When Troy Hall was constructed in 1921, it was used as a dairy building that housed the Washington State University (WSU) Creamery, Ferdinand’s Ice Cream Shoppe, and chemistry classes. After closing its doors in 2010, Troy Hall retired its cheese equipment and decided to focus on the chemistry. Roughly seven years later, Troy Hall reopened as the new home of the Department of Chemistry and School of the Environment.
The Perkins+Will-designed building added almost 15,000 sf of new space to the north of the building, bringing the total square footage of the four-story building up to 50,000. The new space is used for private and open offices and meeting spaces of various sizes.
Photo courtesy Perkins+Will.
An oversized, naturally lit staircase connects the new space with the rest of the 35,000-sf building. Collaborative and informal meeting spaces are located near the new stairwell on each floor. These new spaces are meant to form the new “academic heart” of Troy Hall. Teaching and research labs and flexible spaces that can be used for a variety of uses fill out the rest of the building.
Due to the historic nature of the building, Perkins+Will preserved as much of the historic character as possible. All four walls from the original 1920s façade and the terra cotta from the original entrance were deconstructed, restored, and relocated to the building’s new front door.
Photo courtesy Perkins+Will.
In addition to Perkins+Will, the design-build team also comprised Lydig Construction. The rest of the build team was composed of Parametric, Inc. (CE), Coughlin Porter Lundeen (SE), PAE Engineers (MEP), and Swift Company (landscape architect).
Photo courtesy of Perkins+Will.
Photo courtesy of Perkins+Will.
Photo: PC 70 Hutchison Studio Photographs of W.S.U.
Related Stories
Mass Timber | May 31, 2024
Mass timber a big part of Western Washington University’s net-zero ambitions
Western Washington University, in Bellingham, Wash., 90 miles from Seattle, is in the process of expanding its ABET-accredited programs for electrical engineering, computer engineering and science, and energy science. As part of that process, the university is building Kaiser Borsari Hall, the 54,000-sf new home for those academic disciplines that will include teaching labs, research labs, classrooms, collaborative spaces, and administrative offices.
Products and Materials | May 31, 2024
Top building products for May 2024
BD+C Editors break down May's top 15 building products, from Durat and CaraGreen's Durat Plus to Zurn Siphonic Roof Drains.
University Buildings | May 30, 2024
Washington University School of Medicine opens one of the world’s largest neuroscience research buildings
In St. Louis’ Cortex Innovation District, Washington University School of Medicine recently opened its new Jeffrey T. Fort Neuroscience Research Building. Designed by CannonDesign and Perkins&Will, the 11-story, 609,000-sf facility is one of the largest neuroscience buildings in the world.
University Buildings | May 10, 2024
UNC Chapel Hill’s new medical education building offers seminar rooms and midsize classrooms—and notably, no lecture halls
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has unveiled a new medical education building, Roper Hall. Designed by The S/L/A/M Collaborative (SLAM) and Flad Architects, the UNC School of Medicine’s new building intends to train new generations of physicians through dynamic and active modes of learning.
Student Housing | May 3, 2024
Student housing construction dips in the first quarter of 2024
Investment in college dorms dipped slightly in the first quarter of 2024, but remains higher than a year ago.
Student Housing | May 1, 2024
Pfluger Architects unveils renovated student lounges at all-girls dormitory
In a step toward updating and modernizing on-campus housing to attract a range of students, Texas-based Pfluger Architects renovated the student lounges in Kinsolving Hall, a five-story, all-girls dormitory at The University of Texas at Austin initially built in 1958.
Mass Timber | Apr 25, 2024
Bjarke Ingels Group designs a mass timber cube structure for the University of Kansas
Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and executive architect BNIM have unveiled their design for a new mass timber cube structure called the Makers’ KUbe for the University of Kansas School of Architecture & Design. A six-story, 50,000-sf building for learning and collaboration, the light-filled KUbe will house studio and teaching space, 3D-printing and robotic labs, and a ground-level cafe, all organized around a central core.
Healthcare Facilities | Apr 16, 2024
Mexico’s ‘premier private academic health center’ under design
The design and construction contract for what is envisioned to be “the premier private academic health center in Mexico and Latin America” was recently awarded to The Beck Group. The TecSalud Health Sciences Campus will be located at Tec De Monterrey’s flagship healthcare facility, Zambrano Hellion Hospital, in Monterrey, Mexico.
University Buildings | Apr 10, 2024
Columbia University to begin construction on New York City’s first all-electric academic research building
Columbia University will soon begin construction on New York City’s first all-electric academic research building. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), the 80,700-sf building for the university’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons will provide eight floors of biomedical research and lab facilities as well as symposium and community engagement spaces.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Apr 2, 2024
How university rec centers are evolving to support wellbeing
In a LinkedIn Live, Recreation & Wellbeing’s Sadat Khan and Abby Diehl joined HOK architect Emily Ostertag to discuss the growing trend to design and program rec centers to support mental wellbeing and holistic health.
