We are proud to share our role in the recent, multi-award-winning success of the Alice Dodge Wallace '38 Center for the Performing Arts at the Emma Willard School.

The landmark project, for which TRW served as the Historic Preservation Consultants under lead architect ANNUM Architects, has secured three major awards, firmly establishing it as a success of adaptive reuse and historic revitalization.

Triple Crown: A Testament to Collaborative Design

The Alice Dodge Wallace Center, which transformed the circa 1910 Alumnae Chapel into a state-of-the-art performance venue while adding a new subterranean arts wing, has been celebrated with three distinct honors:

1. Architectural Record Award (Performance Spaces Category): Selected as one of the best projects of the year in the inaugural Architectural Record Awards, this recognition highlights the project's outstanding design and its success in repurposing the historic chapel for modern performance, music, and dance programs.

2. New England Architecture Honor Award for Excellence in Architecture (AIA New England): Celebrating design excellence across New England, this prestigious award from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) components acknowledges how the Wallace Center places the arts at the heart of the campus, preserving a Jacobean landmark while providing essential, modern resources.

3. ENR New York Best Project Award (K-12 Education Sector): This latest honor from Engineering News- Record recognizes the project's exceptional quality, safety record, and the team's ability to overcome the significant challenges inherent in merging a sensitive historic renovation with high-tech new construction.

TRW’s Role: Protecting the Historic Heart of the Project

TRW's specialized expertise was key to the successful revitalization of the original Alumnae Chapel's envelope and character. Serving as the Historic Preservation Architect, TRW led the meticulous work on the original building, ensuring its architectural integrity was maintained and celebrated for the next century:

• Exterior Preservation: TRW’s team directed the comprehensive restoration of the historic exterior masonry and limestone façade.

• Window Restoration: Critical work included the reconditioning and preservation of over 150 original leaded glass windows, elements that fundamentally define the historic character of the building.

The combined project now connects the repurposed chapel (now a multipurpose theater) with a sleek, new subterranean arts wing that houses dance, studio, and orchestra rehearsal spaces beneath an accessible green roof, a powerful blend of past and future.

"We extend our deepest congratulations to ANNUM Architects, Consigli Construction, and the entire project team for this incredible, well-deserved recognition," said Stephen Reilly, Partner at TRW. "The Alice Dodge Wallace Center is the perfect example of how collaboration across design specialties can yield award-winning results and a powerful, enduring contribution to the community."