Historic Savannah Foundation’s lecture series, “People, Places and Stories that Define Savannah,” will feature lectures covering a wide range of speakers and topics. Each lecturer will give a presentation on a subject that falls within the realm of their expertise followed by a question-and-answer session.
Christian Sottile & Matt West
Transformative Renovation: Regina Coeli Hall
NOVEMBER 21 | 6:00 PM
Historic Savannah Foundation is pleased to host Christian Sottile and Matt West as the speakers for the November installation of our lecture series, “The People, Stories, and Places that define Savannah.” Sottile and West will present on their recent project and 2024 HSF Preservation Award winner, “Transformative Renovation: Regina Coeli Hall.”
Dedicated in 1876, the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist has stood as a landmark in Savannah’s urban fabric for almost 150 years. Rebuilt and rededicated in 1900 after a fire, the Cathedral was embellished with gilding, murals and expansive stained glass windows. A century later, an extensive interior restoration was completed for the Millennium Jubilee, but the lower level retained dropped ceilings for mechanical equipment, cropped windows and only minimal commercial finishes from a previous repurposing of the space.
Today, a dedicated team of allied artisans have collaborated to create a parish hall and adoration chapel befitting the oldest Cathedral Basilica in the state of Georgia. The existing space was entirely redesigned with a primary focus on traditional craftsmanship and handmade detailing. Talented craftspeople across a variety of disciplines transformed the existing space using time-honored methods of ornamental plaster, decorative painting, and detailed gilding.This significant renovation has created the newly dedicated Regina Coeli Hall, a new space in keeping with the extraordinary material quality, articulation and detailing of the Cathedral above. Entirely new vaulted plaster ceilings, marble from original quarries, oak and walnut flooring, painted and gilded columns and pilasters, and highly decorative ornamental plasterwork reflect the craftsmanship and faithful stewardship of the treasured, historic Cathedral Basilica.
The lecture will take place on Thursday, November 21 at 6:00 pm at HSF headquarters, located at 321 E. York Street, with a social gathering beginning at 5:30 p.m. to meet other HSF members and staff. This event is free for HSF members and $15 for non-members. Members may reserve their spot by emailing Kendall Graham, Education & Research Associate, at [email protected] or calling 912-233-7787. Non-members may purchase their ticket by clicking the button above. Space is limited, so secure your spot today!
CHRISTIAN SOTTILE, FAIA
Christian Sottile is the founding principal of Sottile & Sottile, a Savannah-based firm working primarily in Nationally Registered Historic Districts. The firm’s work includes urban design and civic architecture, and emphasizes historic research, urban analysis and community-wide engagement. Their work has been featured in the New York Times, Preservation Magazine, Architect Magazine and Architectural Digest.
Concurrently with his professional practice, Sottile is a professor of architecture and urban design at the Savannah College of Art and Design and is the former dean of the SCAD School of Building Arts. In this role, Sottile led the graduate and undergraduate programs in Architecture, Architectural History, Historic Preservation, Interior Design, Furniture Design and Urban Design.
Sottile & Sottile have received over fifty awards for their work, including three international Charter Awards from the Congress for the New Urbanism, awards from the American Planning Association, the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, The National Trust for Historic Preservation, three National Honor Awards from the American Institute of Architects and the Global Award for Excellence from the Urban Land Institute.
MATT WEST
Matt West is the President of West Construction Company. Originally from Moultrie, Georgia, Matt and his wife Courtney moved to Savannah in 2007 when he began working in construction in our community. In 2014, Matt founded West Construction with one goal, to provide a more personal and thoughtful approach to commercial construction.
As West Construction celebrates its 10-year anniversary, it has received the prestigious Build America Award from the Associated General Contractors of America, 9 Build Georgia Awards from the Associated General Contractors of Georgia, and a Best Project Award from Engineering News Record. West Construction’s impact can be seen throughout the region, with meaningful projects at the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist, SCAD, Gulfstream Aerospace, Savannah Country Day School, the Tybee Island Marine Science Center, the Bouhan Falligant building, Senior Citizens Inc., and others.
Matt graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in Business Management, is an alumnus of Leadership Savannah and Leadership Georgia. He was named a Georgia Trend 40 under 40 award winner in 2020 and received the Emerging Leader Award from the Southeast Georgia Leadership Forum in 2022. Matt is active in many civic and professional organizations, currently serving on the Board of Directors of the Associated General Contractors of Georgia, the YMCA of Coastal Georgia, the Board of Trustees of the Telfair Museums and as a Program Chair for the Leadership Georgia class of 2024. Additionally, Matt and the team at West Construction serve as a host for the annual AGC Skills Challenge, a high school level skilled trades competition with over 200 students from 17 high schools in Southeast Georgia to help expose the next generation to the construction industry.
DON’T MISS OUR UPCOMING LECTURES!
SEE YOU IN THE NEW YEAR!
Our lecture series goes on break in December but we will be back in 2025 with more engaging lectures. Stay tuned for more information!