Project Overview

The Duke Ellington School of the Arts is the only high school in the District of Columbia that combines a full college preparatory curriculum with intensive pre-professional arts training. With the support of its partners, Ellington serves diverse and talented students from all wards of the city.

Students are admitted through an audition and interview process into one of eight majors:

• Dance
• Instrumental Music
• Literary Media and Communications
• Museum Studies
• Technical Design and Production
• Theater
• Visual Arts
• Vocal Music

Students perform and exhibit their work at the Kennedy Center, the White House and national and international events.

The grand Classical Revival building on 35th Street in Georgetown’s Burleith neighborhood was completed in 1898. The building was designed and built for Western High School, and was one of the first public academic buildings in the district dedicated specifically to high school education. Over the last century additions have been added to accommodate the growing needs of the school. Today, however, the building no longer adequately provides for the needs of Duke Ellington’s dynamic arts program and an architectural/engineering team will be required to provide the design for the renovation and expansion of the existing historic school.

It is envisioned that new space will need to be added as an “in-fill” addition in order to fully meet programmatic requirements, creating a total of approx. 258,072 sq-ft.

The renovated facility will continue to serve as a magnet school for the performing arts, including a projected 10% growth.

This solicitation was made possible through a design competition held to seek firms that exhibit design excellence and that are capable of transforming the school building into an iconic, 21st century, world-class, arts facility that the school envisions, while respecting the historic character and integrity of the existing building.

Project Details

Featured Presentations

Duke Ellington School of the Arts SIT Meeting April 7, 2016

Related Information

• Duke Ellington Presentation 4-7-2016
• Duke Ellington Final SIT Presentation 2-18-16
• Duke Ellington School Garage Entrance Renderings 1-22-2015
• Duke Ellington School Community Agreement 8-1-14
• Duke Ellington School of the Arts Community Meeting 2-18-14
• Design Competition Presentation Agenda - Round 2
• ANC Submission 12-12-13 - Part 1
• ANC Submission 12-12-13 - Part 2
• All-New Duke Ellington School of the Arts Design Concept Video 10-8-13