Dartmouth Hall
Honor Award // Rick and Duffy Monahon Award for Excellence in Architectural Restoration and Preservation
Architect // designLAB Architects
GC // Engelberth Construction
MEP/FP, Structural, & Civil Engineer // Rist-Frost-Shumway Engineering
Landscape Architect // Stimson Studio
Historic Consultant // Preservation Technology Associates
Envelope Consultant // Building Enclosure Associates
Cost Consultant // Faithful + Gould
Code Consultant // Commercial Construction Consulting Inc.
Description
As the original building establishing Dartmouth College over 250 years ago, Dartmouth Hallstands sentinel to the evolution of the institution. It suffered two fires and majorreconstructions and recently underwent its largest renovation. It holds facultyoffices forlanguage departments and a diverse portfolio of classrooms. designLAB architects faithfullyrestored the exterior while the interior saw a total transformation that’s fresh yetrecognizably Dartmouth Hall. More efficient interior layouts yielded space to house theLeslie Center for Humanities. A new front porch, elevator, and open stairs make the buildingaccessible and equitable as never before. Galleries were introduced to highlight the rich andrelated histories of Dartmouth Hall and Dartmouth Women. With this new iteration, traditionis honored while the future is infused. Dartmouth Hall is everlasting—and it finally embodiesits diverse histories as it serves generations to come.
Jury Comments
A bit of a footnote here – this submission was originally made within the commercial/institutional category. Upon review, your jury felt compelled to change the category – and so we did.
Personally, I was quite taken with the metaphor in the project narrative of the oft-repaired knife – being the same knife, no matter how many times its blades or handleswere replaced.
This project most certainly demonstrates how a beloved place can remain, “the same”even as it undergoes dramatic and meaningful change. Your jury was struck by the level of love and attention in the detailing and the design of exhibits, many of which addressed social inequities from the past including sharing the stories of “less celebrated historical narratives and reveals some hard truths”
Your jury felt this project was a compelling, innovative solution in preservation with sensitively considered solutions in adaptive reuse and thoughtfully considered accessibility improvements. Contemporary details in harmony within a more traditional style, how the design process cultivated input from diverse communities, impressive feat of design for energy in modernizing building systems with an eye towards significant EUI reductions, all combined make this a slam dunk. The jury felt this project certainly met the threshold for best-in-show.
From the project description:
“With its new iteration, tradition is honored while the future is infused and it finally
embodies its diverse histories as it serves generations to come.”
The jury recognizes Dartmouth Hall with a Monahon Preservation Honor Award.
Photo credit: Anton Grassl
College of Engineering, Technology and Aeronautics (CETA) Building
Honor Award // Excellence in Architecture Design
Architect // HGA
GC // Skansa
MEP/FP Engineer // Chris Shumway
Structural Engineer // Simon Design Engineers
Civil/Survey Engineer // TF Moran
Cost Estimating // Skanska
Lighting // HLB Lighting
Landscape Architect // Studio 2112
Building Envelope // Building Envelope Technology
Sustainability // The Green Engineer
Interiors // MoharDesign
Audio and Visual Consultant // Cavanaugh Tocci
Description
HGA designed The College of Engineering, Technology, and Aeronautics (CETA) building at Southern New Hampshire University to provide students with a place to design, experiment, and mentor one another, while paying homage to the rural landscape and vernacular architecture of the area. The 67,000SF building was design edas two barn volumes connected with a two-story lobby, overlooking the Merrimack River. It was designed with a new quad space at the heart of the campus to invite students in and highlight the University’s commitment to STEM disciplines. The spaces inside has CDIO(Conceive, Design, Implement, Operate) hubs where students take projects from conception through operation. These hubs are based on the pedagogical goals of hands-on, project-based discovery. As universities re-imagine education delivery, CETA is a platform for the continuous exploration of multi-modal education, making STEM accessible to every learner.
Jury Comments
In the last of the selected projects, we have yet another dramatic campus transformation project. Jury members appreciated how this project connected to the campus fabric – an inviting form opens and welcomes in the campus context while framing yet another open inviting living room. Interior spaces varied from loftiness to having an abundance of nooks and crannies. The exterior design was one of the strongest, original use of materials the jury observed from the submissions in this category. While a number of submissions were observed offering a dash or two of inspiration from gabled barn-like structures and the modern farmhouse aesthetic, CETA’s exteriors pay homage to context in a way that was distinctively original and iconic. The chosen exterior cladding material honors natural surroundings, materially unifying roof and walls tonally and strengthening the overall massing. Rather than reflecting the often ubiquitous presence of red brick, the pivot to slate compliments its surroundings in a way the jury felt was truly a breath of fresh air and would withstand the test of time. From the project description:
“The building is inclusive to the entire community and gives a sense of safety, particularly to students that have been denied access to STEM education.”
The jury agrees and recognizes College of Engineering, Technology, and Aeronautics (CETA) Building with a Honor Award.
Photo credit: Anton Grassl
Elevated Camp
Honor Award // Excellence in Architecture Design
Architect // Murdough Design
GC // Denali Construction
Structural Engineer // RSE Associates
Surveyor Engineer // T. F. Bernier, Inc.
Description
The Elevated Camp is a four-season lakeside retreat for a family of five. Itis conceived asan arrangement of private / semi-private spaces grouped as solid blocks. These blocks arearranged to frame and hold the common open family room, which is the nexus of the house,organized as part of the exterior, with southern panoramic views of the lake. Onapproaching the entry, the building dynamically wraps around the glacial erratic, framing theopen family room and creating an aperture with views beyond towards the lake, inviting oneinto the house. The camp is navigated via a circulation network of elevated boardwalks,stairs, decks, and a bridge. As one circulates, a choreographed experience progressivelyreveals landscape features and strategic views. Exterior materials carry through to theinterior at critical transitions, blurringinterior and exterior boundaries. The building strikes adynamic gesture in dialogue with the landscape
Jury Comments
Jurors felt the project name to be most apropos.
Occupying the foundations of a past structure, the footprint’s light touch on site nestled amongst the trees, creates drama in a simple way. Exemplifying the notion of seamlessly connecting indoors and outdoors, the design’s effortless framing of its bucolic surroundings is quite impressive. The thoughtful boardwalk and bridge connections between the main house and guest quarters felt in harmony with their surroundings. As a contemporary building, jurors felt the exterior materials will age well with the patina of time. Strong passive strategies, sensitive siting, an understated, reserved material palette, the roof top experience, and green roofs were all quite notable. From the project description:
“the building strikes a dynamic gesture in dialogue with the landscape, touching the land lightly, and embracing intimate interiors where the family can convene and enjoy the landscape beyond.”
The jury recognizes Elevated Camp with an Honor Award.
Photo credit: Chuck Choi