Lunch & Learn: Restoration of the Smith-Benning House

This presentation, by author Robert M. Craig, reviews the 21st century restoration of the Smith-Benning House with an emphasis on the competing preservation philosophies determining the “proper” way to restore a historic home.

In the restoration process, is it preferable to introduce obviously non-historic elements or install similar historic elements in order to preserve visual compatibility? How can we preserve the context and compatibility of a historic place without worrying about faking history? The presentation includes before and after pictures of the Smith-Benning House restoration, along with details of the influences that informed new construction, particularly the new kitchen, located at the rear of the house.

Robert M. Craig, author of Georgia Tech, Campus Architecture is a professor emeritus of Georgia Tech’s architecture school. He taught the history of architecture there from 1973 to 2011.

Presented Tuesday, April 26 2022