A project in Marlboro, Vermont, has added sophisticated acoustic, aesthetic, and sustainability features to a rustic Cape Cod cottage style establishment, resulting in a site with more substance than apparent.
The transformational project aimed to update the predated farm buildings to become fit for annual Marlboro Music festival.
Led by the international design firm HGA and in consultation with Marlboro Music and Marlboro College, along with some prominent musicians, the key goals of the project were sustainability and consolidation into the existing campus, as well as the natural setting of forest and mountains.
The new Jerome and Celia Bertin Reich Rehearsal Building and Music Library (Reich Hall) imbibe the soul of Marlboro and the countryside character of southern Vermont, with the necessary rehearsal spaces, a music library, offices, common areas, and more, built for contemporary usage.
For the design of Reich Hall, inspiration from the traditional Cape Cod cottage is evident in the hall’s gabled forms, the use of white clapboard on exterior walls, and the use of locally sourced oak and pine wood. The building is lodged into the hillside, with its second floor aligned to the upper campus, and the first floor relating to the lower campus. The festival’s spirit for connectedness is celebrated in the design of the rooms and a summer-appropriate courtyard, plus a green roof invites gatherings in the open.
With a collection of more than 10,000 chamber music scores, Marlboro needed a library to house and safeguard these works, while serving as a space for study and exploration. The Maxine and Stuart Frankel Foundation Library was created to meet these needs. The design process placed great emphasis on ensuring climate control, fire protection, lighting, and security in the space.
Reich Hall employed a range of green strategies throughout the design, construction, and ongoing use of the building, including LED lighting, passive solar gains, and the green roof. Operable windows allow for natural light, ventilation, and thermal control. The building is also served by an energy-efficient geothermal well field, providing water-to-water heat pumps for both Reich Hall and the adjacent Residence Hall. This system simultaneously supplies hot and chilled water to support radiant floor and fan coil systems, reducing transportation energy and improving overall performance.
The concept of beauty was also an integral factor in the design of Reich Hall, influencing the selection of natural materials to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. The wood utilized in the rehearsal rooms not only contributes to the aesthetics of the spaces, but also enhances their acoustics. It helps to reduce embodied carbon and improves the structure’s overall energy performance as well.
When designing Reich Hall, adherence to Vermont’s ACT 250 legislation was a top priority. Implemented in 1970, this legislation was created to protect the state’s fragile environment and natural resources. The landscape design for the building focused on utilizing native plants that required no fertilizers or pesticides. Further, 40 percent of the site’s total square footage and 71 percent of its planting area were sown with pollinator-friendly species, contributing to the local ecosystem.
Reich Hall has made a significant contribution to maintaining a healthy watershed through the implementation of sustainable stormwater management practices. The building utilizes three bioretention areas and an infiltration basin to filter stormwater from the driveway, courtyard, and sections of the roof. Specially chosen vegetation is used to remove sediment and pollutants, ensuring only clean water enters the closed drainage system.
The project’s advanced sustainable strategies exceeded the American Institute of Architects (AIA) 2030 standards, resulting in significant cost savings for Marlboro, while helping the school achieve its goal of promoting environmental stewardship.
HGA received the 2023 American Institute of Architects (AIA) Architecture Award for the project. Other collaborators on the project are CHA Consulting, Inc. as the civil engineer, Courtland Construction as the general contractor, Kvernstoen, Rönnholm & Associates, Inc. as the acoustics designer, and Vermont Property Preservation Consultants as historical consultant.
Very nice article! I would be interested in visiting this unique architectural sight. I am impressed with the total planning and creative accomplishment of the music facility. I feel fortunate to know about it. Thank you.
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