts—typically highlighting our best moments—as adhering to polite conversational norms. However, my sporadic social media engagements have re...
Learning records and archive skills. This report concerns ongoing archive work at a historic Albemarle County, Virginia property.
A poem inspired by the writings of Carl Sauer (1889-1975).
The quote "Door is open. Just walk in. I have set your plate" serves not just as a warm invitation but as a profound metaphor that shapes the philosophy of architectural design. It embodies a vision of sustainability, he...
I visited my first Rosenwald School in Albemarle County, Virginia, a year ago. It was for a digital humanities class, where it was one of my first moments to understand the connection between Black history, schools, and ...
On Monday, I'll dive into the heart of craftsmanship at the Material Realities Demos and Talks 4, right outside at the FabLab Workcourt in Campbell Hall. From 5pm to 5:40pm, I'll guide you through an experience that draw...
In Awe (2023), Dacher Keltner delves into the transformative power of awe, showing how experiencing profound beauty or vastness shapes our sense of self and our connections to others and the world. He highlights the psyc...
When we reflect on the selection of February, the shortest month for Black History Month, it starkly contrasts the prolonged tragedy of the slave trade. This choice prompts us to delve deeper into American history with a...
As a first-time contributor to our widely read school magazine, I was surprised when I discovered my short story submission had been accepted. I had forgotten about it. When the call for submissions was announced, with t...
The visit to a super-secret facility, led by Mark K. and Meg K., as part of my field studies class, offers a deep dive into material culture and historic architectural building conservation responsibilities and considera...
In the digital age, the storytelling of architectural history is undergoing a significant transformation, with the field of digital humanities (DH) at the forefront of this change. Defined by experts such as Miriam Posne...
As a student in a recognized architecture school, I'm surrounded by exceptional and insightful scholars daily. With the onset of a new semester, I've observed parallels between 2024 workplace design trends and evolving c...
I stumbled upon a delightful surprise atop a trash bin during a morning walk on the street where I grew up. It was a thoughtful gift left there for the garbage collectors to find. This little act of kindness, especially ...
One of the most fascinating aspects of Boise is its blend of historic and modern architecture, particularly the Idaho State Capitol building. This Capitol, a remarkable structure, is a testament to Idaho's history but al...
In an age where eyes are habitually glued to smartphone screens (looking at you, B.), the design of transitional spaces in architecture – or liminal spaces – demands a reevaluation. As an architectural historian, I'm int...
Sanda Illiescu's Arch1020 studio class at UVA features student-created architectural models primarily made from cardboard. These models represent an exploration of design principles and spatial relationships, showcasing ...
Teased out from Joseph Campbell's Reflections on the Art of Living and experience.
A Glimpse into Max Page's Insightful Perspective
In a recent blog post, I explored the evolution of woodworking in America from its early days to the present. My advisor's feedback is helping me refine my thesis proposal. This work is the foundation for an annotated bi...
So, I'm working on a thesis topic about the history of the American work bench. Here are my thoughts.
Imagine walking into a museum. Most times you'd expect dusty artifacts, maybe a painting or two that speaks to times long gone. But what if the museum could show you something alive, something that breathes? Enter Marile...
Hubble, my son, sent me a photo of the Baxter Apartments in Boise, Idaho. This delightful example of Art Deco architecture is located in the North End, one of Boise's older neighborhoods. Built in 1941, at the end of the...
Decolonization is the process of a country or territory gaining its independence from a colonial power. It is a complex process that can profoundly impact the colonized country's people and culture.
Composting is a great way to recycle vegetable scraps, reduce waste, and create nutrient-rich soil for your garden. As a master gardener in two states, I understand the science and routine of good composting. However, I'...