milestones

Independence Hall was built in 1732 as the Pennsylvania State House. Within its walls, the Declaration of Independence was signed and the US Constitution was debated and drafted. This World Heritage Site is visited annually by over a million guests. Consultation was provided for the restoration and stabilization of the building during the formative years of Independence National Historical Park. Working closely with National Park Service architects, the firm's techniques subsequently evolved into the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Historic Preservation. The basic philosophy was to retain the original structural system, but to supplement and strengthen it as necessary with modern materials. These techniques were reversible and minimized the loss of historic fabric.