The new Frederic Church Center at Olana complements its leafy Upstate New York site
Tour the Frederic Church Center for Art and Landscape, now open at Olana, a historic site in Upstate New York, courtesy of architecture studio ARO

Peaking through autumnal foliage, the Frederic Church Center for Art and Landscape is the newest addition in Upstate New York's historical site of Olana – a generous, leafy expanse of rich natural landscape and eclectic architecture, formerly the home of landscape painter Frederic Edwin Church (1826-1900). Opening this month in Greenport, near Hudson, the contemporary visitor centre designed by New York studio Architecture Research Office (ARO), is the first structure to be added to the precious complex since its original owner was alive.
Explore the Frederic Church Center for Art and Landscape at Olana
The visitor centre was designed to be discreet and enrich the guests' experience through its presence within the designated US historical landmark that is the painter's wider estate and its grounds – which were restored by Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects as part of a master planning initiative.
The new building's presence was conceived to feel delicate from the outside, wrapped in glazing that doesn't contrast with the natural backdrop. At the same time, expansive, contemporary interiors cater to the Olana site's growing audience, allowing for orientation and education spaces, tour programmes, a café (due to open in spring 2025), and other services for visitors.
ARO created its design as a mass timber structure, respecting the surrounding nature and as a nod to the numerous, mature trees surrounding the plot. Meanwhile, the expansive glass walls were chosen to be bird-friendly, and are matched by dark red vertical wood siding that similarly echoes the context.
ARO, led by Stephen Cassell, Kim Yao, and Adam Yarinsky, was founded in New York in 1993 and has a slew of accomplished projects under its belt – several of which are in the public and cultural realm, like the Frederic Church Centre, but also including a growing portfolio of private homes such as the Bucks County Home in Pennsylvania.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
ICON 4x4 goes EV, giving their classic Bronco-based restomod an electric twist
The EV Bronco is ICON 4x4’s first foray into electrifying its range of bespoke vintage off-roaders and SUVs
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
‘Dressed to Impress’ captures the vivid world of everyday fashion in the 1950s and 1960s
A new photography book from The Anonymous Project showcases its subjects when they’re dressed for best, posing for events and celebrations unknown
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Inside Camperlab’s Harry Nuriev-designed Paris store, a dramatic exercise in contrast
The Crosby Studios founder tells Wallpaper* the story behind his new store design for Mallorcan shoe brand Camperlab, which centres on an interplay between ‘crushed concrete’ and gleaming industrial design
By Jack Moss Published
-
We explore Franklin Israel’s lesser-known, progressive, deconstructivist architecture
Franklin Israel, a progressive Californian architect whose life was cut short in 1996 at the age of 50, is celebrated in a new book that examines his work and legacy
By Michael Webb Published
-
A new hilltop California home is rooted in the landscape and celebrates views of nature
WOJR's California home House of Horns is a meticulously planned modern villa that seeps into its surrounding landscape through a series of sculptural courtyards
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
The Frick Collection's expansion by Selldorf Architects is both surgical and delicate
The New York cultural institution gets a $220 million glow-up
By Stephanie Murg Published
-
Remembering architect David M Childs (1941-2025) and his New York skyline legacy
David M Childs, a former chairman of architectural powerhouse SOM, has passed away. We celebrate his professional achievements
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
The upcoming Zaha Hadid Architects projects set to transform the horizon
A peek at Zaha Hadid Architects’ future projects, which will comprise some of the most innovative and intriguing structures in the world
By Anna Solomon Published
-
Frank Lloyd Wright’s last house has finally been built – and you can stay there
Frank Lloyd Wright’s final residential commission, RiverRock, has come to life. But, constructed 66 years after his death, can it be considered a true ‘Wright’?
By Anna Solomon Published
-
Heritage and conservation after the fires: what’s next for Los Angeles?
In the second instalment of our 'Rebuilding LA' series, we explore a way forward for historical treasures under threat
By Mimi Zeiger Published
-
Why this rare Frank Lloyd Wright house is considered one of Chicago’s ‘most endangered’ buildings
The JJ Walser House has sat derelict for six years. But preservationists hope the building will have a vibrant second act
By Anna Fixsen Published