Weiss/Manfredi Wins 2011 AIA Honor Award for Architecture for the Barnard College Diana Center

The Diana Center, a 98,000 square-foot multipurpose arts building at Barnard College, is the winner of the 2011 American Institute of Architects Honor Award for Architecture. The project will be honored at the 2011 AIA Awards Ceremony in New Orleans in May.

The Diana Center establishes a new nexus for social, cultural, and intellectual life on campus and within the city. Located on Broadway, the Diana Center unites landscape and architecture, interior and exterior in a seven-story structure that rethinks the conventions of a mixed use building. Carving a diagonal void through the building, ascending double-height glass atria establish views through diverse program spaces and visually connect Lehman Lawn to the upper floors of the building and the green roof. The slipped atria and an unfolded glazed staircase bring in natural light and eliminate visual boundaries between the College and the city, while providing spaces for informal interaction to encourage collaboration and dialogue across disciplines. The building is home to the departments of architecture, art history, visual arts, and theatre. The program includes architecture and painting studios, a 500-seat events space, black box theatre, cafe, dining room, reading room, classrooms, and exhibition galleries.

The building has achieved a LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. Debora L. Spar, president of Barnard College notes, "The Diana Center has not only transformed the way our community interacts, but through its environmentally responsible design and function, has inspired us to become active participants in sustainability efforts. We are tremendously proud of the Diana Center's LEED Gold rating and look forward to continuing to expand our environmental consciousness." The building has also been recognized with a Progressive Architecture Award, AIA Award of Excellence, and AIA Best in New York State Award.