Franklin Delano Roosevelt Presidential Library: Henry A. Wallace Visitor & Education Center

Hyde Park, NY

Capturing FDR's spirit with a modern interpretation of the Hudson Valley's historic, Dutch-colonial vernacular

The FDR Library’s Visitor Center is composed of a series of pavilions that relate in form and structure to the existing presidential library and museum, which recall the historic Dutch colonial architecture of the Hudson Valley. Gable roofs, fieldstone walls, and long porches provide ample gathering space while protecting the building from the summer sun. The pavilions house the principal public spaces of the visitor center: orientation lobby, auditorium, education center, gift shop, and café. The center is designed to open onto and shape its adjacent landscapes. Two entrances provide separate access for groups arriving by either bus or automobile. The café and multipurpose rooms open onto the courtyard, which is a gathering space for visitors proceeding to the library and museum. The conference rooms open toward the neighboring Beatrix Ferrand Garden. New roads and parking are located to provide minimal intrusion on the property’s historic vistas and landscapes.

This project was completed by Kliment Halsband Architects prior to becoming a Perkins Eastman Studio.

Project Facts

Client:

National Archives and Records Administration

Size:

50,000 sf

Practice Areas:

Libraries, Arts + Culture, Retail + Experience

Region:

United States

Studios:

New York

News

New York Times: "Hyde Park, N.Y.: Learning History Where It Was Lived," 2006

Press Release: "A New Deal for Visitors: Henry A. Wallace Visitor, Education, and Conference Center Groundbreaking," 2002

Awards

Educational Facility Design Award of Excellence, AIA Committee on Architecture for Education (CAE), 2007

Award of Merit, AIA, 2006

Cultural Award of Merit, New York Construction Magazine, 2004