Crosby Hall Ceremonial Reopening

A thoughtful blend of old and new, the meticulous preservation of Crosby Hall’s classical limestone exterior and slate roof is complemented by a total reconfiguration of the building’s steel-frame interior.

With no load bearing walls, Crosby Hall offered the design team ultimate flexibility - both to reconfigure the building's interior and implement a total upgrade of its mechanical systems. Today, what was once a series of boxed-in classrooms and offices is now an integrated program of airy, open studios supporting collaborative learning and full-scale making. Meanwhile, grand entry plazas at the front and rear of the building create vibrant sense of arrival, offer spaces for gathering, and connect Crosby Hall to the surrounding campus.

The Crosby Hall project follows a similar historic restoration and modernization of Hayes Hall, the main home of the School of Architecture and Planning, which was completed in 2016.

Renovation highlights include:

• Oversized windows — restored with historic sensitivity — and the addition of skylights flood studios and classrooms with natural light.
• High-efficiency heating, cooling and ventilation systems and passive solar design put Crosby Hall on track to achieve a LEED Gold rating.
• Social spaces include an expansive first-floor lounge and a gallery that doubles as an event or meeting area.
• Three floorwide studios each feature over 120 individual workspaces, with 80 square feet of private workspace.
• Corridors have been converted to flexible spaces for critiques and displays of student work.
• Enhanced educational technologies support dialogue between physical and digital modes of design and making.
• Expanded wireless coverage allows students to advance their projects outdoors.