An Unprecedented Collaboration Between the U.S. and Cuba
February, 2006
Following an arduous 17 hour travel day with team members meeting up on the connecting flight through Cancun, Mexico, and the usual anxiety through the customs booth in Cuba, we made a 1:00 a.m. arrival at Hotel Nacional in Havana, only to be turned away for lack of rooms. Our guide and interpreter, Ulysses, was uncommonly irate as we were sent off to the nearby Habana Libre hotel. Shortly thereafter we discovered one team member’s assigned room to be in construction, so by the time all were situated the hour was past 2:00 a.m. Nonetheless, all members of the team dutifully appeared at the van by 8:30 a.m. and remained vigorously engaged in survey, documentation, assessment and analysis for the next two days on site in San Francisco de Paula, a small town just outside of Havana.
This was an ominous start to the U.S. professional team’s second trip to Cuba on a venture to assist Finca Vigía, Ernest Hemingway’s home from 1939 to 1960, during which time he wrote For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Old Man and the Sea, A Moveable Feast, and Islands in the Stream. The historic museum site was nominated to the National Trust’s “11 Most Endangered List” in the spring of 2005, which kicked off a wonderful partnership between the Hemingway Preservation Foundation, long engaged in efforts to preserve Finca Vigia, and the National Trust. Jointly the two organizations received a license in May 2005 from the United States Treasury Department to travel to Cuba, work with the Cuban museum professionals, architects, engineers, and conservators on site, and to engage in documentation and assessment of the preservation needs of Finca Vigía. Not since before the Cuban revolution of 1959 had U.S. professional architects and engineers been licensed to work in Cuba. We all knew that this was an unprecedented and historic opportunity for collaboration between the two countries. The only bad news was the time allowed by the U.S. Treasury officials amounted to a mere six months.
On site for visit number two in November 2005, early dialogue was concerned with introductions of a few new players, a little catching up with personal news amongst professional friends of differing nationalities, and some issues of best methods for communications between visits. The first
visit had been nine weeks previous, and all involved were eager to see the progress made. The Cubans explained how five hurricanes in 2005, including much damage caused by Wilma, had each taken some toll and slowed overall job progress, but they continued work on many fronts, including taxidermy, mural conservation (in this case Hemingway’s handwriting on the bathroom wall recording his daily weight), and termite eradication. The greatest damage caused by hurricane Wilma was to the large shed roof that protects Hemingway’s fishing yacht, Pilar, displayed on blocks at the tennis court.
Looking back now over the achievements of the two visits completed prior to our initial license expiring on 30 November 2005, one can see the accomplishments were many. At the top of the list the team of U.S. professionals went to Cuba extremely interested in roof, gutter, and downspout detailing due to the large amount of damage over the years from past leaks. During both visits the whole roof was under reconstruction with rough timber scaffolding
around the perimeter for personnel and material access. Using translators, the Cubans explained the complex roof and guttering system that had evolved over the years and their proposed
methods for dealing with the combined threats of water penetration and
air borne termites (Swarmers). Our collaborative evaluation of proposed
roof replacement and rainwater dispersion systems resulted in refinement of details for gutter, downspout, and flashing solutions, all of which were incorporated into the plans of the Cuban engineers responsible for this critical element of the project.
Another element of great concern to all was the large crack in the middle
of one room at the end of the house, called Mary’s Bedroom because it
was the room of Hemingway’s fourth and last wife, Mary Welsh. The
Cuban engineers presented their analysis and findings about this crack
which they ultimately determined to be stable. The U.S. team concurred,
but nonetheless, advised that a geotechnical monitoring program be
installed on the downhill slope away from Mary’s bedroom to understand
possible ground movement, and that crack monitors be placed inside the
room. In the time between the two visits three posts to monitor ground
movement were installed and an additional Cuban specialist was added
to study and write a report on soil stability. Analysis of structural
conditions at this end of the main house will be ongoing for many
months, and monitoring will continue for 10 years. Initial Cuban team
disappointment over U.S. team failure to bring crack monitoring devices
on the second visit (they were disallowed by license provisions) were
mollified when instructions were provided for monitoring movement of interior cracks without aid of the devices.
The U.S. team also made substantial progress with the Cubans on identification of the chronology of the house construction, essential to a full understanding of building performance. Material samples for microscopic analysis of paint finishes were taken as part of this effort, and the analysis of finishes was sent electronically to Cuba last week. Recently, the team learned that the Kennedy Library holds a treasure trove of historic photographs that show the house over the 22 years of Hemingway’s occupancy. A reconnaissance survey of the archives has resulted in a notebook of nearly 300 photos of the buildings and grounds currently being circulated to team members.
The cultural landscape at Finca Vigia is beautiful and obviously a big part of Hemingway’s attraction to the place. Even before the first visit everyone understood that documentation and assessment of the landscape would be an essential element of the work to be done. During the course of two visits the inspection of the landscape got
underway to document conditions, catalogue species, and to understand significant changes over time, with particular focus on the Hemingway period of occupancy. The photos from the Kennedy Library will be a great help in understanding the landscape, too.
Research completed by the U.S. team on termite detection and eradication methods was distributed on visit number two. Discussion on the significant termite problem revealed that the Cubans are attacking the issue with great vigor. Proof was in the strong odor of chemical treatments which permeated the main house on both visits. The arborist led us on a site walk showing the termite nests he had destroyed over the past few months. Efforts to gain approval for export of termite detection, baiting, and eradication programs to Cuba, currently available in the U.S., have proven unproductive to date.
The team engaged in discussion about the damage to the building as well as the collections inside the main house resulting from exposure to
heat, sunlight, and the fluctuation in humidity and moisture exposure, and exchanged information on low-tech climate management methods. The taxidermist revealed all his creative methods of conservation, and the curators explained how they make do without access to any of the simple things we take for granted in the U.S., such as temperature and humidity sensors (not even thermometers), or routine conservation tools like scalpels, palette knives or tweezers.
The second visit concluded with a group meal in Cohimar, Hemingway’s old fishing harbor, where the local restaurant, La Terraza, is lined with photos of Hemingway on his yacht, Pilar. Overall, the two visits conducted under the first license were a huge success for the long-term preservation of Finca Vigia. Our bonds of professional friendship and trust are solid. But a great amount of work was NOT completed in a mere two visits, so the National Trust and Hemingway Preservation Foundation jointly requested an extension to conclude the work that was commenced, the goal being to complete a comprehensive Preservation Plan that will serve as a resource to our professional peers in Cuba and help guide their efforts to preserve Finca Vigia for many generations to come.
Last week we received word from the Treasury Department that our license is extended for six additional months in order to complete the assessment and analysis necessary to write a Preservation Plan. The stage is set for future collaboration that will ensure the entire Finca Vigia estate is appropriately preserved. All of us on the team could not be more thrilled.
Below is the list of team members engaged in the technical aspects of preservation at Finca Vigia. Many more individuals are involved in leadership roles, including Richard Moe, President of the National Trust, and Jenny Phillips, Chair of the Hemingway Preservation Foundation Board, our co-chairs of the overall effort.
Project Director:
• Mary-Jo Adams, Executive Director, Hemingway Preservation Foundation
Professional Team Co-Leaders:
• Leland Cott, FAIA, Bruner/ Cott Associates
• William A. Dupont, AIA , Chief Architect, National Trust
• Patricia O’Donnell, FASLA, Heritage Landscapes
• Robert Silman, PE, Robert Silman Associates
The Cuban government has pledged $660,000 towards the preservation costs of Finca Vigia. The Hemingway Preservation Foundation, Inc. must raise an additional $350,000 for travel costs, administrative overhead and expenses, legal fees, and other professional fees to complete the survey, documentation, assessment and analysis. Financial contributions can be made on-line by visiting www.hemingwaypreservationfoundation.org or by contacting Mary-Jo Adams, Executive Director, Hemingway Preservation Foundation, 60 Lloyd Street, Winchester, MA 01890. Tel: 781-729-0870. ●
This article is available online at: https://www.apti.org/members/communique/apt-feb/index.html
LEFT to RIGHT: Michael Henry, Henry Moss, Ana Elena de Arazoza (translator), Lee Cott, Enrique Hernandez Castillo (principal architect), Marco Antonio Vidal Garcia (architect), Fernando Sanchez Rodriguez (professor), Mary Werner DeNadai, Patrica O’Donnell looking up hill at north façade of main house. Photographer: William Dupont.
Additional Consultants:
• Mary Werner DeNadai, FAIA, John Milner Architects
• Michael Henry, PE, AIA , Watson and Henry Associates • Wendy Jessup, Wendy Jessup Associates
• Henry Moss, FAIA, Bruner/ Cott Associate