Fries Arts Building

At Wesleyan University, we transformed a vacant factory building into a new integrative arts lab. Situated at the edge of campus, the site was formerly home to the Mohawk Manufacturing Company, among others. The oldest structure on site was constructed in 1850, with an addition built in 1922.

The Fries Arts Building is a nexus for the arts at Wesleyan – a social place that encourages community, collaboration, and conversation. Spaces are arranged to support students and encourage disciplinary work. The program includes spaces for visual arts, performing arts, maker spaces along with a flexible arts commons. Contemporary additions to the existing T-shape complex expand the capabilities of the new facility, blending old and new.

The project reinforces Wesleyan’s commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility, and meets aspirational sustainability goals that conserve resources, prioritize occupancy health and wellness, and limit embodied carbon through building reuse.