The Yale Music Library is world famous as one of the largest collections of music scores, sound recordings, and music research materials in the United States. It is said to reflect the “centrality of musical performance and scholarship to the University throughout its history” (Yale University). The original structure was first built in 1927 in New Haven, Connecticut.

In the restoration of the project, the fundamental objective was to honour the original Gothic architecture, while providing a modern foundation and a remarkable appearance as unique as its historic character.

The choice of structural steel for the project was “an obvious decision from the start” (Geoff Conway). That’s where the Durose team came in, chosen for our attention to precision and elegance.

Steel has superior construction speed and lighter overall weight – an important consideration, as the new addition was to be supported on both new and existing foundations. The project was a huge undertaking for Durose and remains, to this day, one of our largest scale projects.

The six exposed steel roof trusses, which provide a sound skeleton for the structure, also provide a beautiful, Gothic-style focal point to the finished project, staying true to its legacy and historic roots.

The Yale Music Library has been featured in magazines, architectural journals, and archives, and has been the focus of many engineering studies across multiple university programs. The Durose team was favorably recognized for our involvement in this large feat and are extremely proud to be a part of its almost century long history.