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Scott Henson advances the field of preservation, elevating traditional building practices to globally conscious, sustainable design. Henson’s crafted approach embodies building stewardship and advocates adaptive reuse to the profession.
Scott Henson’s career in Historic Preservation began as a surveyor documenting early 18th-century farmhouses slated for demolition. Henson apprenticed under traditional tradespeople to restore and adaptively re-use a historic 18th-century grist mill and apprenticed under a Master Carpenter in Japan.
Henson’s groundwork in traditional craftsmanship led him to the preservation and adaptive re-use of historic buildings, a practice critical in the development of sustainable building practices. In 2020, Scott Henson was elevated to the prestigious College of Fellows in the American Institute of Architects.
Henson’s work on the iconic Eberhard Faber Pencil Factory, built-in 1872, vacant since 1956, and partially demolished in the mid-1980’s exemplifies his success. New York City officials long wanted the National Historic Landmark rehabilitated, but had difficulty attracting interest in conversion due to its structural instability. Scott’s stabilizing solution preserves historic elements and encourages building stewards in the city to think of preservation as a building’s evolution through time, instead of an exact reproduction of the past.
The Knickerbocker Telephone Company Building, 1893, included the meticulous restoration of nearly all the building’s original historic features, including the brickwork, brownstone, cast iron storefronts, and pressed tin cornice. Original brick arches and timber details on the interior were revealed and incorporated into the new modern fit-out.
The Robbins House for Management and Technology, 1892, is located on UPenn’s historic Locust Walk. This renovation and addition to the building is the result of working with Studio Joseph. The team was challenged with balancing the dichotomy of new versus old to create a contemporary addition that would be distinguished from, but sympathetic to the existing historic fabric. The project received LEED Gold Certification for the sustainability standards that were built into the restoration.
The Hunter’s Point Passive Townhouse, 1885, is renovated to the Certified Passive House standard known as EnerPHit – Quality Approved Energy Retrofit with Passive House Components. Henson developed a contemporary addition that references historic details found in the district including clapboard siding and the rhythm of punched openings. Under Henson’s direction, the historic character of the house is seamlessly combined with modern systems to achieve superior energy efficiency.
Henson’s on-going initiatives include presentations and training on preservation and sustainability. As an integral member of the Association for Preservation Technology International (APTI) Henson leads programs on the relationship between historic preservation and environmental sustainability. He is a leader in developing the Zero Net Carbon Collaboration (ZNCC), providing a critical resource to responsibly bring historic places to Zero Net Carbon (ZNC).
New York, New York
Master of Architecture
Bachelor of Architecture
Nusumi-Geiko (Stolen Lessons) Translations of Traditional and Contemporary Architecture
Kyoto, Japan
New York Chapter, Historic Buildings Committee (HBC)
Committee on the Environment (COTE)
Energy Technology + Building Science subcommittee
Zero Net Carbon Collaboration subcommittee (ZNCC)
Technical Committee on Sustainable Preservation subcommittee (TCSP)
Online Sustainable Conservation Assistance Resource (OSCAR) Member
Association for Preservation Technology Northeast (APTNE) Member
Vice President
Honor Award in the Architecture category for the restoration of the University of Pennsylvania Larry Robbins House
First Place winner in the Educational category for the restoration of the University of Pennsylvania Larry Robbins House
Winner in the Design Awards of Merit for the Fuller Hat Manufactory Building
Winner for the University of Pennsylvania Larry Robbins House
Winner in the Institutional category for the University of Pennsylvania Larry Robbins House
Awarded by the Chicago Athenaeum for the University of Pennsylvania Larry Robbins House
Winner in the Institutional/Built category for the University of Pennsylvania Larry Robbins House
Honor Award for the restoration of the University of Pennsylvania Larry Robbins House
Finalist for the Architecture & Preservation Category for the Restoration of the Knickerbocker Telephone Company Building
Recognized in the International Competition for the restoration of the University of Pennsylvania Larry Robbins House
Winner for the University of Pennsylvania Larry Robbins House
Winner for the Exterior Restoration of The Tracy Mansion, presented by the Park Slope Civil Council
Winner in the Adaptive Reuse category for the Restoration of the Knickerbocker Telephone Company Building
Winner for the Restoration for the Mill at Middletown, presented by the Brick Industry Association
Design Award of Excellence for the restoration of the Knickerbocker Telephone Company Building
Winner of Best Restoration Category for the Engelhardt Addition at the Eberhard Faber Pencil Company Building by the MAS of New York
Winner for the Engelhardt Addition at the Eberhard Faber Pencil Company Building, presented by the New York Landmarks Conservancy
Winner for the Restoration of the Banner Building, presented by the Victorian Society of America
Winner for the Restoration of the Banner Building, presented by the Victorian Society in America
Winner for the Restoration of the Banner Building, presented by the New York Landmarks Conservancy
Winner for the Restoration of 38 Gramercy Park North, presented by the Brick Industry Association
Winner for the preservation of the Sanderson Hotel building, presented by the Gramercy Neighborhood Associates
Winner for the Restoration of the Banner Building
Winner in the Historic Preservation Category for the restoration of the Banner Building
How Low Can We Go – Historic Preservation and Carbon Reduction: Case Studies in Carbon Reduction for Modern Heritage Buildings
Panel Organizer and Moderator
New York, New York
Panel Organizer and Moderator
New York, New York
Historic Preservation & Sustainability
New York, New York
The Architectural Perspective
Lexington, Kentucky
Adaptive Reuse: Passive House
Lexington, Kentucky
What to Expect When You Renovate
New York, New York
Kyoto, Japan
Hunter’s Point Historic Townhouse Retrofit: Queens, New York
$4M Duplex in Park Slope’s Tracy Mansion is Dripping with Historic Details
Hannah Frishberg
Tracy Mansion, Brooklyn Lyceum Among Winners of 2017 Ortner Awards in Park Slope
Craig Hubert
Behind the Scenes: The Art of Preserving New York’s Historic Architecture
Chlo Vadot
Saving History in SoHo: The Knickerbocker Telephone Company Building
Gordon Bock
Park Slope’s Historic Tracy Mansion is Reborn as Seven Pricey Condos
Amy Plitt
Restoring History: The Mill at Middletown
Dan Kamys
The Knickerbocker: See the Top-To-Bottom Restoration of this Nineteenth Century Soho Loft Building
Audrey Wachs
Restoring the Bleecker-Bond Building’s Cast-Iron Facade
Eve M. Kahn
2014 MASterworks Awards for Design Excellence in NYC
Conner Walker
2014 MASterworks Awards
Brooklyn Dominates 2014 Municipal Art Society MASterworks Awards
William Menking
2014 MASterworks Awards Recognize Excellence in Architecture and Urban Design
Municipal Art Society
The Banner Building
Aaron Seward
The Wall (Didn’t) Come Tumbling Down
Jody Shen
For a Frail Old Tenement, a Fortifying Dose of Goop
Eve M. Kahn