George Smart of Durham was awarded for raising awareness of modernist architecture in the Triangle, including compiling a catalog of such works on his website, trianglemodernisthouses.com.

Each year, Preservation North Carolina presents the Gertrude S. Carraway Awards of Merit to individuals and organizations that have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to promoting historic preservation. The awards have been given since 1975 and are named for the late Dr. Gertrude Carraway of New Bern, a leader in the successful effort to reconstruct the state's colonial capitol, Tryon Palace, in New Bern.

2008 Preservation Awards Ruth Coltrane Cannon Award: Steven D. Schuster Minnette C. Duffy Award: Agnes & George Harvin L. Vincent Lowe Jr. Award: Andrew Rothschild & Scientific Properties Stedman Incentive Grant: Dillsboro Robert E. Stipe Award: Michael O. & Martha Hartley Carraway Award of Merit: Moonlight Communications Carraway Award of Merit: George Smart Carraway Award of Merit: Polk County Carraway Award of Merit: Nancy Hollows Carraway Award of Merit: Historic Jarvisburg Colored School Carraway Award of Merit: Charlie & Dena Silver Carraway Award of Merit: William B. Merritt & Carolinas HealthCare Inc. Carraway Award of Merit: Jean Boggs Carraway Award of Merit: Stanly County School Board Carraway Award of Merit: Clara & Holley Mack Bell Carraway Award of Merit: Marshall High Studios & Rob Pulleyn Carraway Award of Merit: Percy & Veronica Kelley

George Smart of Durham is on the leading edge of a movement toward greater appreciation and promotion of modernist architecture in North Carolina. In 2007, George created the website www.trianglemodernisthouses.com. In its short life, the website has become the go-to resource for information about modern architectural design in central North Carolina.

Recognizing increasing threats to the region's modernist inventory, George set out to document every structure that could be identified, from existing neighborhood icons to those already lost to demolition or decay. He has interviewed more than 200 people and researched dozens of library collections and personal papers to gather data on the architects, contractors, and owners. His catalogue entries include not only archival information on each structure but also a collection of oral histories and personal stories. The database so far includes 430 houses, representing the work of about 100 architects.

George also coordinates educational programs that enhance the public's appreciation of modern design. In May 2008, George organized a modernist home tour, which featured three houses in Durham, two historic and one new. In response to the strong public support and media attention, similar tours are now under development in Raleigh and Chapel Hill.

George Smart's ability to intertwine personal stories with mid-century and later buildings provides a humanizing touch to a design approach generally viewed as abstract and geometric. The oral histories also illustrate the evolution of modernism from the 1950s to the present time. This remarkable compilation by George is the largest ever gathered and exemplifies his passion and achievement in this field. Preservation North Carolina is pleased to award a 2008 Gertrude S. Carraway Award of Merit to George Smart for his work to preserve the Triangle's modernist architecture.