San Antonio Conservation Society names UTSA professor William Dupont a Texas Preservation Hero

William Dupont teaches Architectural Conservation Theory and Historic Preservation Seminars at UTSA.

(March 28, 2018) – UTSA architecture professor William Dupont, who is perhaps best known for leading historic preservation efforts at Ernest Hemingway’s estate in Cuba, will be honored this week by the San Antonio Conservation Society with the Texas Preservation Hero Award.

Dupont began his professional career in Philadelphia in 1986 following the completion of his architectural education at the University of Pennsylvania. He spent four years working as a historical architect for the New Jersey Historic Trust, where he administered the state’s $47 million preservation grant program. From 1996 to 2007, he served as chief architect and Graham Gund Architect of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, where he led exemplary stewardship of the organization’s historic sites. The number of sites increased from 15 to 28 in 15 states during his tenure, ranging from an American Indian pueblo to presidential sites and masterpieces of American architecture.

Dupont came to San Antonio in the late 1990s to work on the preservation of San Antonio’s Walter Mathis home in the King William district for the National Trust. He met Julius Gribou, then dean of the UTSA College of Architecture (CACP) and, in 2007, joined the UTSA faculty as the San Antonio Conservation Society Endowed Professor to teach graduate courses and establish the college’s graduate certificate program in historic preservation.

The UTSA professor teaches Architectural Conservation Theory and Historic Preservation Seminars, which take students to local historic sites as well as sites out-of-state to explore contemporary practices of historic preservation through experiential learning. He has guided graduate students on academic projects in places as diverse as the New Orleans Lower 9th Ward; American Indian pueblos in New Mexico; Havana, Cuba; and the San Antonio Missions. These projects provide important, real-life learning opportunities for students and introduce them to leaders, best practices and new developments in the global preservation community.

“Professor Dupont has continued to increase his sphere of influence in the cultural and architectural conservation arena. He represents UTSA and the College of Architecture, Construction and Planning at the highest level, and we are fortunate to have his expertise in our studios and classrooms and in leading our scholarly pursuits,” said John D. Murphy, Jr., Ph.D., professor and dean of the CACP. 

Dupont envisioned and founded the UTSA Center for Cultural Sustainability in 2011 and serves as its director. The center is unlike any in the nation; its research extends beyond the building fabric toward an understanding of the continuity from past to future, and the connections between place and people. Dupont focuses the work on the larger context of cultural identity, traditions and heritage, viewing the built environment as a manifestation of culture. Economic and natural sustainability are considered as part of cultural sustainability. 

The center provides academic research and services to benefit communities, completes large-scale research projects, provides opportunities for graduate students and convenes leaders in the field. Dupont believes UTSA and San Antonio are ideally suited for the center because of UTSA’s position as a Hispanic Serving Institution and the city’s rich heritage as a place of historical significance.

Dupont’s most significant work in San Antonio involves the city’s five Spanish colonial missions. His efforts were integral in helping the San Antonio Missions achieve UNESCO World Heritage Site status. Since that designation was conferred in 2015, Dupont has helped the city of San Antonio and its neighborhood leaders understand the value of the designation and its importance to the growth of the city.

To that end, Dupont began coordinating with the National Park Service in 2016 to convene annual workshops regarding preservation issues at the missions. The events have drawn local, national and international experts in materials conservation, cultural resource management and architectural history. The third annual workshop is coming up in a matter of weeks. The opening session—Monday, May 21, 2018, at 7 p.m. on the UTSA Downtown Campus—is free and open to the public.

Currently, Dupont’s research agenda includes multiple initiatives related to his expertise in heritage conservation. With great support from faculty colleagues, he has led work regarding energy retrofits of older residences, recently completed a project to assess reuse of historic buildings at Bryce Canyon National Park, and in 2015 completed an Economic Feasibility Analysis for reuse of Lerma’s Nite Club in San Antonio. Additionally, Dupont and his team have begun technical reports to prescribe treatments for convento structures at Missions Concepción and San José. Past work included Inventory, Assessment and Evaluation of Historic Resources in HemisFair Park, completed for the park’s Master Plan.

Internationally, Dupont’s most visible project is leading the “U.S. Technical Team” advising Cuban colleagues on conservation issues at Finca Vigia, Ernest Hemingway’s estate in Havana for the last 22 years of his life. He has led this team in work sanctioned by both governments since 2005, and the collaboration has won a Cuban National as well as an International award. He’s twice been accepted to lecture at the Colloquium of Hemingway Scholars in Havana.  

“The Conservation Society is one of the most highly regarded preservation organizations in the nation, and the amazing heritage we have in San Antonio is a testament to their efforts spanning multiple generations, so this award is a very special honor for me. I’m deeply grateful for the recognition of my work.” 

Learn more about William Dupont.

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Learn more about the San Antonio Conservation Society.

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