Joan Wood Architectural Collection
Scope and Contents
This collection contains personal papers and biographical materials, professional papers, office records, and project records. Personal papers include student work and thesis work. Professional papers include slides of Wood's exhibits and lectures for the AIA. Office records include color slides and portfolio sheets for Joan Wood Associates. Project records include project notes, photographic materials, paper records, and drawings organized by client name.
Dates
- 1953 - 2000
Creator
- Wood, Joan (Person)
Language of Materials
The materials in the collection are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
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.
Biographical Note
Joan Wood, née Klawans, 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 and institutional 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.
Extent
7.92 Cubic Feet (1 half-document box and 15 telescoping boxes.)
9.27 Cubic Feet (7 boxes and 6 oversized folders)
Abstract
This collection contains a mix of biographical information, project records, and architectural drawings. Records include drawings for 112 architectural projects from the architect Joan Wood and her Boston-based firm, Joan Wood Architects, along with some notes, correspondence, and project photographs. The later addition contains paper records, photographic materials, and design records for 73 named clients in the Boston area.
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.
The Joan Wood Architectural Accession is organized into the series: Personal Papers, Professional Papers, Office Records, and Project Records. The series are recorded chronologically with a project index.
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.
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/).
Processing Information
The processing, arrangement, and description of the Joan Wood Architectural Collection began in July 2023 and was completed in October 2023.
- Title
- A Guide to the Joan Wood Architectural Collection, 1953-2000
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Lizzy McEwen; later addition processed by Bee McDowell
- Date
- (CC0 1.0)
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Revision Statements
- 2020-10-05: Finding aid notes updated to new department standards. juliags
- 2023-10-23: Updated to reflect additional inventory. jss
- 2025-07-17: Updated for accession boxes 17-23 and folders 1-6. bam
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech Repository
Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
540-231-6308
specref@vt.edu