BALDWIN AUDITORIUM
Duke University, East Campus
Durham, North Carolina
Photo/Rendering Credit: Duke University Archives
Architectural Plans Provided by: Duke University Facilities Management
Information Compiled by: Webpage designed by Sam Bennett, Sarah Dailey, Tiffany Harveson, and Chris Shoemaker, fall 1999. (http://kepler.egr.duke.edu/-baldwinF99/main.html)
Baldwin Auditorium is located on Duke Univeristy's East Campus on Markham Avenue. It primarily serves the Duke Music Department but is also available for reservations. It is a lovely concert hall with balcony seating, a domed roof, and strong white pillars on the outer facade.
Baldwin Auditorium, previously known as the East Campus Auditorium and the Woman's College Auditorium, was built between 1926 and 1930 and was officially dedicated as the Baldwin Auditorium in honor of Dean Alice Mary Baldwin on May 2, 1964.
Baldwin Auditorium was designed by Horace Trumbauer and Julian Abele. Although the campus was chosen to have Georgian style architecture, hints of Federal (or Adam style), a development and refinement of the preceding Georgian style, can be seen. One can see the identifying features of Georgian-style architecture, as well as Federal architecture used in the design of Baldwin.
Perhaps the most distinguishing characteristic of Baldwin Auditorium is the large domed structure upon the building's roof. Although the use of domes is very popular in Georgian-style architecture, Baldwin Auditorium's doom has a unique design that distinguishes it from the rest. The aspect of the dome's construction that makes it so unique in its class is the fact that is is actually comprised of two domes. The smaller dome is visible from the inside of the auditorium and contains a skylight. This skylight shaft spans upwards to connect the two separate shells. (baldwinxsection) Florescent lights are located throughout the skylight shaft, in order to produce a "daylight effect" even at night. Slate shingles cover the entire surface of the outer dome, except where copper molding is wrapped around the outside edge of the skylight. Copper sheets also line the base of the dome, which has a circumference of 245 feet.
The Auditorium is open to the public M-F, 9am to 5pm, except during private performances. Please call in advance for schedule.
For more information about Baldwin Auditorium, please call (919) 660-1750 or Duke University at (919) 684-8111.