University of Virginia Library

Monticello Project

Students To Redesign Visitors' Facilities

By LIBBY WITHERS

Competition to redesign the
grounds and tourist facilities of
Thomas Jefferson's Monticello
is being undertaken by an
upper level architecture design
course.

The project, sponsored by
the Thomas Jefferson
Memorial Foundation, includes
the design of a visitors' center.
The center will serve as an
orientation point for tourists,

and house a museum exhibiting
Jefferson artifacts.

Architecture professor
Robert L. Vickery Jr., course
instructor, said the students are
required to select a site, as well
as a design for these facilities.

Do Not Disturb

"The object is to create a
logical and good spatial
sequence. . . by locating it on a
site that won't disturb Mr.
Jefferson's hillside," he said.

The Foundation, through
this project, hopes to reduce
waiting periods for house tours
by dispersing visitor interest
over other historic areas of the
estate.

Restoration of the hilltop
and authentic buildings on its
grounds is also planned.

The orientation program at
Monticello will include
discussion and a film of Mr.
Jefferson and how his
architectural creation was
inspired.

The modified program is
one "which people may not get
from just walking through the
house," Mr. Vickery said.

"The program will also
relieve pressure on Monticello
itself by distributing people
during peak tourist periods,"
he said.

To complete the complex,
the Foundation envisions
moving parking and visitor
reception facilities to the base
of the hill to preserve the
beauty of the site, as well as
construction of office and
storage space.

Freedom in Design

Guidelines for the project
allocate square footage for
each function but otherwise
leave the students complete
freedom in their design.

The Foundation Board of
Directors recommended that
the chief rule guiding designs
"should be the relative
invisibility of the buildings in
the landscape."

The Foundation is offering
a first prize of $500 and five
mentions of $100 each for the
best six proposals submitted.
The project lasts five weeks.

Visiting architecture
lecturer Dr. Giorgio Bellavitis,
executive assistant to the
President, and Foundation
Board member Francis L.
Berkeley Jr., architectural
critic Jean Labatut, restoration
architect Frederick Stahl and
architecture professor and
Foundation Board member
Frederick D. Nichols will judge
the entries on March 9.