A long academic building with students in the foreground

University of Virginia Gilmer Hall Renovation

Charlottesville, Virginia
This gut renovation thoughtfully transformed an outdated science building, clad it with a new energy-efficient skin, and filled the inside with daylight.

Gilmer Hall, which opened in 1963, is considered one of the UVA’s “workhorse” buildings for teaching and research. After five decades of service, Gilmer Hall was neither adapted to changing approaches to teaching and research, nor energy efficient by modern standards and codes. The renovation maintains the learning spaces in their prime campus location while creating environments that are significantly more adaptable, energy-efficient, and conducive to occupant wellness.

The new design fosters a collaborative culture for interdisciplinary research, enhancing opportunities that the original building could not provide. Additionally, classrooms that support active learning models greatly enrich the student experience.

  • Client: University of Virginia
  • Size: 220,000 square feet
  • Completion Date: 2022
  • Sustainability: LEED Gold (Tracking)
"The new ability to collaborate cannot be understated. There are already grants that are materializing, simply because people are sitting next to each other and exchanging ideas."

― Judy Gierling, Interim Chief of Staff, UVA College and Graduate School of Arts and Science

After
The deteriorating exterior cladding of Gilmer Hall was replaced with a new, high-performing energy-efficient envelope, substantially refreshing the exterior image of the building while providing generous amounts of controlled daylight deep into the building's interior.
Before
Original south façade
New multi-story atria transform the building, turning previously inward-focused and uninviting stacks of narrow corridors into open, welcoming environments. This design fosters visually connected spaces that encourage learning and collaboration.
The new design opened up this corner of the building, removing three terracotta sun screens and restoring daylight to the interior spaces.
A multi-purpose conference space on the second level, which serves the administration wing, has full visibility to McCormick Street below.

Project Team

Paul Harney
People
Paul Harney
Carl Knutson
People
Carl Knutson
Tatiana Escobar
People
Tatiana Escobar

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