Higher Education Leader Svigals + Partners Completes Strategic Renovation for University

Included in the project’s scope was a 10,000-square-foot addition for program space, a new HVAC system tied to the campus’ central plant, plus all new electric wiring and devices, windows, ceilings, and lighting. Additional improvements consisted of a comprehensive fire protection system and interior renovations of the corridors and toilet rooms, in all, at a cost of approximately $19.3 million.

The site for the 76,500-square-foot project building addition takes advantage of the location along the main pedestrian circulation spine through the campus. The exterior follows the original’s brick veneer and sloped copper roof aesthetic, integrating the building into the established campus fabric. Because it is significantly smaller than the existing building, the designers visually heightened the addition utilizing a custom vertical brick pattern, multi-floor curtainwalls, and exterior building-mounted lighting.

A new, large terrace with a steel and concrete gateway welcomes students and faculty into the addition’s skylit lobby, where floor-to-ceiling glazing that spans into adjacent meeting rooms and offices features graphics developed by Svigals + Partners. The artwork celebrates the University’s mission to encourage research and outreach by featuring the words of the school’s namesake, Henry Barnard, and the work of notable alumni. New program spaces round out the building’s offerings, providing students and faculty with essential work and learning spaces, along with a sense of community and pride toward their school and program.

“Central Connecticut State University offers its community, student body, and faculty an extraordinary educational experience for enduring success,” says partner-in-charge Bob Skolozdra of Svigals + Partners. “Our renovation of Barnard Hall, home of CCSU’s School of Education and Professional Studies, has provided staff and students with adaptable, inspired work and program spaces, ensuring the lasting quality of the institution’s exceptional standards while honoring the school’s legacy of excellence.”

Recognized for their expertise in architecture and design for higher education, Svigals + Partners’ renovation of Barnard Hall adds to the firm’s extensive roster of strategic, cost-effective and inspiring renovations of higher education projects, including the Bergami Center for Science, Technology & Innovation at the University of New Haven in West Haven, Conn.; the Health & Human Services Building at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, Conn.; the Tagliatela Academic Center for Science, Art & Technology at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, Conn.; and the Schwab Center for Information Technology at Norwalk Community College in Norwalk, Conn., among others.