Lord Aeck Sargent worked with the National Park Service to develop a new visitor center for the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The facility includes exhibit space reflecting the heritage and development of the Parkway, as well as space for regional orientation and visitor information. A digital-immersive theatre showing High Definition film of the Parkway is a feature attraction.
The Visitor Center serves the Asheville area, the mountain regions of Western North Carolina and the nearly 11 million visitors who enter the Parkway annually. The park extends from the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee. Nestled into a hill, the building evokes a "tree-house" atmosphere that allows visitors to experience the majestic vistas and surrounding woodlands for which the Parkway is known.
Asheville, NC
LEED Gold
11,500 sf
AIA North Carolina
Wood Design Award, 2009
National Park Service
Environmental Achievement Award, 2007
Environmental Design + Construction Magazine
Sixth Annual Excellence in Design Award Honorable Mention - Institutional Category, 2008
Photo: Mark Fine
Photo: Jonathan Hillyer
"We really appreciate your help and have really enjoyed working with LAS on this great project. Thanks again for your help and kudos to the entire LAS team for designing such a great facility."
— Lydia R. Creager, Project Manager of the National Park Service - Denver Service Center
Photo: Jonathan Hillyer
Photo: Jonathan Hillyer
Photo: Jonathan Hillyer
