Unpacked by AFAR · Wednesday, August 12, 2026
Edward Howard identifies H.H. Richardson as the third key figure in American architecture, noting his work on the Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane, now known as the Richardson-Olmsted Complex. The complex, built around 1880, also featured landscaping by Fredrick Law Olmsted.
“HH Richardson is the third in the triumvirate of great American architects.”
“And his Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane, and that's the word they used at the time.”
“Today it's known as the Richardson-Olmsted Complex.”
“He built a significant hospital for the mentally ill in Buffalo back in 1880, which also had landscaping by Fredrick Law Olmsted.”