Heritage Museums & Gardens Welcome Center

Sandwich, MA

Details
Visitor orientation, ticketing, gift shop
Board room, offices, support spaces
Outdoor courtyard with garden shop, overlooks, and seating
Sustainable design features
Owner
Heritage Museums & Gardens
Services
Programming, Site Analysis, Fundraising Materials, Cost Estimating, Sustainable Design, Interior Design, Full Design Services, Construction Administration, Building Information Modeling

Heritage Museums & Gardens attracts over one hundred thousand visitors yearly to celebrate and explore the unique landscape and culture of Cape Cod. Replacing an aging, undersized, and confusing facility, the new Barbey Family Welcome Center gracefully and intuitively transition visitors from the world outside to the beautiful and serene setting by previewing all Heritage has to offer.

With discovery as the central theme, the center is broken down into a collection of four small stone and wood structures. Inspired by the existing Heritage campus architecture and respectful of the local historical vernacular, the volumes are playfully arranged to encourage visitors to explore.

Stone garden walls and low-sloped roofs blend the architecture and landscape together, minimizing the visual impact from the road while providing a clear and intuitive destination.

Entering a new arrival plaza, groups of all ages have an opportunity to gather and decompress before entering the gardens. The Clarissa S. Nye Visitor Center pavilion allows visitors to engage with Heritage staff, plan their visit, and learn about the history of Heritage through new interpretive exhibits.

Stunning views of the site’s signature water flume and surrounding lush landscape from the central visitor center and thoughtfully placed overlooks create a memorable first impression that beckons visitors to enter the grounds, where they find new opportunities to learn, gather, and reflect.

Supporting Heritage’s mission to provide leadership in sustainable design, the buildings’ efficient envelope, all electric systems, solar panels, and permeable paving help meet the high-efficiency standards consistent with Massachusetts’ decarbonization goals.

"I have been involved in many design processes and this is one of the best! Excellent work GWWO!"

—Judith Holt, Board of Trustees, Heritage Museums & Gardens

 

"We are thrilled with this process... Thank you for bringing a high level of professionalism, engagement, and responsiveness to the project, and for allowing our dreams to converge so well with your architectural vision."

—Anne Scott-Putney, President & CEO, Heritage Museums & Gardens