Michael S. Currier Center, The Putney School
Putney, Vt.
Charles Rose Architects

Putney students get an arts space that's as creative as they are

© John Edward Linden

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The Putney School is an independent, co-educational boarding and day school for grades 9-12. Charles Rose Architects completed a partial master plan for the school. The plan proposed constructing a new gymnasium and a new performing arts center: the architect was commissioned to design both.

The new performing arts building provides 22,000 square feet of rehearsal and performance space for music, dance, and drama activities within the student body. It also serves as an inviting venue for guest performers. The building contains a flexible 300-seat auditorium and stage, as well as art galleries, a dance studio and music library, a computer-based music-composition lab, and a video and film-editing lab. The orchestral and choral performance space doubles as rehearsal space and there are additional music practice rooms, faculty offices, and instrument storage areas.

The building's special features include auditorium doors that unfold onto a natural clearing to allow for outdoor performances. The gallery space, meanwhile, contains large, reconfigurable walls as well as an outdoor sculpture garden. In keeping with the school's objectives, the building is designed to be environmentally attuned and the school is hoping it will receive a LEED rating from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Formal name of Project:
Michael S. Currier Center, The Putney School

Location:
Putney, Vt.

Gross square footage:
22,000 sq. ft.

Total construction cost:
$5 Million

Owner:
The Putney School

Architect:
Charles Rose Architects Inc.
115 Willow Ave.
Somerville, MA 02144
Tel: 617-628-5033
Fax: 617-628-7033
www.charlesrosearchitects.com