Surber Barber Choate & Hertlein

Biltmore Estate Visitor Center

Asheville, North Carolina

The Biltmore Estate is the extensive 8,000-acre working estate of the late George Washington Vanderbilt. A National Historic Landmark, it is host to more than 750,000 visitors each year who tour the palatial Biltmore House and gardens, and enjoy the restaurants and winery. Built between 1889 and 1895, the estate is considered to be the crowning achievement of architect Richard Morris Hunt and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted.

The Visitor Center and Gatehouse are the first new buildings to be added to the estate since the late 1800s. The Visitor Center is located approximately one half mile into the estate, along the stately Approach Road designed by Olmsted, and commands a broad panorama of a picturesque landscaped valley. The Gatehouse is located further into the estate and is the control point for admission to the Biltmore Estate's various attractions.

Both the new Visitor Center and Gatehouse reflect the character of the existing buildings in a way that compliments rather than copies the original designs. Materials for the buildings include brick and pebbledash exterior with clay tile roofs. The site plan incorporates an expanded parking area and is designed to improve visitor traffic flow into the estate.

The 12,000 square foot Visitor Center also serves as an orientation center for the estate. A brief film and a scale model will familiarize visitors with the grounds and the locations of the Biltmore House, gardens, and winery. The building houses a large ticketing area, a theater, exhibition space, an office, and a conference room on the main level. A telephone sales center, employee areas, and mechanical and electrical rooms are located on the lower level.

Client: The Biltmore Company

Completion: 1995

All Images © Charyl Dalton