Rhode Island School of Design - Illustration Studies Building - 1 Washington Place - Providence

Providence, RI Shawmut Design and Construction completed a renovation and addition to Rhode Island School of Design’s (RISD) Illustration Studies Building (ISB), located at 1 Washington Place. 

Shawmut, which is known for its work on challenging historic renovation and preservation projects, collaborated with award-winning architect, and RISD graduate, Ed Wojcik to revitalize 43,500 s/f of the historic building, originally built in 1838. The multi-phased renovation of the ISB, completed over the course of three years, involved updating and expanding studio, classroom, gallery, and home spaces. It also included a 5,600 s/f, five-story addition to the east elevation of the building that features a new stairway, elevator, conference rooms, and restrooms, making the building fully accessible to those with disabilities. The renovation also creates a new woodshop, large painting studio, and a compact second-floor student lounge and shared printing area, along with much-needed storage space.

“Our biggest challenge was completing the project without disrupting on-going campus activities and academic calendars, and we were able to achieve that with a phased construction plan during the summers of 2013, 2014, and 2015,” said Ron Simoneau, vice president of Shawmut. With Illustration being the second largest undergraduate major at RISD, the floor plan of the ISB was reconfigured to correct the complex warren of spaces, providing the college with a fully accessible facility that suits the school’s needs.

 “We are thrilled to have a facility that fully supports the education we offer our students,” RISD Illustration Department head Susan Doyle said. “It is exciting to think about the direction it can take our program in the years ahead.”

Shawmut Design and Construction is a national construction management firm that builds exciting projects for distinguished clients. As an ESOP (employee-owned) company, Shawmut’s main objective is delivering exceptional, personalized service to clients. Project teams take the time to truly listen to clients’ goals and concerns while implementing comprehensive tools and services. Shawmut’s unique business model allows project teams to better service clients by focusing their specialized expertise within one of the following areas: academic, commercial, corporate interiors, cultural and historic, healthcare and science, hotels, restaurants, retail, and sports venues. Shawmut has offices located in Boston, New York, Providence, New Haven, West Springfield, Las Vegas, Miami, and Los Angeles.