With decades of experience and relationships, RATIO is often brought in early to investigate current conditions and to recommend restoration and preservation strategies, especially when a site is new to the park system and/or in need of repair. Recent projects include Jimmy Carter’s 1976 campaign headquarters in Plains, Georgia, and the Atlanta home of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, both completed with an interdisciplinary team of consultants serving the National Park Service’s southeast regional office.
RATIO’s role typically integrates research, design, and construction. A project’s early phases often result in detailed documents such as historic structure reports that help to illuminate a site’s past and guide the National Park Service in its future care. Even centuries-old sites can be thoroughly investigated, revealing unknown stories, and modern techniques such as laser scanning ensure that no harm is done as details are recorded. Then, armed with these details, later phases often include the complete restoration of a site’s structure and original architectural features.
Such intricate work can lead to broad impact, when history is uncovered and stories retold. Whole regions can be revitalized as residents gain a renewed sense of pride in their community and its legacy, and feel motivated to participate in its stewardship.
