Hop Project Hero
Hop Project FAQ

Share

Hopkins Center Renovation and Expansion

  • Forum

    The Forum will provide a vibrant and accessible welcome center for the Hop.

  • Recital Hall

    The multi-use Recital Hall will support large and small Ensembles with optimized acoustics.

  • Exterior plaza

    The Exterior Plaza encourages public gatherings and outdoor performances.

  • Performance Lab

    The existing Alumni Hall will be transformed into a flexible Performance Lab.

  • drone view

    The renovated Hop will be seemlessly integrated with a new wing and outdoor plaza.

About the Project

The exciting and much-anticipated redesign and expansion of Dartmouth's Hopkins Center for the Arts is underway. This project, a major component of The Call to Lead: a Campaign for Dartmouth, "is another important chapter in enacting our vision to make the arts an essential aspect of any academic experience," says President Phil Hanlon '77. "It will offer a wealth of new opportunities for our students and the community well beyond."

The reimagining of the Hop, designed by the world-renowned design firm Snøhetta, will provide a number of multi-disciplinary spaces to better serve students, professional artists, and the audience. Plans call to expand the Hop's existing physical footprint, which is currently nearly 175,000 square feet, and enhance the flow and function of interior and exterior spaces. "The Hop has long served as a leader in the arts, bringing the voices of an incredible range of artists to our region and cultivating an academic experience that positions creativity at its core. As we look to the future, we are committed to establishing new spaces and opportunities that will enable artistic ideas to flourish and be realized within our community," said Mary Lou Aleskie, the Howard L. Gilman '44 Director of the Hopkins Center for the Arts.

 As describe in a project announcement, "the design development process is particularly focused on ensuring Dartmouth's ability to produce works onsite, recognizing the evolving needs of student creators and visiting artists, and on enhancing the audience experience overall." Design priorities include:

  • Incorporation of state-of-the-art technologies that will allow the Hop to document, share, and broadcast Dartmouth-originated works across the world;
  • Enhancements to community, social, and study spaces, including the beloved Top of the Hop;
  • Enhancing acoustics, flow, and wayfinding throughout the building;
  • Substantive upgrades to rehearsal rooms;
  • Improvements to accessibility;
  • Addressing infrastructure and deferred maintenance for mechanical, electrical and life safety systems.

What's currently happening

  • Floor decking preparation for concrete is ongoing
  • Air Handler delivery and installation ongoing
  • Performance Lab Precast Concrete Installation
  • Rough systems (HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical) installation is ongoing

Major Project Milestone

  • Construction – Winter, 2023 through 2025

More Information