For past 50 years, Brown University’s Churchill House has served as a critical hub for scholarship and performance focused on the culture, politics, and history of the African diaspora. From Summer 2022 to Fall 2023, the building was transformed with a bright, modern addition featuring new offices, a faculty library and lounge, expanded space for graduate students, an enhanced outdoor terrace, and a refreshed George Houston Bass Performing Arts Space, where Rites and Reason Theatre has mounted dozens of original productions.

Vanderweil is proud to have provided MEP engineering and tel/data services for this renovation. The scope includes enhancements to the black box theater and increased back of-house theater support spaces, along with a 2,500 sf addition and interior upgrades to improve accessibility and functionality and enable department growth. 

Improved occupant comfort and controllability were important considerations for the MEP design. MEP upgrades include all new dedicated outdoor air ventilation systems and a mixture of two- and four-pipe fan coil units fed from campus utilities.

The project utilizes a design-build delivery method and Lean design principles. It complies with Brown’s net-zero pledge and is designed to LEED Silver standards.