Period
1931
Williams College: Fort Bradshaw
Location
Williamstown, Massachusetts
Notables
HISTORIC LEGACY
Fort Bradshaw (formerly Fort Hoosac) is a Tudor Revival building originally designed as a fraternity house for Phi Sigma Kappa by Grosvenor Sterling Wright. In 1966, ownership of the house was transferred to Williams College, and today, Fort Bradshaw—affectionately called The Fort—serves as home to 12 students in The Williams College Graduate Program in the History of Art. The building’s architectural significance is further enhanced by its proximity to the program’s partner and collaborator, The Clark Art Institute.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
The scope of the project included a comprehensive renovation of the building’s interior and exterior to modernize the structure while maintaining its historic character.
Key components included:
-
A new addition to the west that seamlessly integrates with the original architecture, providing a kitchen and dining room on the ground floor and additional bedrooms above.
-
Full accessibility improvements
-
A new elevator
-
An egress stair
-
Accessible bedrooms and bathrooms.
Critical to the success of the project included the ability to eliminate on-site combustion as a source of energy, work included replacing all mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection and security systems.
RESEARCH & DOCUMENTATION
Fort Bradshaw’s Tudor Revival style features terracotta block and brick exterior bearing walls with wood-framed floors and a slate roof. Architectural highlights include a bay window with crenellated parapets on the main elevation, a copper-clad oriel window at the second-floor stair landing, and a Tudor arch entrance. Distinctive articulated brick chimneys adorn the north and south elevations, reinforcing the building’s historical significance.
Analysis of these original elements informed the approach to the addition, ensuring continuity with the existing architecture through matching brick color, size, and texture, as well as repeating key forms such as parapets, dormers, gabled ends, and oriel windows.
DESIGN
The design process prioritized the seamless integration of new program requirements with the building’s historic character. Early schematic studies explored ways to incorporate a modern addition to the west while preserving the visual integrity of the original structure.
The design solution carefully balanced aesthetics and functionality, matching existing brickwork, forms, and proportions to ensure harmony between the old and new. Interior layouts were reimagined to accommodate accessibility needs while optimizing space for modern student living, including a kitchen, dining area, and additional bedrooms.
RECONSTRUCTION
The project prioritized structural improvements and energy efficiency upgrades while respecting the building’s historic fabric. The slate roof was replaced, new fiberglass windows installed, and upgrades to insulation and air barriers achieved high thermal performance. A sub-slab drain system was introduced below the basement floor to mitigate moisture issues. The addition to the west carefully mirrored the original structure, blending seamlessly into the existing design.
RESTORATION
Restoration efforts focused on revitalizing interior and exterior finishes to honor the building’s historic character. All finishes were either replaced or restored to their original integrity. Critical to the project’s success was the elimination of on-site combustion as an energy source. This included replacing all mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, and security systems with modern, energy-efficient alternatives.
The project achieved LEEDv4 Gold and Living Building Challenge Petal Certification in Health and Happiness, Equity and Materials as well as Imperatives 01 & 20. In an effort to support the College’s goal of 35% campus wide carbon reduction of 1990 carbon emissions levels by 2020 the project also followed Williams College’s own Green Gauges program with a targeted site EUI of 30 kBTU/yr/gsf.
