Architect George Saumarez Smith talks with Jeremy Musson about classical architecture and contemporary living, marking the release of his new book.
George Saumarez Smith is in conversation with Jeremy Musson at the V&A South Kensington on Thursday 22 October, from 19:00 to 20:45. The talk marks the release of his new book, published in collaboration with Rizzoli, and it's built around the English country house.
Saumarez Smith draws on projects he's designed over the past two decades to set out how classical architecture can meet contemporary living with elegance, restraint and lasting value. The range he covers runs from farmhouses and villas to rural retreats, with a focus on natural materials, craftsmanship and timeless proportion over fashion and impermanence. It's a look at the country house not as a relic, but as a living form.
The evening is illustrated with images from the book, and Saumarez Smith uses them to lay out his vision of a modern classicism shaped for twenty-first-century life. He'll be talking through the work and the ideas behind it, with Musson leading the conversation. The session is open to V&A Members and the general public.
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It runs in the Lydia and Manfred Gorvy Lecture Theatre at the V&A, Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL, from 19:00 to 20:45. Tickets are £15 to £20 and include a wine reception.
Date
Thursday, 22 October 2026
19:00
Location
V&A South KensingtonPrice
Paid
Recommended Age
+14 years
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