Concept Design Completed 2009
12,000 square feet

Commissioned in the summer of 2007, the Margret and H.A. Rey Center commemorates and boldly extends the legacy of Margret and Hans Rey: artists, nature-lovers, and creators of the beloved Curious George stories. Oudens Ello Architecture was chosen from an initial list of over 60 firms through a competitive selection process to design the 12,000 SF cultural and educational facility that will house an astronomical observatory, community meeting hall, 250-seat performance space, exhibition spaces, classrooms, administrative offices, and other flexible spaces for seasonal programs.

In addition to their multiple and varied interests, the Reys were passionate pioneers in sustainability who wrote about ways to explore alternative energy sources. In keeping with the Rey’s profound love and respect for the natural world, in particular, their summer home of Waterville Valley, New Hampshire, the Rey Center is planned to operate with ‘net-zero’ energy consumption and stand as a permanent model of ‘green’ design principles and systems. As a further element of sustainability, the design fosters enduring relationships with the broader contexts of the Waterville Valley community and the surrounding mountain landscape.