Aaron Wunsch, associate professor at the Weitzman School of Design, died at 53 on Sept. 20 from gastric cancer, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Wunsch taught at Penn starting in 2008, when he joined the department of architectural history as a visiting assistant professor. He later lectured for the graduate program on historical preservation at the School of Design before becoming a professor in the program.
Wunsch earned a bachelor’s in history at Haverford College, a master’s degree in architectural history at the University of Virginia, and a doctorate in architectural history at UC Berkeley. He taught classes on landscape history and architectural environments in his role as associate professor for Penn’s Graduate Program in Historic Preservation.
His publications discuss landscapes designed in the 19th century, such as cemeteries and parks, with an emphasis on the conservation of religious buildings. His book “Palazzos of Power” explores the historical significance of the Philadelphia Electric Company during the early 20th century. For his 2009 dissertation, he examined rural cemeteries in an urban context during 19th-century Philadelphia.
Wunsch was an advocate for the historic preservation of Philadelphia’s built environment, according to colleague and Bryn Mawr College professor Jeffrey Cohn. He served as a key advisor to the Center for the Preservation of Civil Rights Sites and worked to save historical cemeteries, churches and other buildings from demolition.
He was also pivotal to saving St. Peter’s Church, designed by Fisher Fine Arts Library architect Frank Furness, by working with engineers to show the building was salvageable.
In addition to teaching, Wunsch wrote articles for Hidden City Daily and The Inquirer, led local tours at historic cemeteries, and documented historic sites through on-site inspections. He worked with local African-American churches on several preservation projects, such as Philadelphia’s Bethel Burial Ground. For his preservation efforts, he won the Henry J. Magaziner award from the American Institute of Architects in 2023.
He is survived by his wife Jillian Galle and his son Elias, along with other relatives. Donations to his name can be made to the Keeping Society of Philadelphia, Penn’s McNeil Center for Early American Studies, and the Natural Resources Defense council.
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