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A bit of a footnote here – this submission was originally made within the commercial/institutional category.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