To create contemporary spaces for students and faculty, the team was tasked with designing systems and layouts that fit within the existing 1880s-era Pillsbury Hall—meeting current codes and university standards without affecting the historic value of the building. The $36-million renovation created modern offices, open-office space for graduate students, conference rooms, classrooms, study spaces, a media lab and production space for the department’s two literary magazines. Crews also added a new four-level staircase into the building’s iconic tower and converted attic storage space into a large lecture hall.

Because the building had limited space for a traditional HVAC system, a waterside system was used to allow two-thirds of the cooling load to be met via chilled water from the campus and one-third to be met via primary air from the air handlers. The strategy greatly reduced the space required for air handling equipment and ductwork.