UK Rosenberg College of Law Recognized for Building Expansion Design
LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 14, 2021) — The University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law has been recognized by the Society for College and University Planning (SCUP)/AIA-CAE (American Institute of Architects Committee on Architecture for Education) in the category of Excellence in Architecture for Building Additions, Renovation or Adaptive Reuse for their building expansion and redesign.
The SCUP Excellence Award honors achievement in strategic, integrated planning that results in exemplary buildings and grounds, institutional success and careers that inspire.
Feedback from the jury included, “The atrium and circulation were extremely successful … really sensitive to the campus context … fresh renovation without dominating and trying to be too austere from the campus historical context … very thoughtful approach.”
This award is a juried competition open to professional service providers and institutions that have prepared designs or plans for two-year and four-year colleges, universities, academic medical and research centers, and public or private institutions. Architecture projects must have been completed and occupied within the past five years.
The law building underwent a 26% expansion spanning 2017-2019, adding 11 new classrooms and 20 collaborative spaces. The original building opened in 1965 and underwent renovations in the 1970s, reflecting the style of the times. Highlights include a modernized 185-seat moot courtroom, an outdoor upper porch and adjacent spaces that foster collaboration throughout the law school community, and a new third floor including a roof terrace offering spectacular views of campus and additional group study space. All of these collaboration and group study spaces are critical to legal education.
“We are very pleased to see the national recognition of our renovated and expanded law building,” said Mary J. Davis, dean of the Rosenberg College of Law. “We are proud of the features but more importantly the programmatic impact of the design. The architects worked so hard with the law school community to understand us and design a building that best provides students with a space to learn from faculty, collaborate with them and one another, and prepare to meet the legal needs of our society."
The architects for the building project were Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates of NYC and Sherman Carter Barnhart Architects of Lexington. The construction manager for the project was Congleton-Hacker Company of Lexington.
To take a virtual tour of the renovated building, hosted by Dean Mary J. Davis, please click here.
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