Bryant Arts Center

Denison University’s Bryant Arts Center has earned a prestigious award from the Ohio chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Ohio). The Bryant Arts Center received the Honor Award for Newly Completed Buildings, Additions, Remodelings, Renovations and Restorations at a ceremony held this month in the Toledo Museum of Art.

The Bryant Arts Center is a reconstruction and renovation of historic Cleveland Hall, circa 1904. The three-year renovation transformed the former men’s gymnasium into a state-of-the-art facility for Denison’s studio art and art history programs. The 45,000-square-foot building houses studios for ceramics, painting, printmaking, sculpture, photography and digital media. It also features fully electronic classrooms, open gallery spaces, an art history resource room, outdoor performance spaces, a common area for studio art seniors, and independent studios for faculty.

The Bryant Arts Center has been recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council with its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification. The arts center is named in honor of the building’s lead donor, Donald L. Bryant Jr. ’64, of St. Louis.

The principal design architect for the project was Jack Beyer of the New York firm Beyer, Blinder and Bell, whose portfolio includes Grand Central Terminal, the Smithsonian Institution, the Ellis Island Museum and the Apollo Theater. Beyer is a member of the Denison class of 1954. The architect of record was Maddox NBD Inc. of Columbus. The construction firm was Lincoln Construction, also of Columbus.

The AIA Ohio holds an annual convention to recognize architectural projects and selects only the most outstanding projects for the design awards. These projects serve as a tribute to the design excellence of Ohio architects. This year, the jury, chaired by Craig Dykers of Snohetta, reviewed 84 entries submitted by 44 different firms. Eleven were selected to receive an AIA Ohio award. As a state component of the American Institute of Architects, AIA Ohio represents over 2,000 architects throughout Ohio.