Centennial Hall: The Sky's the Limit
Centennial Hall was a mess.
Dust was everywhere. The concrete slab of a floor was littered with all manner of construction equipment and materials.
The mind-numbing cacophony of sounds from saws and drills filled the air.
It’s all good, though.
Dust was everywhere. The concrete slab of a floor was littered with all manner of construction equipment and materials.
The mind-numbing cacophony of sounds from saws and drills filled the air.
It’s all good, though.
The new, multi-use facility on the Lower School side of Collegiate’s North Mooreland Road campus was quickly becoming the state-of-the-art landmark it was intended to be.
“The sky’s the limit,” said Lower School Head Debbie Miller. “We’re looking forward to using the space in new and different ways.
“It will create opportunities that we haven’t even thought about yet.”
Centennial Hall, which has become a reality thanks to the kindness and generosity of an anonymous donor family, will serve primarily as the Lower School dining center.
It replaces Burke Hall, which was constructed in 1974, covers 7,412 square feet, and accommodates 180 for lunch. Named in honor of Elizabeth Burke, LS head from 1961 until her retirement in 1978, the 41-year-old structure will assume a new, still-to-be-determined identity.
Centennial Hall, which opens Monday, is noticeably larger and brighter than its predecessor and takes “aesthetically pleasing” to another level.
Covering 9,500 square feet and seating 280, it provides a 180-degree panorama of the Collegiate campus. To the east are Fort Cougar, Luck Hall, the Watt Library, and Reynolds Hall. To the north are the athletic fields. To the south is the entrance off River Road.
Between Fort Cougar and the new facility, there’s an outdoor patio with tables and umbrellas (think McFall Hall) as well as a synthetic turf extension of the playground.
“We want the kids to be able to run and play, so a patch of grass there would quickly become a mud pit,” said Scott Carson, director of facilities management and construction. “The beauty of turf is that it will stay green all year. And it will actually make Fort Cougar larger.”
With its high windows on three sides, Centennial Hall will provide a wealth of natural lighting and will be quite energy efficient.
“Starting with the Sharp Academic Commons, one of the principles we’re trying to apply under LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) is transparency and bringing indoor to outdoor and vice versa,” Carson continued.
“You’ll have a great view, and the beauty of the glass these days is that it has much greater thermal properties and a higher insulation value.”
Quelling the inevitable din of a school dining hall was even part of the planning.
“It’ll be high-bay and open,” added Carson, my tour guide on this late summer day. “There’ll be sound baffles in the ceiling and plank floring. There’s no cafeteria on earth that’s quiet. This will be no exception, but we can at least dampen the sound.”
There’s more, much more.
The north end facing the athletic fields can be partitioned off into a private dining space, meeting area, or venue for presentations and special projects.
With the lunch tables removed, the main room becomes a 350-seat auditorium, which will have a high-tech projection screen and sound system that conjures the image of a modern movie theater.
Because of the topography on the south side, the lobby sits four-and-a-half feet above the main floor.
“Architecturally, it’s actually a wonderful vantage point as you walk in,” Carson said. “We’ll have soft seating and a video panel.
“Entering from the public side, you won’t believe you’re in a cafeteria. You’ll think you’re in a music hall.”
The new construction forms the fourth side of a quadrangle that includes Reynolds Hall, Luck Hall, and the Watt Library with the playground in the center.
“From a campus-planning standpoint,” Carson said. “The site worked really well. From a safety standpoint, we’re no longer leaving Fort Cougar open.
“We’ve created a cozy little niche. It just feels right.”
-- Weldon Bradshaw
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“The sky’s the limit,” said Lower School Head Debbie Miller. “We’re looking forward to using the space in new and different ways.
“It will create opportunities that we haven’t even thought about yet.”
Centennial Hall, which has become a reality thanks to the kindness and generosity of an anonymous donor family, will serve primarily as the Lower School dining center.
It replaces Burke Hall, which was constructed in 1974, covers 7,412 square feet, and accommodates 180 for lunch. Named in honor of Elizabeth Burke, LS head from 1961 until her retirement in 1978, the 41-year-old structure will assume a new, still-to-be-determined identity.
Centennial Hall, which opens Monday, is noticeably larger and brighter than its predecessor and takes “aesthetically pleasing” to another level.
Covering 9,500 square feet and seating 280, it provides a 180-degree panorama of the Collegiate campus. To the east are Fort Cougar, Luck Hall, the Watt Library, and Reynolds Hall. To the north are the athletic fields. To the south is the entrance off River Road.
Between Fort Cougar and the new facility, there’s an outdoor patio with tables and umbrellas (think McFall Hall) as well as a synthetic turf extension of the playground.
“We want the kids to be able to run and play, so a patch of grass there would quickly become a mud pit,” said Scott Carson, director of facilities management and construction. “The beauty of turf is that it will stay green all year. And it will actually make Fort Cougar larger.”
With its high windows on three sides, Centennial Hall will provide a wealth of natural lighting and will be quite energy efficient.
“Starting with the Sharp Academic Commons, one of the principles we’re trying to apply under LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) is transparency and bringing indoor to outdoor and vice versa,” Carson continued.
“You’ll have a great view, and the beauty of the glass these days is that it has much greater thermal properties and a higher insulation value.”
Quelling the inevitable din of a school dining hall was even part of the planning.
“It’ll be high-bay and open,” added Carson, my tour guide on this late summer day. “There’ll be sound baffles in the ceiling and plank floring. There’s no cafeteria on earth that’s quiet. This will be no exception, but we can at least dampen the sound.”
There’s more, much more.
The north end facing the athletic fields can be partitioned off into a private dining space, meeting area, or venue for presentations and special projects.
With the lunch tables removed, the main room becomes a 350-seat auditorium, which will have a high-tech projection screen and sound system that conjures the image of a modern movie theater.
Because of the topography on the south side, the lobby sits four-and-a-half feet above the main floor.
“Architecturally, it’s actually a wonderful vantage point as you walk in,” Carson said. “We’ll have soft seating and a video panel.
“Entering from the public side, you won’t believe you’re in a cafeteria. You’ll think you’re in a music hall.”
The new construction forms the fourth side of a quadrangle that includes Reynolds Hall, Luck Hall, and the Watt Library with the playground in the center.
“From a campus-planning standpoint,” Carson said. “The site worked really well. From a safety standpoint, we’re no longer leaving Fort Cougar open.
“We’ve created a cozy little niche. It just feels right.”
-- Weldon Bradshaw
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