Institutions Are Infusing New Life Into Mid-Century Campus Buildings
By: Matthew Broderick
While they might be historical gems, are mid-century campus buildings still structurally sound? Is their location and architecture meaningful to the institution? What about energy efficient and fiscally responsible? College and university leaders must make the call: to fix or not to fix.
From Volume 47 Number 4 | July–September 2019
Abstract: Replace, restore, or renovate? In this article, architects, engineers, and campus administrators offer insights on updating mid-century buildings. Averaging a half-century old, these once-innovative structures are showing signs of age. The author gives guidance on transforming them into buildings that make positive contributions to the 21st-century campus. Topics covered include how to assess a building’s potential for renovation, options for energy-efficient HVAC systems, choosing materials that enhance the building’s performance and reduce operating costs, updating 50-year-old floor plans to support today’s pedagogy, and funding models and sources for projects.
