Invited RFQ
Proposal Submission 2012
4,000 Square Feet

In 2012, Oudens Ello Architecture (OEA) was invited by the Preservation Society of Newport County to submit qualifications for a new 4,000-square-foot Welcome Center at the historic Breakers property in Newport, Rhode Island. The project was conceived to replace a seasonal tent with a permanent facility providing ticketing, orientation and information for other Preservation Society properties and regional attractions, as well as visitor amenities including restrooms, limited refreshment service, and seating. A central objective of the project was to ensure that the new Welcome Center remained as unobtrusive as possible, carefully avoiding any impact on significant sightlines to the Breakers mansion and its surrounding historic landscape features.

OEA’s competition proposal intentionally departed from replicating the historic limestone architecture found elsewhere on the property. Instead, the design was conceived as a light, contemporary landscape pavilion, drawing inspiration from the site’s lush, garden-like setting. Emphasizing a landscape-driven rather than building-centric approach, the proposal sought to frame the visitor experience as one that begins within the historic grounds themselves, allowing guests to engage with the property through its landscape rather than through a constructed imitation of historic architecture.