15 High Street
Alternative Art Space

An urban site transformed by the arts

This 1810 Federalist-era house in downtown Manchester, NH has served many purposes, including a night club, a lawyer’s office, and a vast parking area. This project reorients the building to the community by creating a welcoming, natural environment with a public art gallery, an artist’s studio and collaborative work spaces, as well as a live/work apartment and studio to support an artist-in-residence program.

The open parking area is re-conceived to bring greater permeability, sun shading, and green space to the large lot. The entrance shifts so that cars access the site from an alley, providing greater pedestrian access and safety. The character of the original house was retained but later additions removed to provide visual clarity. The carriage house and subsequent garage additions are unified by creating one strong form with a contrasting metal cladding, clearly defining the original/new and public/private areas of the site. Construction is slated to begin in the spring of 2026.