Wesleyan University to Convert Vacant Factory Space into Arts Lab
Wesleyan University recently announced the start of construction on a new Integrative Arts Lab for its campus in Middletown, Conn., according to a news release. The university is partnering with Bruner/Cott Architects on the transformation of a vacant factory building into an 18,700-square-foot space that will serve as the “nexus of the arts” on campus. The historic structure, most recently used as a Mohawk Manufacturing Company facility, was originally constructed in 1850 and an addition built in 1922.
The lab will include spaces for visual and performing arts, maker spaces, and a flexible arts commons to encourage interdisciplinary work, the news release reports. Construction will also include additions to the existing T-shaped structure to expand its potential.
“The project will reinforce Wesleyan’s commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility; meet aspirational sustainability goals that prioritize conserving resources and limiting embodied carbon through building reuse; and include measures to ensure occupancy health and wellness,” according to the news release.
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Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].