Bennington Museum
Summary
Bread Loaf worked with the museum to plan, design and construct a major renovation and addition to better serve the needs of visitors. An 11,000 square foot addition provided a year round connector to the Grandma Moses Schoolhouse, a multi-purpose center to facilitate educational activities and serve as a space for a variety of cultural events and a museum court to be used for short term exhibits and displays.
The renovation and expansion of the Bennington Museum reflects the challenge of integrating and modernizing within an historic structure and village context. The addition’s exterior blends with the existing museum and harmonizes with the aesthetic of Old Bennington while the interior contains state-of-the-art exhibition and educational spaces. Ample daylight illuminates the new spaces along with gallery-quality lighting.
Green Building/Sustainable Design
- Reuse and Restoration of existing historic structure
- Removal of hazardous materials
- Natural materials such as Vermont slate and copper roofing, locally milled decorative woodwork and patterned cedar shingles
- Dramatically improved indoor air quality and greater energy efficiency achieved through a heat recovery system
- Native white pine timbers define the major exhibit space and visitor center
- Recycled building materials include reused historic window, doors and paneling
- Water conserving plumbing fixtures
Awards
Excellence in Architecture Award
2000
American Institute of Architects, Vermont – AIA
Best Builder Award
2000
Renovation / Addition
Associated General Contractors of Vermont – AGC
National Design-Build Award
2001
Best Design Build Project, Under $5 Million
Design-Build Institute of America – DBIA
Engineering Excellence Buildings Category
2000
Grand Award
American Consulting Engineering Council of Vermont – ACEC
Outstanding Employment Efforts – Design / Accessibility
2000
Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities