Edmund Meade
Ed is a long-time historic preservation advocate who leads our most high-profile historic preservation projects. He has been instrumental in saving significant structures and giving them decades of new life and productive use.
Ed provides critical guidance on our approach to historic preservation, stabilization, and reuse of existing buildings, including national historic landmarks. He has a respect for both historic materials and the use of modern analysis techniques and materials. Because of this passion, he embraces a collaborative team approach to surveying, analyzing, designing, and implementing repairs for existing buildings.
Ed shares his expertise by lecturing at industry events across the US, Canada, the Caribbean, Asia, and Europe. He is inspired to mentor the next generation of preservationists.
Professional affiliations:
- New York Landmarks Conservancy, Board of Directors
- Association for Preservation Technology International (APTI)
- American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), Committee E06 on Performance of Buildings
- Association for Preservation Technology (APT), Northeast Chapter (Past President and Vice President)
- Structural Engineers Association of New York (SEAoNY)
- Construction History Society of America
- US Committee of International Council of Monuments and Sites (US/ICOMOS)
- Delaware Valley Association of Structural Engineers (DVASE)
Areas of expertise:
- Historic preservation
- Sustainable design
- Advanced non-destructive evaluation techniques
- Leading edge structural analysis
- Forensic evaluation
Publications and presentations:
- Edmund P. Meade, “The Use of Plastics and Polymer Composites for Structural and Exterior Components,” Architectural Plastics and Polymer Composites in the 21st Century, Conference Proceedings, The Technology Organization, Somerville, MA, 2021.
- Edmund P. Meade and Nathan A. Hicks, “Evolution of Lateral Design in the United States,” SAHC Proceedings, Barcelona, Spain, October 2020, Forthcoming.
- Edmund P. Meade, “The Structural Aspects of Documenting Cast Iron Buildings,” APT Bulletin, Volume XLIV, Number 4, 2013, p. 31-37.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Preservation Engineering: A View from the Design Office,” APT Bulletin, Volume XLIV, Number 1, 2013, p. 7-8.
- Edmund P. Meade and Nancy R. Hudson, “Structural Concrete Repairs to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, New York, USA,” Proceedings of Structural Faults and Repair 2010 Conference, 2010.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Structural Evaluation of Four Frank Lloyd Wright Buildings,” Report of 17th Congress of IABSE, Creating and Renewing Urban Structures, Chicago, 2008, p. 396, 2008.
- Ronald W. Anthony, Edmund P. Meade, and Annabelle Radcliffe-Trenner, “Post-Fire Investigation of St. Bernard’s Church, New Jersey, USA,” First International RILEM Symposium, On Site Assessment of Concrete, Masonry and Timber Structures, SACoMaTiS 2008, Proceedings; edited by L. Binda, M. di Prisco and R. Felicetti, Vol. 2, p.1155-1165, 2008.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Status and Needs for Historic Materials and Building Structures from the Construction Industry Point of View, U.S. Perspective,” In-situ Evaluation & Non-Destructive Testing of Historic Wood and Masonry Structures; edited by Luigia Binda, Milos Drdacky and Bo Kasal, pp. 156-164. Prague, Czech Republic: Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics of the National Academy of Science of the Czech Republic (ITAM), 2007.
- Deborah D. Robinson and Edmund P. Meade, “Traditional Becomes Modern: The Rise of Collegiate Gothic Architecture at American Universities,” Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Cambridge, England, April 2006.
- Annabelle Radcliffe-Trenner, Ronald W. Anthony, and Edmund P. Meade, “Wood Assessment and Repair of Gustav Stickley’s Log House at Craftsman Farms, New Jersey,” APT Bulletin, Volume XXXVI, Number 2-3, 2005, p. 29-36.
- Ronald Anthony and Edmund P. Meade, “Assessment and Repair of Historic Timber Structures in the U.S.” Conservation of Historic Wooden Structures. (Firenze, Italia: Collegio degli Ingegneri della Toscana, 2005).
- Edmund P. Meade and Michael J. Mills, “Making Magic: ‘Suspended Columns,’ at Princeton’s Whig and Clio Halls,” APT Bulletin, Volume XXVIII, Number 2-3, 1997, p. 7 -11.
- Marie Ennis, Marilyn E. Kaplan, and Edmund P. Meade, Non-Destructive Evaluation Techniques for Masonry Construction, National Park Service Tech Notes, Masonry, Number 4, National Park Service, Department of the Interior, September 1997.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Code Provisions for Heritage Structures,” EnHeriT 2021, ICOMOS, Association of Structural Engineers Philippines, Bakas Pilipinas, Manilla, Philippines, 14 August 2021 (virtual).
- Edmund P. Meade, “Preservation Pioneers: Ed Meade,” APT Washington, DC, 06 April 2021.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Substitute Plastics/ Polymer Composites for Structural and Exterior Ornamental/Decorative Components,” Architectural Plastics & Polymer Composites in the 21st Century, Technology and Conservation, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 28 March 2020.
- Edmund P. Meade and Marilyn Kaplan, “The Art of Investigation: When Art and Structure are One: Planning for the Preservation of the Before the Recent Past,” Preserving the Recent Past 3, Los Angeles, CA, HPEF, USC, NPS, 14 March 2019.
- Edmund P. Meade and Michael Lennon, “Reclaiming and Abandoned Church for Reuse,” APTI Conference, Buffalo, NY, September 26, 2018.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Building with Stone—A Structural Engineer’s Perspective,” APTNE and APT Quebec, Derby Line, VT and Stanstead, QC, 9 June 2018.
- Edmund P. Meade and Robert Silman, “Aluminum in Structure: Preservation and Innovation,” Architectural Aluminum in the 21st Century: Design and Preservation of Contemporary and Historic Architecture Conference, Technology and Conservation, MIT, Cambridge, MA, March 25, 2018.
- Edmund P. Meade, Structural Engineering Aspects of Big Stick Construction,” Big Sticks – Log & Timber Frame Conservation Workshop, APTI Conference, Chateau Montebello, Montebello, QC, Canada, October 10, 2017.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Architectural Iron and Steel: Lessons Learned from a Structural Practice,” Conference: Architectural Iron & Steel in the 21st Century Conference, Technology and Conservation, MIT, Cambridge, MA, April 3, 2016.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Application of New Technology for Historic Preservation: The Perspective of the Structural Engineer,” Symposium: Technologies for Historic Preservation, CSI New Jersey Chapter, Paterson, NJ, June 2, 2016.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Structural Aspects of Work at the Empire State Plaza,” Symposium: International Capital: The Architecture and Construction of the Empire State Plaza,” September 23, 2015.
- Edmund P. Meade and Benjamin Rosenberg, “Structural Assessment and Restoration of Cast-Iron Buildings,” Association for Preservation Technology International (APTI) Annual Conference, Quebec City, Quebec, October 29, 2014.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Architectural and Structural Ceramics: From the Gothic to the Modern: Structural Investigations and Solutions,” Architectural Ceramics in the 21st Century: Design & Preservation of Contemporary & Historic Architecture, Technology and Conservation, MIT Department of Architecture and Historic Resources Committee, BSA/ AIA, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, March 22, 2014.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Nuts and Bolts! Four Centuries of Technical Preservation Issues in New York City Buildings: The Structural Engineer’s Perspective,” Historic Districts Council, New York, NY, April 17, 2013.
- Jack Glassman and Edmund P. Meade, “Plymouth Rock Portico,” Construction History Society of America, 3rd Biennial Meeting/ Guastavino Conference, MIT, Cambridge, MA, November 3, 2012.
- Daniel Lane and Edmund P. Meade, “The Battery Maritime Building; Guastavino Vault Restoration,” Construction History Society of America, 3rd Biennial Meeting/ Guastavino Conference, MIT, Cambridge, MA, November 3, 2012.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Preservation Engineering,” Boston Society of Architects, Historic Resources Committee, Boston, MA, April 12, 2012.
- Janet Null and Edmund P. Meade, “Learning from Venturi: Brick Curtain Wall Performance at SUNY Purchase, Humanities Building,” Association for Preservation Technology International (APTI) Annual Conference, Victoria, BC, October 13, 2011.
- John Dumsick and Edmund P. Meade, “Navigating History: Investigation, Stabilization, and Repair of America’s Historic Canals and Ferry Structures,” Association for Preservation Technology International (APTI) Annual Conference, Victoria, BC, October 13, 2011.
- Lisa Easton and Edmund P. Meade, “The Roof Restoration of Woodrow Wilson Hall: Case Study of a Multi-Phased Restoration Project,” 2011 New Jersey Historic Preservation Conference, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ, June 3, 2011.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Preservation Engineering: Structural Design and Historic Preservation,” Department of Historic Preservation, University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, Virginia, April 12, 2011.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Cast Iron Restoration: Documentation from the Structural Engineer’s Perspective,” Historic Preservation Education Foundation, Symposium on the Restoration of Cast and Wrought Iron, Columbia University, New York, NY, March 19, 2011.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Structural Assessment of The Thomas Moran Studio House: Issues with Eclectic, Vernacular Construction,” Association for Preservation Technology International (APTI) Annual Conference, Denver, CO, October 9, 2010.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Preservation Engineering: Applying Structural Engineering to Historic Buildings,” Department of Civil Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, September 23, 2010.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Structural Concrete Repairs to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, New York, USA,” Structural Faults and Repair 2010 Conference, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, June 17, 2010.
- Edmund P. Meade and Beatriz del Cueto, “Iglesia San José: Identifying the Architectural and Structural History of a Gothic Church in the New World,” Construction History Society of America, Biennial Conference, Philadelphia, PA, May 21, 2010.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Exterior Restoration and Structural Enhancement,” Association for Preservation Technology, Delaware Valley Chapter, February 16, 2010.
- Derek Trelstad and Edmund P. Meade, “Anchoring Terra Cotta,” Architectural Terra Cotta Workshop, Association for Preservation Technology International (APTI) Annual Conference, Los Angeles, CA, November 2, 2009.
- Charles S. A. Bransby-Zachary, John Matteo, and Edmund P. Meade, “NDE and Schools,” Association for Preservation Technology International (APTI) Annual Conference, Los Angeles, CA, November 4, 2009.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Case Study: Structural Concrete Restoration,” Technical Workshop on Historic Concrete Buildings, The University of Pennsylvania and The Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico, Philadelphia, PA, September 18, 2009.
- Edmund P. Meade and Michael A. Auren, “Advanced Structural Analysis of Historic Buildings,” Department of Civil Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, April 3, 2009.
- Edmund P. Meade, “New Models of Practice: Applying Structural Engineering Techniques to Preserve Buildings”, College of Design, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 4th Annual Historic Preservation Symposium, March 7, 2009.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Structural Evaluation of Four Frank Lloyd Wright Buildings,” 17th Congress, IABSE, Chicago, IL, USA, September 2008.
- Annabelle Radcliffe-Trenner, Ronald W. Anthony, and Edmund P. Meade, “Post-Fire Investigation of St. Bernard’s Church, NJ, USA,” SACoMaTiS, International RILEM Conference, Varenna, Italy, August 2008.
- Edmund P. Meade and Michael A. Auren, “Applying Structural Engineering Techniques to Preserve Buildings,” Department of Civil Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, April 4, 2008.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Concrete and Cast Stone in the 21st Century: Fallingwater and Other Frank Lloyd Wright Buildings: Concrete Structures; Dissimilar Problems and Solutions,” Technology and Conservation, MIT Department of Architecture, and Historic Resources Committee, BSA/ AIA, Cambridge, MA, March 29, 2008.
- Ronald W. Anthony and Edmund P. Meade, “Assessment of a Mechanical Failure in a Historic Wood Truss Using Digital Radioscopy,” ICOMOS International Wood Committee, 16th Symposium of the IIWC, Florence, Italy, November 2007.
- Edmund P. Meade, “The Structural Aspects of Stabilizing and Restoring Iglesia San Jose, San Juan, Puerto Rico,” Association for Preservation Technology International (APTI) Annual Conference, San Juan, Puerto Rico, November 2007.
- Edmund P. Meade, “The Structural Investigation of Iglesia San Jose, San Juan, Puerto Rico,” Second Annual ‘Appeal for Restoration’ Awards Dinner, San Juan, Puerto Rico, January 2007.
- Edmund P. Meade, “In-situ Engineering Evaluation of Historic Wood Structures” and “Research for Historic Materials and Structures from the Construction Industry Point of View – US Perspective,” In-situ Evaluation of Historic Wood and Masonry Structures Conference, Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics of the Czech Academy of Sciences (ITAM), Prague, Czech Republic, July 2006. U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and ITAM/ MSMT supported Conference.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Non-Destructive Testing: Applications for the Structural Investigation of Historic Buildings,” AIA Puerto Rico Conference, San Juan, Puerto Rico, June 2006.
- Deborah D. Robinson and Edmund P. Meade, “Traditional Becomes Modern: The Rise of Collegiate Gothic Architecture at American Universities,” Second International Congress on Construction History, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England, April 2006.
- Edmund P. Meade and Marie Ennis, “Mechanical and Structural Principles, Problems, and Case Histories”, Clay Bricks in the 21st Century, MIT and Technology and Conservation, Cambridge, MA, March 25, 2006.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Frank Lloyd Wright: The Structural Restoration of His Masterpieces,” The Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico, New School of Architecture, January 10, 2006.
- Ronald Anthony and Edmund P. Meade, “Assessment and Repair of Historic Timber Structures in the U.S.”, International Conference: “Conservation of Historic Wooden Structures”, February 24, 2005, Florence, Italy.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Structural Engineering Aspects of the Restoration of Graycliff” “Colloquium: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Graycliff Restoration: The Foster House Project, Unveiling the Plans,” The State University of New York at Buffalo, October 2, 2004.
- Michael A. Auren and Edmund P. Meade, “Forensic Analysis of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Johnson Wax Research Tower” DOCOMOMO, VIII International Conference, New York, NY, October 1, 2004.
- Irwin Lefkowitz, Margaret Castillo, and Edmund P. Meade, “What Do You Owe an Icon?” (Restoration of Low Library), Society of College and University Planners Conference, March 15, 2002, New York, NY and July 15, 2002, San Diego, CA.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Structural Engineering of Historic Buildings,” RESTORE Class, April 10, 2001, New York, NY.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Brownstone, An Engineer’s Perspective,” Brownstone Restoration Conference, Technology and Conservation, April 1, 2001, Providence, RI.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Scaffolding from a Structural Engineer’s Perspective,” APT Delaware Valley Chapter, March 17, 2001, Philadelphia, PA.
- Douglas McKean, Christine Hunter, and Edmund P. Meade, “Restoring New York City’s Public Schools: Lessons from an Ongoing Campaign”, Restoration and Renovation Conference 2001, January 14 to 17, 2001, Washington, DC.
- Michael Devonshire and Edmund P. Meade, “New Jersey State House Dome: Restored for the New Century”, Restoration and Renovation 2000, February 27, 2000.
- Edmund P. Meade, “Sympathetic Structural Reinforcement of the Dome of the New Jersey State House,” APT99, The Association for Preservation Technology Conference, October 21 to 24, 1999, Banff, Alberta, Canada.
- Glenn Boornasian, Kent Diebolt, Edmund P. Meade, and Jim Rhodes, “Vertical Access,” Restoration ’97, April 18 to 20, 1997, Atlanta, GA.
- Edmund P. Meade and Michael J. Mills, “Suspended Columns, Whig Hall and Clio Hall, Princeton University,” APT96: Building Ideas, The Association for Preservation Technology Conference, September 26 to 28, 1996, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
- Edmund P. Meade and Michael J. Mills, “Staging, Rigging and Shoring,” Restoration ‘96, March 17 to 19, 1996, Baltimore, MD.