Marlboro Music Reich Hall

This project was selected as a winner in AIA's 2023 Architecture Awards.

A skillful combination of the rustic and the sophisticated, Marlboro Music Reich Hall answers a complex brief with a lucidly simple formal approach. The design team at national firm HGA—no strangers to logistically demanding commissions—were tasked with creating a multipurpose space for a unique client at a distinctive moment in its storied history.

For nearly 75 years, the acclaimed Marlboro Music School and Festival has drawn some of the world’s most talented instrumentalists to the lush hills of southern Vermont. Two years ago, however, the eponymous college that has long played host to the summer event closed its doors for good, leaving the program at a decisive crossroads. Doubling down on the future, HGA’s design shows that Marlboro Music is here to stay, providing retreat participants with an entire mini-complex of studios and study rooms, each one with a crisp, wooden interior perfectly tuned for optimal acoustics, and all artfully arrayed around a central courtyard ideal for impromptu concerts. With its village-green layout, and the barn-like silhouettes of the individual volumes, the project looks as though it’s always been there, and always will be.

This project was selected as a Merit winner in ARCHITECT's 2023 Architecture & Interiors Awards, Architecture: Cultural Building category.

“It’s a really thoughtful way of dealing with the hillside in a constrained space.” — Juror Tima Bell, Assoc. AIA

By Elizabeth Fazzare

Every summer since 1951, world-renowned classical musicians have gathered with up-and-coming performers in Marlboro, Vt., to take part in a seven-week festival focused on creative collaboration. The new Marlboro Music Reich Hall relieves the program’s aging farmhouse buildings, set on what once was a college campus, with a 21st-century design that offers the highest quality environment for festival musical rehearsals, a music library, and office and gathering spaces that address contemporary needs.

Dreamed up by the Minneapolis-based architectural firm HGA, Reich Hall’s design draws inspiration from the typology of a Cape Cod cottage, which has served as a model for all the structures on the grounds. Located on a steeply sloped site, the 11,500-square-foot hall encompasses three gabled-roofed buildings surrounding a central courtyard. Their exteriors feature eastern white cedar board, batten-siding façades, and ribbed metal roofs. Large windows framed in natural wood fill the interiors with light, and a green roof atop the building containing offices and the library—which holds one of the world’s largest chamber music collections—provides an additional place for outdoor communing. In the rehearsal rooms, white-pine planks on the walls and ceiling give a handsome effect while the white-oak floor boasts integrated radiant heating. All the wood is acoustically isolating, creating ideal spaces in which to play music.

The inward orientation of the steeply pitched buildings on site creates an intimate community feel while also mitigating the drastic grade change and allowing mountain views. Stewarding the land was an important piece of the project and HGA installed geothermal heating and cooling systems to reduce energy use. The team also incorporated native plants to create bioswales and a bioretention basin in the landscape to capture and treat stormwater runoff.

PROJECT CREDITS
Project: Marlboro Music Reich Hall, Marlboro, Vt.
Client: Marlboro School of Music, Inc.
Architects: HGA. Dan Avchen, FAIA: Principal; Joan Soranno, FAIA: Design Principal; John Cook, FAIA: Senior Project Architect; Beth Kalin, AIA: Project Architect; Rebecca Celis, AIA: Project Manager; James Kehl: Project Designer ; David Wilson, AIA: Architect, Project Designer; Natalie Pullen, Interior Designer; Brit Erenler: Landscape Architect; Tony Staeger: Senior Structural Engineer; Joe Wolfgang: Senior Mechanical Engineer; Kevin Lynn: Senior Mechanical Engineer; Marlene Bennett: Senior Mechanical Designer; Tao Ham: Senior Lighting Designer; Nina Italiano: Lighting Designer; Joe Wetternach: Electrical Engineer; Aaron Hillstead: Electrical Engineer; Adam Martini: Electrical Engineer; Robert Johnson Miller: Specifications; Melissa Cady: Senior Openings Specialist
Interior Designer: HGA
Mechanical Engineer: HGA
Structural Engineer: HGA
Electrical Engineer: HGA
Civil Engineer: CHA Consulting, Inc.
General Contractor: Courtlan Construction
Landscape Architect: HGA
Lighting Designer: HGA
Acoustics: Kvernstoen, Rönnholm & Associates, Inc.
Historical Consultant: Vermont Property Preservation Consultants
Furniture Dealer: Interscape & Teknion, Studio TK, Blu Dot, Andreu World, Scandinavian Spaces, Ethnicraft, mmcite, Bolia, Stylex
Size: 11,500 square feet
Cost: $5,772,812 (construction cost, doesn’t include furniture, etc.)

MATERIALS AND SOURCES
Acoustical System: Snap-Tex, wall assembly; American Standard, Cadet Pro; American Standard, Boulevard undercounter sink; Delta, Modern series lavatory faucet; Dyson, Airblade, Carpet: Tarkett, Tandus Centiva, Embossed Flannel; Mats Inc., DecoRib/Tough Rib Walkoff Tile; Tretford Americas, Tretford Roll
Cabinets / Millwork: Navy Island; Stark Mountain Woodworking; Formica, High Pressure Laminate; Novawall, Novaspan 10; Soundply (Navy Island), Lino Acoustic Planks,
Concrete: Carroll Concrete
Countertops: Corian, Solid Surface & Quartz
Elevator: TK Elevator, endura
Exterior Wall Systems: Huberwood, ZIP system
Fabrics and Finishes: Kvadrat, Zulu window covering; Divina 3; Divina Melange; Hallingdal; Designtex, Gamut; Luum Textiles, Homage; Structured Stripe; Summit, U300 Series window shades,
Flooring: Ceramic Tileworks, Ecocrete floor tile; Daltile, Keystones Mosaic
Furniture: Teknion, office furniture & desking; Blu Dot, Circula Tables; Arper, Kiik Bench; Catifa Lounge Chair; Hightower, Stackton Chair; Andreu World, Nub Lounge Chair; Raglan Sofa; Bolia, Soul Lounge Chair; Stylex, Cove Lounge Chair; Bernhardt Design, Chloe Task Chair; Davis, Span Table; Wenger, Musicians Chairs;
Glass: Cardinal Glass (Marvin Ultimate standard)
HVAC: Greenheck, Fans; Watts Radiant, In-floor Heat; AQC Industries, BlueDuct; RenewAire, Energy Recovery Units; Daikin, Air Handling Units; Grundfos, Pumps; FHP Manufacturing, Heat Pumps; Thermal Solutions, Boiler
Insulation: Owens Corning, Thermafiber Rain Barrier
Kitchen fixtures: Elkay, Crosstown Stainless Steel single bowl ADA sink
Lighting Control Systems: Acuity Brands, nLight system
Lighting: Meteor, DUO 6 up/downlight pendant; Blu Dot, Stilt Floor Lamp; Acuity Brands, Aculux Lighting, initia INIT3 downlight; Hubbell Lighting, PR4 aluminum pole; Ecosense, Trov, Rise
Masonry and Stone: Vermont Structural Slate, Heathermoor
Paints and Finishes: Sherwin Williams; Ceramic Tileworks, Artisan wall tile; Daltile, Keystones Mosaic; Roppe, Rubber Pinnacle Wall Base;
Roofing: Englert, Series 2500; Hydrotech, Monolithic Membrane 6125; Siplast, Parablock Root Barrier; Alpine Snowguards, SnowMax
Site and Landscape Products: Mmcite, Blocq Exterior Bench; Belgard, Lafitt paver; Belgard, Mega-Lafitt paver
Structural System: Foard Panel, SIPs
Wallcoverings: Filzfelt, Ribsy wall covering tiles
Walls: Soundply (Navy Island), Latus Acoustic Wall Panels
Windows and Doors: Marvin, Marvin Clad Ultimate Casement windows & Clad Doors