Richardson Complex - Table of Contents................. Museum District - Table of Contents
Adaptive
reuse - Richardson Olmsted
Complex
AKA: State Insane Asylum,
State Lunatic Asylum, Buffalo State Hospital, Buffalo Psychiatric
Center
400 Forest
Avenue, Buffalo, NY
Hotel Henry Urban Resort Conference
Center - Official Website
On this page, below:
Adaptive Reuse History - 2014-2016
Queenseyes, A Fresh Look at The Richardson-Olmsted Complex
North elevation Facing Buffalo State College
South lawn Facing Forest Avenue
South elevation Facing Forest Avenue
2006 The board of the Richardson Center Corporation (RCC) was appointed in July, 2006 by Governor Pataki to chart the future course of the rehabilitation of the historic former hospital designed by noted American architect H. H. Richardson and grounds designed by noted American landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. The RCC Board includes Stanford Lipsey, Chairman; Howard Zemsky, Vice Chairman; Paul Hojnacki, Treasurer; Commissioner Carol Ash, Clinton Brown; Paul Ciminelli; Christopher Greene, Esq.; Eva Hassett; Muriel Howard, PhD; and Richard Tobe. 2007 In August of 2007, The Richardson Center Corporation engaged the nationally recognized architecture and engineering team of Goody Clancy and Simpson Gumpertz & Heger to develop a Historic Structures Report for the H.H. Richardson Complex and Olmsted grounds. An important first step in the development of major sites of cultural heritage, a Historic Structures Report provides documentary and physical information about a property’s history and existing condition that serves as a guide during restoration and adaptive reuse. 2013 The re-greening of the South Lawn of the Olmsted-Vaux landscape was completed in 2013. Additional landscaping adjustments and a new northern roadway created a second entry to the campus. 2014-16 Hotel Henry Urban Resort Conference Center and the Lipsey Buffalo Architecture Center are at the heart of the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of the Richardson Olmsted Campus. Construction began in October 2014 and was completed at the end of 2016, supported by state funds and historic tax credits. Both venues will occupy the iconic Towers Building and its two flanking structures. Design and construction team: Flynn Battaglia Architects, executive architect, Buffalo - Source: Richardson Olmsted Campus (online July 2020) |
Adaptive reuse architects: Deborah Berke Partners Deborah Berke began her career as an architect in 1982. Since then, she has assembled a senior team to form Deborah Berke Partners, with whom she has created a distinct and lasting body of work. In July 2016, Deborah became the first woman dean of the Yale School of Architecture, where she has been a professor since 19 ..... Flynn Battaglia Architects was founded in 1989 ... Peter Flynn and Ronald Battaglia ... 15 person firm Buffalo projects: Asbury Delaware Church Andropogon Associates Founded more than 40 years ago, Andropogon is a landscape architecture and ecological design firm committed to the principle of “designing with nature,” while creating beautiful and evocative landscapes inspired by the careful observation of natural processes that are informed by the best environmental science. |
Reprint A Fresh Look at The Richardson-Olmsted Complex by Queenseyes Buffalo Rising, August 29, 2013 (online July 2020) Design
images: © Deborah Berke and Partners Architects LLC
The
board of the Richardson-Olmsted Complex
was designed in 2006. Since
that time, the board has been busy with planning measures, community
involvement and coming up with reuse scenarios. The initial reuse,
consisting of the hotel component with café, the architectural center
and the event and conference space, is scheduled to be completed by
early 2016. That’s an admirable timeframe seeing that we are
approaching 2014.
A couple of days ago I met up with Monica Pellegrino Faix, Executive Director Richardson Center Corporation, who showed me around the exterior of the administration building while pointing out a series of (still in the works) renderings that depict the direction of the project. On the back side of the building (facing Buffalo State) the entranceway will look a bit different. Design images: © Deborah Berke and Partners Architects LLC Instead
of the 1918 brick add-on (the Medina sandstone building was built in
1871), there will be a glass entranceway that will mimic the design of
the brick structure that it is replacing.
Design images: © Deborah Berke and Partners Architects LLC Inside the entranceway will be a stairway that will take visitors to the main floor of the hotel lobby. Design images: © Deborah Berke and Partners Architects LLC This was the easiest way to solve the conundrum that the corporation faced when they learned that the rear entranceway of the building was actually much lower that than the front entranceway (where hotel services will be located). Design images: © Deborah Berke and Partners Architects LLC Design images: © Deborah Berke and Partners Architects LLC Design images: © Deborah Berke and Partners Architects LLC Design images: © Deborah Berke and Partners Architects LLC Moving back out to the exterior of the building, an ugly elevator shaft (added much later in the life of the asylum) will be removed, thankfully. The grounds continue to unfold nicely, with rain gardens and pedestrian bridges, walkways, benches, lighting and patio-like drop-off areas for visitors. The design team is comprised of executive architect Flynn Battaglia Architects of Buffalo and design architect Deborah Berke Partners of New York. Additional members of the team include Boston-based historic preservation firm Goody Clancy; Andropogon Associates, a Philadelphia-based landscape architecture firm; LP Ciminelli, a construction management firm from Buffalo. |
July 2020
Photos North elevation - Facing Buffalo State College Historic view: Back of buildings -- Center pavilion adaptive reuse: Hotel Henry entrance Because there are connectors between the original eleven buildings, the buildings are considered pavilions ... Historic administration Building in center with twin towers ... With adaptive reuse, the former center pavilion/administration building and immediately adjoining pavilions function as the Hotel Henry ... The other pavilions are vacant and awaiting adaptive reuse plans Main entrance to Hotel Henry East pavilions and Hotel Henry entrance at right At left of photo: Hotel Henry entrance, flanked by west pavilions Center pavilion / Hotel Henry entrance iconic twin towers Hotel Henry entrance ... Note the left/east connector no longer has the copper roof that the west connector still retains ... 2018 Spirit of Community sculpture, Daniel Shafer sculptor Pavilion at left flanks the center pavilion/Hotel Henry entrance and is part of the Hotel Henry ... In between the two pavilions: east connector 2018 Spirit of Community sculpture ... West connector ... Pavilion at right flanks the center pavilion/Hotel Henry entrance and is part of the Hotel Henry Connector on the west side of Hotel Henry West connector detail ... Background: south lawn Viewing the2018 Spirit of Community sculpture from the hotel entrance looking towards the Buffalo State College campus Looking towards the Buffalo State College campus ... Walls enclose original flower garden(?) ... Another angle below: The Covid-19 pandemic closed the Hotel Henry during the summer of 2020 New adaptive reuse glass wall, doors, and staircase lead to lobby of Hotel Henry ... Entry space at right leads to the architecture museum (INTERIOR PHOTOS WILL BE ADDED AFTER THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC SHUTDOWN ALLOWS REENTRY) |
In 1927 the historic 203 acres site was truncated to less than 100 acres with the addition of the Buffalo State College site. The Hotel Henry restaurant is named 100 Acres. View from the central pavilion (historic Administration Building) looking towards Forest Avenue ... Left background building: 1965 Buffalo Psychiatric Center Strozzi Building View from the central pavilion (former Administration Building) looking towards Forest Avenue Note timber tree supports, detailed below: View from Forest Avenue ... Jim Hodges, Look and See sculpture, on loan from the Albright Knox Art Gallery |
July 2020
Photos South elevation - Facing Forest Avenue Because there are connectors between buildings, the buildings are considered pavilions ... Pavilions are situated (V-shaped) so as to receive maximum sunlight ... The twin towers of the center pavilion Administration Bldg. rising to 180’ create strong vertical emphasis in the center. ... The ward buildings extending outwards gradually decrease in height, thus reinforcing the center and importance of distance from it. ... Three buildings farthest to the right (east) were demolished West pavilions to the left (west) of the Administration Building Medina sandstone Medina sandstone detail ... Rusticated, random ashlar pattern; ashlar blocks are rock faced ... The central Administration Building and two wings directly flanking each side were constructed of Medina sandstone. ... The three outermost wings on each side were constructed of red brick. West pavilions ... Note walkway at bottom of photo that leads to a connector with underground tunnel West pavilion Engaged columns decorate the chimney ... Dormer window ... Corbel tables West pavilions Because there are connectors between buildings, the buildings are considered pavilions ... One of two connectors with underground tunnel ... Pavilion at right is the historic Administration Building. ... The Administration Building and the two adjoining pavilions comprise Hotel Henry ... As of 2020, the other pavilions are vacant, awaiting adaptive reuse Center pavilion/historic administration Building/Hotel Henry back entrance Center pavilion US and New York State flags Center pavilion Iconic twin towers are decorative in the sense that they were never intended to be functional and occupied ... Historic main entrance ... With 2014-2016 adaptive reuse, the main entrance is on the other side of the building Center pavilion Copper towers were originally slate covered Center pavilion Pinnacles on towers ... Decorative loophole ... Engaged columns ... Corbel tables ... Segmental arches over windows ... "Instead of relying on obvious flourishes, Richardson used various stone surface treatments, trim elements and joint details to produce patterns and textures that went on to define Richardson’s signature style." - Goody Clancy, Richardson Olmsted Complex Historic Structures Report (online July 2020) Center pavilion Pinnacles on towers ... Decorative loophole ... Corbel tables Center pavilion Flared roof ... Dentil molding ... Corbel tables ... Columns ... Dormers Center pavilion Finial ... Unusual conductor head Center pavilion Entry loggia ... Original main entrance ... In the 2014-2016 adaptive reuse, the main entrance is on the opposite north elevation, facing Buffalo State College Center pavilion entry loggia Center pavilion Syrian arches Center pavilion Groin vaulted ceiling ... Mosaic tiles on sides Center pavilion Roman brick barrel roof ... Mosaic ceramic tiles Center pavilion Foliated corbel at base of groin vaulted rib Center pavilion Fanlight transom Center pavilion Squat Romanesque column Center pavilion Foliated capital Center pavilion Cornerstone: "A.L." stands for "Anno Lucis." It is part of the Masonic calendar. The symbol between the dates is Masonic: the compass and straight edge are both tools used by working masons. ... (Special thanks to librarian Cynthia Van Ness for her assistance) Center pavilion - southeast view Center pavilion Center pavilion Center pavilion Center pavilion Three finials ... Loophole ... Corbel tables Right side (east) connector with tunnel ... Center pavilion at left of photo ... Both buildings are part of Hotel Henry Right pavilions |