Fairsted


Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903) is recognized as the founder of American landscape architecture.  Olmsted moved to suburban Boston in 1883 and in his home, Fairsted, he established the world's first full-scale professional office for the practice of landscape architecture.


The current form and appearance of the home and attached office represent a design evolution from 1810 through the 1970s that responded to the changing needs of the family and firm. In 1979 the National Park Service purchased “Fairsted” and Congress established the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.


Volz & Associates, Inc., in association with HHM, Inc., is preparing additions to a previously developed Historic Furnishings Report and Implementation Plan.  This additional report and plan will provide guidance for accurate refurnishing and interpretation of six office spaces to their ca. 1930 appearance. This date corresponds to the maximum size of office staff and physical plant for the Olmsted Bros. use of the property.


Key Preservation Issues

  1. ★What information is available about the ca. 1930 appearance of each room?

  2. ★Are sufficient original objects available in stored site collections to allow accurate interpretation of each room?

  3. ★What additional objects/furnishings need to be acquired?

  4. ★How to best interpret and “bring to life” the newly furnished spaces?

  5. ★How will these additional spaces add to the Olmsted story and the visitor’s experience at Fairsted?


Scope of Services

  1. ★On-site documentation in each room of surviving evidence of ca. 1930 conditions

  2. ★CADD drawings of each room

  3. ★Survey of stored collections to locate and document each object known to have been present in the selected rooms ca. 1930

  4. ★Develop furnishing plan for each room showing placement of every object.

  5. ★Identify objects/furniture that need to be acquired.

  6. ★Develop guidelines for interpretation


Location

Brookline, Massachusetts


Historic Designations

  1. ★National Historic Landmark

  2. ★National Register of Historic Places


Links

Frederick Law Olmsted 1892-1903

National Park Service

Frederick Law Olmsted on Wikipedia


 

Frederick Law Olmsted Home & Office

Above:

Fairsted today


To the right:

Early 20th C. view of Fairsted


Below:

North Drafting Wing, main drafting room, showing draftsmen at their tables.

Fairsted is currently undergoing repair and restoration.  The photo above shows original finishes protected during construction.  To the right, original wood “washboard” wall and door trim was originally finished with a clear varnish.  Interior features and finishes will be restored to their 1930 appearance in this project.  

Restoration Underway