In August 2020, JCJ Architecture saw completion of a project undertaken in three phases for Wesleyan University’s Center for Film Studies and Cinema Archives in Middletown, Connecticut. Starting with the first phase in 2001, JCJ Architecture developed an on-going association with the University and a deeply valued relationship with the Department of Film Studies, now the College of Film and the Moving Image. Throughout the 19-year process JCJ Architecture provided continuity in design and worked under the guidance of Wesleyan’s Jeanine Basinger, Corwin-Fuller Professor of Film Studies, founder of the program, and Curator of The Cinema Archives. The Center for Film Studies has been named in Professor Basinger’s honor upon her retirement, in recognition of her tireless commitment to advancing the study of Film. 

The earliest phase of the project was undertaken in 2001 in response to the department’s need for additional facilities to maintain its standards of teaching and curatorial excellence. The increase of Wesleyan Film’s physical footprint reflects a consistent expansion of academic offerings and collections to be conserved and available for study. It is also a testament to its position as a leader in its field and a growing global recognition of the importance of the formal study of Film and Filmmaking. The department comprises two distinct programs — one for the historical, formal, and cultural study of motion picture, and the other for the preservation of primary historical documents and artifacts. The overall intent of the Center was to design a seamlessly integrated facility that would bring these programs together and to unite the four primary areas of study — 16mm, digital, virtual, and production — which were previously dispersed throughout several buildings. The new facility supports the department’s unified approach to both production and study, facilitating students’ understanding of film theory and history as well as the craft of filmmaking. 

The facility — occupying a site between a row of 18th and 19th century dwellings and the iconic Roche-Dinkeloo Wesleyan Center for the Arts — was designed to mediate the campus, residential, and urban context. Phases I and II, completed in 2004 and 2008 respectively, expanded the Center by 25,000 square feet and created new offices, academic spaces, 412-seat and 118-seat screening rooms, a gallery, and a climate-controlled home for The Cinema Archives. Advanced environmental systems were a priority for the new archive, which houses objects from such notable directors and actors as Frank Capra, Ingrid Bergman, Martin Scorsese, John Waters, and Clint Eastwood. A glass connector between the original house and the new construction created an enclosed atrium called the “Winter Garden.” This central space has served multiple functions and provides a place to hold receptions and Film industry events. It has become a highly sought after event space for the wider Wesleyan community. 

Phase III comprises an additional, smaller 49-seat screening room and a sound stage, and repurposes an additional farmhouse structure to serve as a classroom space. The expanded facility has allowed the department to increase program offerings and underscores the program’s move towards hands-on instruction and creating a direct connection to real-world experience for its students. In particular, the sound stage is a fundamental makerspace that grants students an unrivaled opportunity to learn the mechanics of filming and production in a state-of-the-art environment, while also providing a flexible and activated teaching space. An expansion of the Phase I 16mm editing suite highlights Wesleyan’s commitment to the tradition and craft of cutting film. The original Film Studies house was renovated to provide appropriate workspace for scholars visiting the Cinema Archives as well as a new kitchen and reception areas to maintain a familial, welcoming space for visitors. Phase III expands the Winter Garden with an adjacent “Learning Lobby” and exterior courtyard to allow students access to a wide variety of environments to support different learning styles. The exterior spaces are used as student film locations and have been combined with an adjacent early 20th century house to create Wesleyan’s own “backlot’.This final phase has achieved LEED Gold Certification.

JCJ Architecture’s design team explored the kinship between film and architecture, as art forms that similarly rely on the manipulation of light to reveal the depth of their craft. The architecture incorporated daylighting, warm materials, and brick accents to maintain the casual and community-based environment of the former archival home. Daylighting in particular was prioritized throughout all aspects of the Center’s design, in recognition of its importance to students and faculty who spend so much of their time in the dark. 

The multi-phase project asserts the distinct and interdisciplinary nature of the Wesleyan University community. The new Center’s public lobby acts as a cultural hub for the school, inviting students from all areas of study to convene and creating opportunities for spontaneous interaction and social cohesion. JCJ Architecture’s expertise in the realms of both education and hospitality are evident across all spaces, which are thoughtfully programmed to promote a sense of community and inclusion.