Building for the Future

As was originally intended, this space will serve as a unifying gathering place for our community. The Dining Commons will become the heart and soul of our campus, and a central part of the student experience. Currently, the Chapel’s regular use is limited to Upper School meetings, for which we gather for 40 minutes each week. As a transformed Dining Commons, the space will be accessed by all students multiple times each day and for a variety of functions –– eating, meeting and learning.

The Chapel’s restoration will expose its gorgeous arched beams, original woodwork and stained-glass dormers and windows that have been hidden for decades. The ceiling will regain its majestic vaulted height and light will flood the space. The new Dining Commons will be a stunning showpiece, uplifting spirits and conveying grandeur and calm. It will infuse a sense of history and tradition into daily life at WMA. 

The goal of preserving tradition while building something new continues with the servery. The rough-hewn brownstone exterior Chapel wall will become the servery’s interior accent wall. During the day, skylights will illuminate the servery with natural light, highlighting the beauty of the original brownstone exterior and creating a stunning backdrop for a modern “country kitchen” style.  Students will interact with chefs and servers, as their meals move from preparation to plates, all within view.

Situated within the existing Chapel structure, the Gill Memorial reading room (former library) is underutilized at present. Its ornate Gothic pocket doors will be restored as a moveable wall, enabling one large dining space or two smaller ones to be configured as needed. With doors open, the previous reading room will become an extension of the Dining Commons, including an Executive Dining Room in the loft allowing for private meetings over a meal. Its lovely design accents––eight-foot bookcases, archival library editions, fireplace, exposed wood trusses and elevated wrought iron railings––will create a warm and inviting dining experience. With the pocket doors closed, the space will be akin to a bookstore café, used as an extension of the Athenaeum and amplifying the social and academic synergy between the buildings.

We hope you enjoy these artist’s renderings of the new Dining Commons, as well as a video preview of the space. Construction on the Phase II project will commence as soon as possible, and the new Dining Commons is projected to open by Fall 2026.

Shortly after we open the doors to the new Dining Commons, we will commence the transformation of the current dining hall into a state-of-the-art, large-capacity theater and performance space. If you are interested in learning more about how you might impact Phase III of the Campus Facilities Master Plan, we invite you to contact the Office of Advancement.