This past fall, Architecture Research Office (ARO), in collaboration with Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects (NBW), completed the Frederic Church Center for Art and Landscape on the Olana State Historic Site located in Hudson, New York. Built in 1872, Olana was the home, farm, studio, and designed landscape of Frederic Edwin Church, a preeminent 19th-century artist of the Hudson River School of Landscape Painting. The new building is the first structure built at Olana since Frederic Churchs lifetime and the linchpin of a Strategic Landscape Design Plan (SLDP) completed in 2015 by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (NYS OPRHP), The Olana Partnership, the LA Group and (NBW).Churchs design for the picturesque, 250-acre site planted thousands of trees, realized a man-made 10-acre lake, open meadows, and over five miles of carriage roads. With NBWs guidance, a location was strategically selected to preserve the crucial elements of Churchs original landscape design. ARO was then chosen to collaborate with NBW on the design of the new Center, a 4,500-square-foot, mass timber structure that welcomes and orients visitors to the Olana New York State Historic Site and Park.The facility is sited so as not to be visible from anywhere within the core historic landscape. (James Ewing/JBSA)The previous visitor center was located within the carriage house, directly adjacent to the main house where Church once resided, now hosting tours and a gallery exhibiting his work. The property, designed by Church in collaboration with architect Calvert Vaux, underwent a major restoration in 2001. The new Center enhances the site, accommodating visitors today and alleviating pressure on the historic house by introducing an array of programmatic options to supplement tours of Churchs residence. The facility is located in a wooded setting adjacent to the main entry to Olana, it is sited so as not to be visible from anywhere within the core historic landscape. This works to engage visitors from the moment they step onto the site and before they enter the historic core.The exterior of the new visitor center consists of red-stained, vertical wood siding with expansive glazing and bird friendly glass. Glue-laminated wood columns and beams were used during construction, along with cross-laminated timber (CLT) roof panels. The Frederic Church Center for Art and Landscape is the first publicly accessible building within the NYS OPRHP system to utilize these materials.The center is clad in red-stained, vertical wood siding. (James Ewing/JBSA)The loft-like interior is clad with wooden beams and filled with ample natural light from skylights that illuminate the lobby in addition to the glass windows lined with thin, black mullions. Over 200,000 annual visitors can enjoy scenic views across the landscape from multiple angles within the structure. The multipurpose room seamlessly transitions into the adjoining outdoor terraces and amphitheater containing paths that connect to Olanas historic carriage road network. Natural light fills the center and blends into the outdoor terrace and amphitheater, which is surrounded by extensive plantings.(James Ewing/JBSA)The new terrace complements the preexisting frames and creates its own composition: an outlook onto the property where the lake is situated in the foreground. In the background, the main house reflects in the lake and completes the view.The Center provides visitors with historic information about the site. (James Ewing/JBSA)All-electric, high performing HVAC systems have initiated the Centers movement toward carbon neutrality. There is also a planned off-site array of photovoltaics to serve its energy demands. Additional climate resilient efforts include strategically located stormwater gardens and native plantings that will reestablish a biodiverse ecological community and fuel woodland wildlife.The Frederic Church Center opened on October 25, 2024 in advance of the 200th anniversary of Churchs birth in 2026. Throughout its celebration, the landmark will reach new audiences while stewarding the historic sites landscape and architectural integrity.