Edwards Center for Art & Dance, Bowdoin College

Brunswick’s old Longfellow Elementary School is a place near and dear to the community’s heart. When Bowdoin College purchased the building with plans to renovate, they selected an architect and contractor team excited by the prospect of keeping the beloved exterior intact while repurposing the interior to serve the needs of the college’s arts and dance program. Working within a tight time frame, we salvaged many of the building’s special features, like the humped hardwood floors. Exposed bricks from the walls were saved and used elsewhere on the structure. When the roof structure was uncovered in the building process, Peter suggested washing and cleaning the rafters for an exposed feature. All of these decisions resulted in a project that reveals rather than recasts the building’s unique history. The building now houses numerous art and dance studios and is used nearly 24/7 throughout the year.