Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials. Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction . Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication . Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Joan Wood Architectural Collection, Ms2001-039, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acquisition

Riosaria Piomelli donated one folder of biographical material in 2000. A large additional donation was made in 2011 by Joan Wood's estate.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of the Joan Wood Architectural Collection began in July 2023 and was completed in October 2023.

Biographical Note

Joan Wood received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor of Architecture degree from M.I.T. in 1960. Following graduation, Wood established her own firm, Joan Wood Architects, in Boston in 1962. Most of the firm's work can be found in New England and is primarily residential, with some commercial work. Joan Wood Architects is now owned by her son and has since been renamed to "Rose Wood Architects." Wood's most notable work includes: Lodging House for the Working Homeless in Dorchester, the South End Community Health Center in Boston, and the "Ice House" in New Hampshire. Wood was a board member and vice-chair of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Design Selection Board, an alternate on the Boston Zoning Board of Appeals, building committee member and design review committee member for numerous urban projects and institutions, and was featured in the AIA Women in Architecture traveling exhibit and Boston Society for Architecture's (BSA) Women in Architecture exhibits yearly from 1987.

Scope and Contents

This collection contains biographical materials and architectural drawings for residential and commercial projects. Biographical materials include a catalog of Wood's firm's work, her resume, and articles about her firm. Drawings include trace paper sketches, and sepia and diazo prints for commercial and residential projects scattered across New England. Several projects' records include notes, correspondence, and land records. Drawings are rolled and stored in telescoping boxes.

Arrangement

The Joan Wood Architectural Collection is organized into two series: Biographical Information and Project Drawings. Project records are ordered alphabetically by client last name, with a few exceptions ordered by street number/address where no client name is given. Project photographs corresponding to a drawing file are stored separately with the other manuscript material.

Related Material

See also: Box 16, folder 94, "Many More: Women in Architecture, 1978-1988," Exhibit Files and Panels. Finding aid available online.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Architectural drawing -- 20th century
• Architectural drawings (visual works)
• International Archive of Women in Architecture (IAWA)
• Women-owned architectural firms

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The Guide to the Joan Wood Architectural Collection by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/ ).