HopkinsBurns Design Studio is happy to announce we are a recipient of a 2023 AIA Huron Valley Award for Historic Preservation for the Michigan State University’s Cowles House.
Cowles House is Michigan State University’s oldest standing building. Built in 1857, two years after the institution’s founding, it served as a faculty residence, official president’s residence, and a hub for student life and interaction with faculty.
By the 1900s the house transitioned to administrative use, which continued until 1941, when President John Hannah designated it once again as the official residence of the president, and implemented a major renovation, completed in 1949 by Architect Ralph R. Calder.
The Midcentury Modern movement was then in full bloom, with Michigan at its center. Not surprisingly, the renovation reflected the influence of what has come to be known as “Michigan Modern” design, transforming the house into a mix of historic Italianate and carefully executed modern styles.
In 2017, the University undertook a rehabilitation of the Cowles House to upgrade it as a first-class event venue. Cowles’ enduring history on the campus led the design team to treat the project as an historic rehabilitation, addressing programmatic and functional needs, while also celebrating the house’s connection to the “Michigan Modern” movement.
The rehabilitation of Cowles House preserves and revitalizes a building that has served and evolved with Michigan State University since its birth. After decades of changes, it is once again an elegant venue for important events as the official residence of the university president, a welcoming setting to receive distinguished visitors, and a place where the university community gathers to celebrate student, faculty, and staff accomplishments. The rehabilitated Cowles House connects with and celebrates its past, and with modern upgrades, looks to the future–and another 160 years of relevance.
View this award (and other winners) here.