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Illustrated Hanbook for Historic Commercial Buildings <br />20 <br />LOOKING CLOSELY <br />Identifying the character-defining features <br />When you are looking at the building, ask yourself: what makes it special? <br />is it the shape? the materials? the way it was built? the ornaments and <br />the little details? or how the spaces connect? Often, it’s a combination of <br />these features, and they are what we call in preservation the character- <br />defining features of the building. Think of them like the building’s <br />fingerprints, and to keep the building historic character alive, we need to <br />protect them. The more we remove them, the more the building loses its <br />original charm and integrity. <br />For in-depth details about this section, consult: <br />National Park Service. Preservation Brief 17: Architectural Character – Identifying <br />the Visual Aspects of Historic Buildings as an Aid to Preserving Their Character. <br />Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of the Interior, 1988. <br />A B C D <br /> 1/8" = 1'-0"2 West Elevation Copy 1