Skip to content
ADVERTISEMENT
Sign In
  • Sections
    • News
    • Advice
    • The Review
  • Topics
    • Data
    • Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
    • Finance & Operations
    • International
    • Leadership & Governance
    • Teaching & Learning
    • Scholarship & Research
    • Student Success
    • Technology
    • Transitions
    • The Workplace
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Special Issues
    • Podcast: College Matters from The Chronicle
  • Newsletters
  • Virtual Events
  • Ask Chron
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Professional Development
    • Career Resources
    • Virtual Career Fair
  • More
  • Sections
    • News
    • Advice
    • The Review
  • Topics
    • Data
    • Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
    • Finance & Operations
    • International
    • Leadership & Governance
    • Teaching & Learning
    • Scholarship & Research
    • Student Success
    • Technology
    • Transitions
    • The Workplace
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Special Issues
    • Podcast: College Matters from The Chronicle
  • Newsletters
  • Virtual Events
  • Ask Chron
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Professional Development
    • Career Resources
    • Virtual Career Fair
    Upcoming Events:
    Hands-On Career Preparation
    An AI-Driven Work Force
    Alternative Pathways
Sign In
News

How to Make Old Campus Spaces Feel New Again

By Fawn Behrens-Smith May 6, 2018
How to Make  Old Campus Spaces  Feel New Again 1
Stuart Bradford for The Chronicle

At a time when “branding” has become a popular buzzword used by colleges to help distinguish themselves, it is important to recognize the role that physical spaces can play in shaping identity. There is little more iconic and brand-worthy than an institution’s building and landscape portfolio. Classrooms, office spaces, even the simplest of structures speak volumes. Many campus buildings are constructed to last a lifetime, and they contribute to institutional history, community pride, and a sense of permanence.

To continue reading for FREE, please sign in.

Sign In

Or subscribe now to read with unlimited access for as low as $10/month.

Don’t have an account? Sign up now.

A free account provides you access to a limited number of free articles each month, plus newsletters, job postings, salary data, and exclusive store discounts.

Sign Up

At a time when “branding” has become a popular buzzword used by colleges to help distinguish themselves, it is important to recognize the role that physical spaces can play in shaping identity. There is little more iconic and brand-worthy than an institution’s building and landscape portfolio. Classrooms, office spaces, even the simplest of structures speak volumes. Many campus buildings are constructed to last a lifetime, and they contribute to institutional history, community pride, and a sense of permanence.

There is an incalculable emotional value to retaining these buildings, which are often constructed with timeless exterior materials such as brick and stone, in classic designs. And with campus planners being asked to do more with less, reusing existing space when possible makes fiscal sense. Green building-design practices also encourage the reuse of existing space.

Of course, while existing structures are important, they must contain the basic building blocks — or at least the bones — to meet an institution’s needs. With proper evaluation and planning, new space doesn’t have to mean new square footage. Here’s how to make the most of existing space:

Know the building or space available, to determine whether it can be adapted:

  • How does the space function in its current use? Has it required repeat maintenance? Have users complained about it, or are they generally happy?
  • What is the structural system and floor-to-floor height? Is there enough room for new mechanical and electrical infrastructure?
  • How is the space heated and cooled? What is the age and capacity of existing equipment? Is the space under consideration in its own zone? If not, how will other spaces be affected during construction?
  • Is there a sprinkler system? If not, can an existing sprinkler system be extended?
  • What are the electrical power and data capacity available? When were they last upgraded?
  • Is the building on the National Historic Register or in a historic district that has preservation requirements that must be followed?
  • Is the building accessible to people with disabilities? What are the size and age of the elevator? Are parts still available for maintenance? Do ramp slopes meet today’s standards?

The University of North Dakota, where I worked as campus architect, confronted some of those issues when renovating a building for the college of education. To preserve the building’s Gothic style, we demolished the interior, leaving only the structural columns, but kept the facade. To add space, we built a link to an adjacent building of similar age and style, serving as a combined entry point to the two buildings. The link also allowed us to address accessibility issues by including elevators and other features.

Identify critical needs:

  • Define the key physical elements required for the new use. What are the minimum dimensions needed? Don’t forget to check ceiling height. What about exterior windows or access? Would an addition fill unmet space needs?
  • Define the mechanical ventilation requirements. Older buildings typically relied on open windows for fresh air. Today, even if the building has operable windows, fresh air must be supplied by the mechanical system, which uses more space than is commonly thought (but also increases energy efficiency).
  • Define the amount and type of electrical power needed. Will the space include special equipment?
  • Define data requirements. Will there be big-data users? Is a high-speed fiber connection needed? And don’t forget about wireless signal coverage.
  • Assess the nearest building-support spaces. Will the nearest service room accommodate the cleaning equipment and supplies needed? Do existing bathrooms meet current code requirements for accessibility?

Understand the impact of renovating only part of a building:

  • How will existing users be affected or affect the project? Do they need to be relocated?
  • Will the new users change how people and vehicles interact with the building? Do they have lots of visitors or deliveries?
  • Will other parts of the building, beyond scope of the renovation project, need to be updated? Building codes may require updates even outside of the renovation area. Are there historic-preservation requirements that must be followed?

Those challenges arose during a law-school renovation when I worked at North Dakota. A historic-preservation review asked that the proposed addition be sensitive to the original without copying it. The new design echoed the general shape of the original, using similar window sizes and exterior materials.

The U. of California at Merced's Science and Engineering Building II was designed by SmithGroupJJR.
Campus Spaces: Flexibility for the Future
This special report examines how colleges’ buildings, grounds, classrooms, and public areas help them do their jobs better (or, in some cases, hinder them).
  • How Colleges Manage to Afford Big Projects in Lean Times
  • Does Your College Have a Cavern? 7 Learning Spaces Beyond the Classroom
  • How to Make a 200-Year-Old Campus Wheelchair-Accessible
  • Hosting a Homeless Encampment Changed Our University

Reusing existing space brings material benefits, such as saving project costs and shortening the construction timeline, especially where winter weather is an issue. There are other, intangible factors that are not easily measured but should be taken into account, such as original features that have been hidden over time. For example, a new renovation might reveal beautifully crafted roof trusses that were once visible but later covered by a suspended ceiling to conceal mechanical and electrical upgrades.

The “heart” of the campus may not appear on a map, but the entire community knows where it is. Revitalizing existing buildings, especially those at the heart, keeps an institution intimate and vibrant.

It may not always be cost-effective or physically viable to renovate or add onto existing buildings, but a concerted effort to preserve campus history, strengthen the institutional brand, and lower land usage is a worthy goal for almost every college.

Fawn Behrens-Smith, formerly the architect at the University of North Dakota, specializes in higher-education projects at JLG Architects, in Grand Forks, N.D.

A version of this article appeared in the May 11, 2018, issue.
Read other items in Campus Spaces: Flexibility for the Future.
We welcome your thoughts and questions about this article. Please email the editors or submit a letter for publication.
Tags
Facilities
Share
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Email
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

More News

Hoover-NBERValue-0516 002 B
Diminishing Returns
Why the College Premium Is Shrinking for Low-Income Students
Harvard University
'Deeply Unsettling'
Harvard’s Battle With Trump Escalates as Research Money Is Suddenly Canceled
Photo-based illustration of a hand and a magnifying glass focusing on a scene from Western Carolina Universiy
Equal Opportunity
The Trump Administration Widens Its Scrutiny of Colleges, With Help From the Internet
Santa J. Ono, president of the University of Michigan, watches a basketball game on the campus in November 2022.
'He Is a Chameleon'
At U. of Michigan, Frustrations Grew Over a President Who Couldn’t Be Pinned Down

From The Review

Illustration showing a valedictorian speaker who's tassel is a vintage microphone
The Review | Opinion
A Graduation Speaker Gets Canceled
By Corey Robin
Illustration showing a stack of coins and a university building falling over
The Review | Opinion
Here’s What Congress’s Endowment-Tax Plan Might Cost Your College
By Phillip Levine
Photo-based illustration of a college building under an upside down baby crib
The Review | Opinion
Colleges Must Stop Infantilizing Everyone
By Gregory Conti

Upcoming Events

Ascendium_06-10-25_Plain.png
Views on College and Alternative Pathways
Coursera_06-17-25_Plain.png
AI and Microcredentials
  • Explore Content
    • Latest News
    • Newsletters
    • Letters
    • Free Reports and Guides
    • Professional Development
    • Virtual Events
    • Chronicle Store
    • Chronicle Intelligence
    • Jobs in Higher Education
    • Post a Job
  • Know The Chronicle
    • About Us
    • Vision, Mission, Values
    • DEI at The Chronicle
    • Write for Us
    • Work at The Chronicle
    • Our Reporting Process
    • Advertise With Us
    • Brand Studio
    • Accessibility Statement
  • Account and Access
    • Manage Your Account
    • Manage Newsletters
    • Individual Subscriptions
    • Group and Institutional Access
    • Subscription & Account FAQ
  • Get Support
    • Contact Us
    • Reprints & Permissions
    • User Agreement
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Policy
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037
© 2025 The Chronicle of Higher Education
The Chronicle of Higher Education is academe’s most trusted resource for independent journalism, career development, and forward-looking intelligence. Our readers lead, teach, learn, and innovate with insights from The Chronicle.
Follow Us
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • youtube
  • facebook
  • linkedin