Introduction: In addition to recognizing and taking into account the vital need for the maintenance and repair of historical structures, this study will focus on their inherent design potential at the intersection of the new and the old. Purpose of the study: The study aims to review the approach to restoring such landmarks as the library in Vyborg and the Arsenal building in the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. We will also focus on the restoration of more mundane structures. In addition to historical monuments, this study will look at instances when there is no attempt to return the buildings to some idealized version of the past, but instead, the restoration process is used to celebrate the qualities of the buildings’ age in the here and now, and to recognize that they are living, evolving, and constantly changing entities. Methods: The study uses the method of analysis, which we apply to the standard solutions for various purposes and objects, in the form of structural and technological protection of cultural heritage sites during their restoration and adaptation. The use of modern restoration materials and protective structures’ construction technologies will help protect the environment while taking into account LEED, BREEAM, the Energy Star program (the USA), and the GREEN ZOOM standards. Results: We offer selected examples from contemporary practice in Europe, the United States, and Russia to illustrate these approaches to restoration, including two student-led architectural installations that explore the creative intersection between the new and the old. Discussion: Discussing the execution of specific restoration and reconstruction projects reveals the importance of international cooperation in the development of educational strategies and practices in the field of conserving and restoring the cultural heritage. The growing volume of conservation and restoration work is putting pressure on the development of research approaches and methodologies aimed at solving practical problems. At the same time, the restorer must be mindful of continuity with the past when reconstructing the more mundane and utilitarian structures that can benefit from less restrictive approaches to the intersection of the old and the new.