The Barn, Bennington College
Bennington, VT

In 1932 a tract of farmland was donated to become a new liberal arts college. “The Barn” is one of its oldest buildings and houses classrooms, offices, and exhibition spaces. In 2019, the Barn’s East Wing was destroyed by fire. Centerline Architects collaborated with the college to create and reimagine the design of the 10,000 SF wing. We created an exterior that resembled the original structure but with a controlled randomness of windows, and interior spaces perforated with visual and physical connections that allowed interior and exterior views and interactions. An open floating stair connected all three levels.  Sustainable materials like locally-sourced maple flooring, salvaged timber framing from the original structure, repurposed hand-made ceramic tile, and furniture created from salvaged timber were incorporated. The iconic cupolas were salvaged and refurbished to work with the new mechanical systems. We worked with Efficiency Vermont creating a high-performance building envelope, and mechanical and lighting systems.