Belle Grove Plantation, A National Historic Trust Site, Middletown, Virginia
4274 facilitated a planning workshop charged with developing ideas for a welcome center in Belle Grove’s 1918 bank barn. A group comprised of National Trust for Historic Preservation staff, local historians, interpretive and exhibit specialists, architects, historic property professionals, Belle Grove Board members, and its president came together at Belle Grove and reviewed and analyzed Belle Grove’s existing conditions, current needs, and plans and goals for the future.

Out of that discussion, a set of design criteria was developed that was used as a touchstone for the group when they broke into two design teams. Each team then worked independently to create a vision for the welcome center that was presented to a focus group of 20 individuals affiliated with Belle Grove. Informed by the feedback they received on the two design schemes, the workshop participants went on to create a unified vision for a welcome center that incorporated the best ideas from each scheme.

After the two day workshop, 4274 consolidated all discussions and options into an comprehensive report with illustrations and a summary version for use in fundraising.