Isabel Vogel and The History of Melrose Architecture
Written and Photographed by Nancy Clover
Did you see the flyer, “Melrose: A History of Exterior Architecture,” that was the insert in Friday’s Melrose Weekly News?
It was created by Melrose student Isabel Vogel as her senior capstone project. Isabel is now a junior at Wentworth Institute of Technology, but her passion for architecture started right here at Melrose High School, where she took CAD for architecture and was a member of the Architecture Club.
Photo From Isabel Vogel
Isabel has long been fascinated by Melrose’s rich architectural diversity—not just Victorians, but Saltbox, Italianate, Colonial, Spanish Eclectic, Tudor, and Modern homes as well. For her project, she carefully selected homes not only for their architectural style, but also for their history.
With the help of Scott Macauley, Ryan Hayward, and the Melrose Public Library, Isabel chose eight homes representing a variety of styles — some iconic, some unique, and some lesser known — to highlight the depth of Melrose’s architectural story.
Fast forward three years: Lauren Maguire of Leading Edge wanted to feature homes with stories and reached out to Isabel for permission to use her project. The result is truly fantastic — and an added bonus is that Isabel’s work continues to educate and inspire Melrosians.
Isabel is also deeply interested in sustainability and adaptive reuse, with the goal of preserving our historic housing stock for future generations. I look forward to seeing her continue to educate us and help protect Melrose’s architectural heritage.
