Expanding a Mid-Century Campus Without Losing Its Identity
The University at Albany campus was initially designed in 1966 by renowned architect Edward Durrell Stone, and any addition to it had to respect that legacy. This project delivered a 49,000 square-foot West addition, a 16,000 square-foot East addition, and a complete renovation of the existing 40,000 square-foot student center, all while maintaining harmony with the surrounding architectural vocabulary of the original campus.
Sensitivity to context drove every decision. The new spaces needed to connect seamlessly to the University’s interconnected buildings and physical assets while standing on their own as modern, functional environments. The result is an expansion that feels like it belongs, not one that announces itself.
New Spaces That Put Students at the Center
The expanded campus resources include a multi-purpose auditorium, a wellness center, reconfigured and redesigned food service venues, new dining spaces, a renovated bookstore and restrooms, a reconfigured central stair, and upgrades to the general infrastructure systems. These aren’t just amenities. They’re student-centered activity spaces designed to promote social interaction and flexibility in how they’re used.
Our company provided architectural, interior design, and engineering services in close collaboration with William Rawn Associates, the primary design architects. Together we shaped an expansion that honors a celebrated mid-century campus while giving today’s students the spaces they’ve been missing.