Campus Renovations

University of Kentucky Opens New Design Building

• By Matt Jones
• 09/26/24

The University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Gray Design Building, the new home for the College of Design. The renovated building formerly served as a tobacco warehouse that had been empty for years, according to a news release. It will unite the College of Design’s four programs, as well as the university’s landscape architecture program, underneath one roof for the first time.

The 132,000-square-foot facility features amenities like open studio spaces; student work areas; collaboration spaces; and a fabrication lab with technology like a wood shop, 3D printers, and a 3D knitting machine. The university partnered with architecture and urban practice Studio Gang for the project’s design for one of the campus’ most significant examples of adaptive reuse, the news release reports.

“Having our students together in one building allows them to learn from and observe each other’s work — this is especially valuable for students from different majors,” said College of Design Dean Ned Crankshaw. “It also allows for more faculty interaction and opens the door for curriculum collaboration. We know that the best way to make innovation happen is to put people together. The more diverse they are, the more innovation happens.”

A significant portion of the project’s funds came via a $5.25-million gift from Gray Inc., which encompasses engineering, design, automation, construction, equipment manufacturing, and more, as well as members of the Lexington-based Gray family. A portion of the gift was also allocated toward a design-build program for the School of Architecture, according to the news release.

“Extending the lifespan of existing buildings is one of the most significant ways we can limit our impact on the environment and broaden the creative potential of architecture,” said founding partner of Studio Gang Jeanne Gang. “Our goal was to bridge the building’s past and future by preserving its distinct character while renewing it as a place where creativity can thrive through collaboration. I look forward to seeing how students and faculty use the building to push and blur the boundaries of their disciplines.”