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Planning for Higher Education Journal

Published
July 1, 2019

Another Day Older, Another Day Better

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.

Institutions Mentioned: Binghamton University, SUNY at Binghamton, Princeton University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Western Michigan University
Planning Types: Campus Planning
Tags: Deferred Maintenance, Renovation

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