Period
1893
Newport Country Club
Location
Newport, Rhode Island
HISTORICAL LEGACY
The Newport Country Club is a standout among Newport, Rhode Island’s architectural treasures. Majestically perched above the windswept southern landscape, the newly restored building remains one of Newport’s greatest architectural achievements. Completed in 1893, it was the first structure in America designed specifically as a country club. Its success launched the career of a young Whitney Warren, who would later design New York’s iconic Grand Central Terminal. Originally created for Newport’s elite, the club continues to embody its legacy of elegance and exclusivity.
Whitney Warren
PHASE I: EXTERIOR RESTORATION
The Newport Country Club suffered the same fate as many of our late nineteenth century structures during the twentieth century. By the early twenty-first century, decades of poor maintenance and poorly conceived interventions left the building structurally unsound and aesthetically bereft, and some wanted the building torn down. In 2004, the club retained MCWB Architects to evaluate the building for its possible renovation and rehabilitation.
Exterior prior to restoration
RESEARCH & ANALYSIS
During the preparation of the historical structures report, the architectural team rediscovered its original breathtaking appearance and developed a restoration and rehabilitation plan that would revive its former splendor and meet the needs of a modern country club.
RECONSTRUCTION
Once the members of the club fully understood the vision described in the plan, they enthusiastically endorsed the project and moved ahead to complete the work before the 2007 Women’s United States Open. During that event, the club was proud to ensure that the building was prominently displayed for the 20,000 daily visitors and for the wider television audience.
Since that time, the club hosted the 2024 Men’s US Senior Open, where thousands of guests were able to enjoy the splendor of the restored clubhouse building. More recently, MCWB Architects has been retained to replace the deteriorating East Pavilion. This project is expected to be completed by the 2025 summer golf season.
PHASE II: INTERIOR RESTORATION
The restoration and rehabilitation plan for the interior of the club began with an understanding that it was essential to reinstate Warren’s original floor plan for the building. The project consisted of moving the women’s locker room, adding a bar and lounge area and reinstating the original paneling fireplace.
RESEARCH & ANALYSIS
The original Beaux-Arts plan brilliantly captured key vistas and flooded the interior with natural light, while its axial layout created striking views within the building. Despite changes in room functions over time, the restoration process prioritized respecting and reinstating the original design intent. For instance, the north wing, originally designed as a “Drawing Room” with windows on three sides and sweeping views of the golf course, was converted into a women’s locker room in the mid-20th century. To accommodate its new use, the windows were covered, diminishing natural light and compromising the building’s lantern-like quality. The restoration sought to reverse these changes, honoring the building’s original character and design principles. The newly conceived woman’s locker room was placed on the second floor, opposite the men’s locker room, thus achieving parity for both spaces.
RECONSTRUCTION
During the renovation work the women’s locker room was moved upstairs (where an empty apartment was situated) and the former “Drawing Room” was converted into the bar and lounge area. This allowed the patrons of the club to once again enjoy the vistas from the room and allowed the club to reinstate its original paneling and fireplace. The newfound privacy enjoyed by women using the second-floor locker room was fully appreciated by those using that facility.
When the building was designed there were small and very wet cellars beneath each of the wings. These cellars were separated by a solid ledge beneath the center portion of the building. Additional space needs and the desire to create a central mechanical plant motivated the club to remove the ledge and create new and dry spaces beneath the entire building. These spaces now house mechanical rooms, offices, public toilets, a pro shop and golf bag storage for club members.
PHASE III: EAST PAVILION RECONSTRUCTION
PROJECT OVERVIEW
The Newport Country Club’s East Pavilion and its Piazza were lost in 1954 during Hurricane Carol. This phase of the project focused on reconstructing the pavilion to honor its original design while ensuring it could withstand modern challenges, such as hurricane-force winds. By combining historical research, advanced technology, and thoughtful material selection, the project aimed to restore this significant structure and support the club’s current and future needs.
MCWB was retained to explore the possibility of reinstating the large missing East Pavilion Wing. After close scrutiny, the restoration of this feature did not meet the current requirements of the club and this option will not be realized in the near future.
