Interlochen Dance Center recognized in the New England Architecture Awards and ‘American School and University’ Architectural Portfolio
The building, designed by Flansburgh Architects, was honored for outstanding achievements in the support of the profession of architecture and excellence in educational design.
Interlochen Center for the Arts’ state-of-the-art Dance Center has received two prestigious architecture accolades: an Honor Award in the 2022 New England Design Awards and a Special Citation in the 2022 SchoolDesigns American School and University Architectural Portfolio.
Presented by the eight New England area American Institute of Architects components, the New England Architecture Awards recognize outstanding achievements in architecture and celebrate architects from and architecture in the New England region. More than 150 projects were submitted for consideration for the 2022 awards, which were adjudicated by acclaimed architects from prestigious studios across the nation. Awards were conferred during the annual Awards Program, hosted this year by AIA Rhode Island on Oct. 1, 2022 at South Street Landing in Providence, Rhode Island. Previous New England Design Award winners include Harvard University’s Science and Engineering Complex (2021); the Joan & Edgar Booth Theatre and College of Fine Arts Production Center at Boston University (2020); and MIT.Nano (2020).
Published by American School and University magazine, the Architectural Portfolio has been the ultimate tribute to education design excellence for 40 years. Winning entries are published in the fall edition of American School and University, which boasts an audience of 182,000 readers. The Dance Center received a Special Citation from the Portfolio—the publication’s highest honor. In their remarks, the jury hailed the Dance Center as, “a beautiful project...spectacular to look at it and see how it responds to the context and the site.”
“I’m so grateful to Interlochen for giving me the opportunity to take the Dance Center to the next level, and I deeply appreciate the meaningful partnership that we formed with Flansburgh Architects along the way,” said Interlochen Center for the Arts Director of Dance Joseph Morrissey. “From our first meetings to their on-site visits to our five-minute Zoom sessions, Flansburgh truly brought my ideas to life, creating a space that capitalizes on our amazing views and is awe-inspiring. This award is an incredible bonus and a well-deserved honor for everyone involved. I’m deeply humbled and incredibly proud.”
The Dance Center is a scenic, 25,000-square-foot facility located on the shores of Green Lake. The structure is composed of two sections: the earlier Hildegarde Lewis Dance Building, which was completed in 1950 and renovated in July 2021; and the Nancy Hoagland Wing, a 16,000-square-foot addition that opened in February 2021.
Designed by Flansburgh Architects of Boston, Massachusetts, the Hoagland Wing includes an outdoor deck space; eight-foot-high windows; locker rooms for students and faculty; ADA-compliant accessibility features; and three new, climate-controlled studios. Each of the new studios features 16-foot ceilings, sprung-wood floors, professional lighting grids, state-of-the-art sound systems, and professionally designed barres to accommodate dance teaching and performance requirements.
