Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Virginia Commonwealth University: James Branch Cabell Library

  • 09/01/17
Virginia Commonwealth University

PHOTOS © ROBERT BENSON PHOTOGRAPHY

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), a public research university in Richmond, VA, recently expanded and renovated the James Branch Cabell Library. New construction and improvements to 156,000 square feet of existing library space in the Monroe Park Campus library provided VCU’s 31,000 students with more space to study, collaborate, discover, create and conduct research. Shepley Bulfinch served as design architect and Virginia-based Moseley Architects was the architect of record.

Designed in 1970 primarily to store collections, and expanded in 1975, VCU’s Cabell Library faced a dire need for “people-focused” spaces to serve more than two million visitors annually. The $50.8 million project transformed the introverted precast concrete box of the existing Brutalist library into a beautiful and light-filled academic library of the future. Designed to be as flexible and operationally efficient as it is engaging and inviting, the new library introduces a range of multi-use spaces for both study and collaborative work. Ninety percent was designed specifically for student use, with seating capacity doubled to nearly 3,000. Patrons are pulled vertically through the building via a series of open stairs, with each new vista offering a sense of beauty and delight and higher floors providing progressively quieter areas.

Designed to achieve LEED Silver certification, the building’s features include: Student-focused spaces featuring 25 group study rooms, two state-of-the-art classrooms and a third-floor “reading porch” with outdoor-style furniture, ceiling fans and windows that open; an area dedicated to video and audio production and editing, digitization, high-end computing and equipment loans; a two-story daylight-filled lobby with expanded ground floor café, a third-floor, 300-seat multifunctional event space featuring a mosaic video wall; a “silent space” on the fourth and highest floor (a label requested and enforced by students); and a dedicated faculty and graduate research center in a large glassed-in fourth-floor room that offers expansive views of the Monroe Park Campus.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Preparing for the Next Era of Healthcare Education, Innovation

    Across the country, public universities and community colleges are accelerating investments in healthcare education facilities as part of a broader strategy to address workforce shortages, modernize outdated infrastructure, and expand clinical training capacity. These projects, which are often located at the center of campus health and science districts, are no longer limited to traditional classrooms.

  • UCNJ Launches $30M Modernization of Physical Education Center

    The Union College of Union County (UCNJ) in Cranford, N.J., recently broke ground on a new $30-million modernization project for its Physical Education Center (PECK), according to a news release. The college partnered with DIGroup Architecture for the project’s design, transitioning the existing 42,000-square-foot structure into a campus hub for student athletics and campus life.

  • Beyond Four Walls

    Operable glass walls provide a dynamic solution for educational spaces. They align with today’s evolving teaching methods and adapt to the needs of modern learners. Beyond the functional versatility, movable glass walls offer clean, contemporary aesthetics, slim and unobtrusive profiles, and versatile configurations that cater to the evolving needs of students and educators alike.

  • South Texas K–12 District Debuts Region’s First Electric Bus Fleet

    The Valley View Independent School District in Pharr, Texas, recently announced a partnership with Highland Electric Fleets to launch the district’s—and the region’s—first fleet of all-electric school buses, according to a news release.

Digital Edition