restoration vs. rehabilitation

Restoration involves returning a site or structure to its original condition, emphasizing preserving historical accuracy and original features, often using traditional materials. Rehabilitation, on the other hand, adapts a building for a new or continued use while retaining significant historic features, allowing modifications to meet modern needs. While restoration seeks to recreate the past precisely, rehabilitation balances preservation with functional updates, making buildings usable and safe without erasing their historical character. Both approach preservation but differ in approach and end goals.