Eastern Connecticut State University
Fine Arts Instructional Center

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Project

Fine Arts Instructional Center

Client

Eastern Connecticut State University

Location

Willimantic, CT

Completion

2016

Size

132,000 GSF

Certification

LEED Silver Certified

Category

The Arts, Campus Innovations

Partner Firm

S/L/A/M Collaborative

The Fine Arts Instructional Center for Eastern Connecticut State University serves as the new home for the visual and performing arts departments. The facility includes a 400-seat multipurpose Concert Hall, a 250-seat Proscenium Theater, and a 125-seat Studio Theater. With this new building, the Music, Theater, and Visual Arts Departments move onto main campus in a location directly across from the student center. The building was designed to capitalize on this prominent site.

ARTS AS THE FRONT FOOR OF THE UNIVERSITY 

FRONT DOOR FACING HIGH STREET:

The glassy lobby with two main venues faces toward the city and presents a sense of openness and welcome to the community. Equally important, venues and teaching spaces are visible from outside the building.

NEW QUADRANGLE FACING CAMPUS:

The building engages the campus with a single-loaded west lobby overlooking the campus and a grand staircase leading to the student center. A black box theater, seminar, art gallery and theater classroom all face onto this west lobby with storefronts and barn doors.

Awards + Recognition

2017 National AIA-CAE/SCUP Excellence in Architecture for a New Building Honor Award

Project Consultants

Structural Engineer | LeMessurier Consultants, Inc.

Mechanical / Electrical Engineer | AltieriSeborWieber LLC

Civil Engineer | Purcell Associates

Lighting Consultant | Visual Terrain, Inc.

Theater Consultant | Theatre Projects Consultants, Inc.

Acoustical Engineer | Kirkegaard Associates

AV Consultant | Kirkegaard Associates

Photographer | Robert Benson