The Warehouse
The Warehouse
The Warehouse
The Warehouse
The Warehouse
The Warehouse
When Michigan firm T+E+A+M set out to design a home for Dartmouth College’s new MFA in Sonic Practice, they envisioned something less high art, more underground. Straying from the stuffy institutional feel of traditional recital halls and rehearsal rooms, the firm has composed a flexible, responsive space within the shell of a 232-square-metre admin building. Dubbed “The Warehouse,” the project builds on the studio’s long-standing collaboration with sonic artist Ash Fure, translating formerly temporary installations and performances into a fully reconfigurable space where the normally fixed relationships between stage and audience, instructor and student, or performer and listener are constantly in flux. The interior thus becomes both a performance venue and an instrument in and of itself — making it an ideal setting for pedagogical experimentation.
Working with a tight budget, the designers opted to expose the existing mechanical, electrical and structural elements, unifying them with a monochromatic treatment and a metallic silver ceiling that augments the interior’s industrial character. They intentionally revealed traces of the demolition, like rough drywall edges and raw concrete floors. Then, they got crafty, using off-the-shelf steel strut liner components to construct a continuous grid across the walls and ceiling. Mounted within this framework, translucent polycarbonate panels line much of the perimeter and main stage, diffusing daylight from existing windows and softening the programmable performance lighting. As conditions change, the panels allow the room’s atmosphere to shift throughout the day.
Equal parts infrastructure and architectural expression, the strut network provides adaptable rigging points for speakers, lighting and other equipment. Sawtooth foam panels are placed strategically throughout, tuning audio frequencies and keeping reverb in check. Together, the structure, lighting and acoustics act as a single dynamic system that encourages engagement from the audience and artists alike. Complementing the interior, a bespoke suite of caster-mounted tables, risers and seating — made from durable materials like aluminum and plywood — enables the space to quickly transform for lectures and performances and back again.
The Warehouse is proof that using off-the-shelf components need not result in generic design. With modest means and minimal waste, the designers have built a space that performs in every sense of the word.
Team: Adam Fure (T+E+A+M) and Xavi Aguirre (stock-a-studio) with Ellie Abrons, Meredith Miller and Thom Moran (T+E+A+M)
