University of Virginia Partners with BenchPro on Studio Space

The University of Virginia School of Architecture (UVA) is providing students with a new and improved design education environment which includes a 24,000 square foot renovation project as well as model making spaces.

Campbell Hall offers two full floors of studio space and fabrication spaces. Model making facilities are available throughout the building as well as renovated classrooms. This inspiring environment is where future architects and designers experiment and create with the use of specialized equipment.

Anselmo Canfora, Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Academics at UVA, enlisted BenchPro’s help with the manufacturing of workstations. The company, Canfora and Iñaki Alday (Chair of the Architecture Department at the time) worked together to design and equip a series of highly purposeful studio spaces that would support architectural design education.

“Campbell Hall is a significant example of modern architecture on this historic campus. Built in 1970, it has served the School of Architecture very well,” explains Canfora. “Following an aggressive schedule, the redesign of the design studios and supporting spaces focused on improving the working environments of the A-School to promote well-being, creativity, and collaboration.”

The UVA project was completed the winter of 2019 through a university-wide effort that involved a variety of groups. It now provides a series of exceptional learning environments for students, staff, and faculty of the School of Architecture to work together.  The state-of-the-art facilities support 21st century architectural education and research, supporting students while they flourish through thoughtful experimentation.

“It was an honor to manufacture the 450 lab benches for the University of Virginia School of Architecture, in collaboration with Anselmo Canfora and the university,” says Xano Wang, co-owner of BenchPro. “We are proud to help bring new life to this space – we know how the look and function of a lab can power the creative process.”

Featured

  • 144-Year-Old High-School Campus Debuts New Academic Facility

    San Diego High School (SDHS) in San Diego, Calif., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new student services and classroom building; the project is part of a larger SDHS Whole Site Modernization project that began in 2022.

  • Utah Valley University Opens New Engineering Building

    Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, recently held a grand-opening ceremony for the new Scott M. Smith Engineering Building, according to a news release. The facility is one of the largest engineering buildings in the state at almost 200,000 square feet, and it plays home to the university’s Smith College of Engineering and Technology (SCET).

  • Armstrong World Industries Acquires Parallel Architectural Products

    Armstrong World Industries, provider of interior and exterior architectural applications, recently announced that it has acquired the Colorado-based Parallel Architectural Products, according to a news release.

  • Massachusetts K–12 District Selects Architect for New Junior High

    Swansea Public Schools in Swansea, Mass., recently announced that it has selected Finegold Alexander Architects to design a new junior high school for the district, according to a news release. The firm will create the Feasibility Study and Schematic Design for Joseph Case Junior High School after a lengthy selection process by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).