BUCKMINSTER HALL

Buckminster Hall is a Georgian Revival house (c. 1925), and a former Newbury College administration building, that has been converted to a private recreational facility. Ravaged by fire and then left untouched for several years, only the structure’s original masonry shell was salvageable. A new structural steel frame and roof trusses were constructed within this shell to support the single volume of the gymnasium. Exterior walls and original windows remain intact behind an interior layer of wood panels and translucent glass, bringing daylight to the new space in unexpected ways and allowing the gym to function in a variety of capacities, from basketball court to social gathering space.

PROJECT LOCATION
Brookline, MA

PROJECT SIZE

12,000 SF

PROJECT TYPE

Adaptive Re-use, Recreation

CLIENT

Private

While the interior of the original house was radically transformed to accommodate its new use, the historic exterior was meticulously restored, satisfying the divergent requirements of the owner and the neighborhood historic commission. Buckminster Hall’s main building now houses a gymnasium, while a smaller adjoining building has become a clubhouse with game room and associated exercise spaces. The two and a half acre grounds were regraded and landscaped to accommodate playing fields, a batting cage, and a tennis court.