Peirce Hall honored for design

Peirce Hall has been named a recipient of a 2009 Merit Award for Design Excellence by the New England Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. The two-year, $28 million renovation of Peirce by Gund Partnership of Cambridge, Massachusetts, was one of eleven architectural projects chosen for the honor from a field of 271 entries.

Carolyn Isaak, executive director of the selecting chapter, said that the award recognizes "good design and good sustainable features."

The 69,000-square foot renovation and expansion of Peirce supports the Food for Thought program, significantly increasing the College's ability to source food locally while also improving the food service operations and meal delivery. The project, completed in 2008, greatly expanded dining space, reorganized and enhanced circulation through the building, improved accessibility, and preserved the architectural integrity of the historic façade by means of the cantilevered atrium linking the old and new portions of the building.