Longwood at Granogue
Longwood at Granogue
New Castle County, Delaware
Longwood at Granogue is a new chapter for both the Granogue Estate and for Longwood Gardens. The Granogue Estate is a privately-held, 505-acre du Pont family estate in Northern Delaware. The estate encapsulates the history of the Brandywine Valley in microcosm. Centuries of American history are legible on the dramatically hilly site — Native American use, the legacy of 18th century Quaker farmsteads, the earliest industrial mills and fortunes made along the Brandywine River, the rise and fall of the age of rail, and the legacy of the du Pont family, who have had an enormous impact on this region and the history of American Industry and Arts.
In recent memory, the estate was locally understood as “Brip and Barbie du Pont’s home” — a mansion on the hill. This period of the land’s history, and the generosity of its owners, is widely known and cherished. From fun-runs to camps to motocross races, if you lived in the area and had a need for extensive space, it seemed that Mr. and Mrs. du Pont often said, “Yes.” It was from this position that the question of the estate’s next chapter was raised. In 2018, the du Pont family and Longwood Gardens leadership began a dialogue about Granogue’s future, with a foundational vision to “restore and conserve the land.” If not Longwood, who would?
Longwood Gardens, in keeping with its legacy of land stewardship, commissioned Unknown Studio to prepare a master plan for Granogue’s next era. An interdisciplinary team was assembled to study and recommend key concepts and organizational principles for conservation, cultivation, hospitality, and public enjoyment.
Granogue sits in a critical location for the conservation of the local landscape character—through the efforts of regional and national conservationists, the land surrounding Granogue is currently protected as National Park, State Park or Forest, Conservation Easement/Agriculture, or Scenic Byway. From an open space conservation and farming perspective, Granogue is the last unprotected piece of a landscape mosaic that has been shaped by centuries of agricultural, forest and open space stewardship. The conservation impact of Granogue is much wider than the site itself. When pinpointed on a map, it is incredible to see that this site and region, so predominantly depicted as agrarian, is also the epicenter of the most densely populated corridor in the United States. The impact of showcasing and sharing thoughtful cultivation of land and community can have a ripple effect to the small farms up and down the eastern seaboard, and hopefully it builds an even stronger market for regenerative agriculture, or more simply put in the words of Wendell Berry, “farming well.”
In addition to mission-based activities under the umbrella of conservation and cultivation, the master plan identifies major opportunities to invite local community and visitors from farther afield onto the site for longer durations. This plan outlines carefully curated corporate events and conferences, educational outreach, and boutique scale hospitality and dining options. Opportunities to host visiting scholars, farmers, scientists, artists, and residents offer a robust network and community space for Granogue to become a progressive and galvanizing force in the region. A comprehensive trail network and public outreach program offer day-users opportunities to connect with Granogue’s Mission in a targeted manner that visitors can bring home to share or implement in their own lives.
Nowhere else in the Brandywine Valley region is there such an opportunity to bring together cultivation, conservation, and community so impactfully.
Project timeline: 2018-2020, 2024-2025
Client: Longwood Gardens
Scope: Master Planning, Prime Consultant
Size: 500 acres
Project Type: Culture | Conservation | Garden
Collaborators 2019 - ongoing:
Kim Wilkie — Partner Master Planning and Landscape Architecture
Biohabitats — Ecological Assessments & Planning
Duffield Associates — Site/Civil Engineering
MR-ProFun - Operating Modeling
ECA — Financial Modeling
Land Economics Consultants, LLC — Agricultural Financial Modeling
Zach Wolf Sustainable Agriculture — Sustainable Agriculture
Bancroft Construction Company — Facilities Assessments & Capital Cost Estimating
