Brown University Churchill House
For nearly 50 years, Churchill House has been home to Brown University’s Department of Africana Studies and the Rites and Reason Theatre, serving as a center for scholarship, performance, and community engagement focused on the histories and cultures of the African diaspora. As the department grew, Brown sought to expand and renew this important institution while strengthening its role within the university’s emerging arts district.
Working in partnership with Mario Gooden Studio, Marble Fairbanks transformed the historic building to accommodate the department’s evolving academic and cultural programs. The renovation and addition provide new faculty offices, graduate student spaces, informal gathering areas, and expanded facilities for lectures and events. The historic Rites and Reason Theatre was modernized to better support theatrical productions and public programming.
A central objective was to make Churchill House an active participant in Brown’s new Perelman Arts District, alongside the Granoff Center for the Creative Arts and the Lindemann Performing Arts Center. By relocating the main entrance to The Walk, creating an accessible outdoor terrace, and introducing transparent gathering spaces overlooking the campus, the project connects the department’s activities to the larger university community.
Completed in 2023, Churchill House provides a renewed home for Africana Studies and Rites and Reason Theatre while establishing a more visible and welcoming presence within Brown’s growing arts community.
Location
Providence, RI
Client
Brown University / Shawmut Design and Construction
Completion
2023
MFA Design Team
Karen Fairbanks, Scott Marble, Tanya Gershon, Jason Roberts, Diego Arango, Elliot Park, Kristy Cho, Brian Castro
Design Consultant
Mario Gooden Studio
Mechanical / Electrical / Plumbing Engineer / IT
Vanderweil Engineers
Civil Engineer
Woodard & Curran
Geotechnical Engineer
GZA GeoEnvironmental
Landscape Architect
Stimson Landscape Architects
Fire Alarm / Fire Protection / Code Consultant
Jensen Hughes
Energy Modeling
Andelman and Lelek
Security
Siemens Industries
Building Envelope
Building Enclosure Science
Acoustical Consultant
Threshold Acoustics
Theater and Performance
Theatre Projects
Lighting Design
Tillotson Design Associates
Structural Engineer
Odeh Engineers
Specifications Writer
Construction Specifications Inc.
Recognition
American Architecture Award, Honorable Mention
Chicago Athenaeum
