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Wendy Scott Bertrand Architectural Collection

 Collection
Identifier: Ms-2013-025

Scope and Contents

This collection documents the professional and personal activities of Wendy Bertrand between 1954-2012. Comprised primarily of textual materials and architectural drawings with supporting photographs and ephemera, the collection documents Bertrand’s study of art and architecture; her career as an architect, engineering advisor, and supervisor for the US Navy and US Forest service; her private practice and engagement in national organizations; her family life, personal networks, and community engagement; and her artistic endeavors in textiles, photography, and furniture design. Coverage includes correspondence, travel journals, education files, project records and business files, personal reflections on her career, manuscript drafts, research notes, photographs, exhibition boards, construction documents, architectural drawings, and ephemera.

Dates

  • 1954 - 2012

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research, with the exception of divorce documents (restricted until the death of all parties) and personnel records (restricted until August 1, 2065) in Box 10.

Conditions Governing Use

Permission to publish material from the Wendy Bertrand Architectural Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.

Biographical Note

Wendy Scott Bertrand (née Eaken) is a registered architect, fiber artist and author brought up in San Diego, California. She studied at the École des Beaux Arts in France from 1964–65 and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley (Bach. Architecture 1971 , M.A. Architecture 1972). She designed private residential structures and supervised large-scale architectural projects for government contracts. Bertrand managed an Architectural Branch and an Engineering Division for the U.S. Navy (1973-1991) and held the position of engineering supervisor in the Western Region (5) Office of the U.S. Forest Service (1991-1994). Bertrand served in a variety of leadership roles throughout her career, including chair of the Quality of Worklife Committee for the U.S. Navy Public Works Center, examiner for her local Board of Architectural Examiners, and rating panelist for the City and County of San Francisco. She was an active participant in the Society of American Military Engineers and helped found the Organization of Women Architects and Design Professionals. In 2008, Bertrand published Rug Retrospective: Nine Weaving Seasons 1999-2008 (updated in 2010), documenting her textile projects. In 2012, Bertrand published Enamored with place: as woman + as architect, a memoir of her experiences as a single mother working in a traditionally male profession. Her 2015 epilogue, If I Knew Then What I Know Now (available online at http://wendybertrand.com/enamored-with-place/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/02_2015_epilogue.pdf), reflects on the influences of gender in architectural practice and what the future might hold for women in architecture.

Extent

15.73 Cubic Feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Wendy Bertrand is a registered architect, rug weaver, self-described feminist and author living in Northern California since 1967. This collection documents her personal and professional activism and activities between 1954-2012, including her architectural studies, organizational activities, family life, travel, professional writing, textile projects, and career with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Forest Service.

Arrangement

Arrangement of these materials reflects the Standard Series for Architecture and Landscape Design Records (Shepherd and Lowell). The intellectual structure reflects the following series and subseries:

  • Personal Papers
  • Writings
  • Correspondence
  • School Work
  • Travel
  • Photographs
  • Activism
  • Hobbies and Family Records
  • Professional papers
  • Correspondence
  • Photographs
  • Writings
  • Reference Files
  • Presentations
  • Exhibits
  • Associations and Committee
  • Awards
  • Career Records
  • Continuing Education
  • Office Records
  • Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Western Division
  • Navy Public Works Center
  • U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region 5
  • Project Records
  • Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Western Division
  • Navy Public Works Center
  • Independent Projects
  • Acquisition Information

    The Wendy Bertrand Architectural Collection was donated to Special Collections in 2013.

    Processing Information

    The processing, arrangement, and description of the Wendy Bertrand Architectural Collection was completed in August 2017.

    Title
    Wendy Bertrand Architectural Collection, 1954-2012
    Status
    Completed
    Author
    Samantha Winn
    Date
    2017
    Description rules
    Describing Archives: A Content Standard
    Language of description
    Undetermined
    Script of description
    Code for undetermined script
    Language of description note
    English

    Revision Statements

    • 2021-03-04: New materials added, jss

    Repository Details

    Part of the Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech Repository

    Contact:
    Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434)
    560 Drillfield Drive
    Newman Library, Virginia Tech
    Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
    540-231-6308