Beloved institutional buildings: These storied landmarks of architectural significance have a unique relationship to students, faculty, alumni, and the general public. We will explore the complex path of decisions and designs intended to meet the needs of a diverse constituency and changing resource climate. How do we maintain the integrity of experience and sense of place while meeting ambitious sustainability and programmatic goals? Oftentimes smaller structures (5-10k SF), these campus treasures may not have been upgraded in decades or more. They represent critical pedagogical spaces in the increasingly large-scale skyline of the modern campus. These singular, hand-crafted spaces require special attention as we take them apart and put them back together again.

Topics will include mechanical and envelope choices as they integrate into design criteria as well as a look at how the use of space changes with time. Through case studies we will see how a special space can transition to resilience, accessibility, and enhanced function while maintaining its character. S.O.M.’s Chapel House (Colgate University, 1959), Kenneth Reynold’s The Log (Williams College, 1941), and others are examples of collaborative efforts to balance change with consistency, yielding high performance buildings ready for the next 100 years.