Robinson House Rehabilitation

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts,
Richmond, Virginia

THE VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS engaged Glavé & Holmes for the complete rehabilitation of the Robinson House, originally erected ca. 1820 as a family farmhouse. The structure was converted into the R.E. Lee Camp No. 1 before it became part of the VMFA in 1964. The museum’s goal was to restore the facility and adapt it for use as a regional visitor center. The Robinson House was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 2013 and is one of the oldest buildings in the Boulevard Historic District of Richmond. The reimagined building houses the Richmond Region Tourism Center, VMFA’s Human Resources Division, and a first-floor gallery featuring an exhibition about the story of the site from the 17th century to the present.

The project has added 3,200 additional square feet to the original 7,600- square-foot structure. The addition complements the former home’s style and introduces an accessible entrance. The expansion houses an elevator, stairway, and three floors of glass-enclosed porches that connect to the original structure. Interior work included restoring the space to reflect historical accuracies. New mechanical and electrical systems are among other building updates.