Winthrop Rockefeller Center
University of Arkansas
Petit Jean Mountain, Arkansas
The facility was established by the late Arkansas Governor Winthrop Rockefeller in 1953 as a home and working farm after his move to Arkansas from New York. Donated to the state in 2005, the converted Winthrop Rockefeller Institute now includes: conference space, dining, culinary institute, lecture space, interpretive gallery, offices and reception areas - in existing buildings; and a new lodge and sustainable barn. Through this sensitive intervention, the spirit of the farm is retained, while offering visitors a world-class experience and a sense of history of the place.
The bones of the farm were retained
and informed the language of the renovation, drawing cues from the industrial-style
steel and concrete farm building, not typical to rural Arkansas. Rustic materials
were added for warmth. Interiors are informal and clean, mixing contemporary
furnishings with a warm yet industrial-feeling palette. Existing clerestory
lighting was retained, further enlivening major public spaces.
As a working farm built over many years, the facility lacked overall organization - only seeking to separate public space from working farm space. The new design engages the working side of the farm, with an approach through cattle pastures to an arrival point that occurs between dual silos, near the former cattle pens. The pens are now the Rockefeller Memorial Garden which organizes disparate parts and pays homage to the farms physical legacy. More private functions occur on the west side of the campus, with private family housing and a Clay Studio that serves as a ‘living room” for receptions.
Public Spaces 