The Richardson Memorial Hall, one of the oldest buildings on the Uptown Campus of Tulane University and the home of the School of Architecture since 1968, has been reopened after four years of renovation and expansion to students, faculties and employees.
“This spectacular modern version of a historical building promises to bring our celebrated School of Architecture to the next level of design training with inspiring open spaces that promote cooperation between students and faculties,” said Michael A. Forms, President of Tulane. “By preserving its architectural heritage and at the same time improving its facilities, we ensure that the Richardson Memorial Hall continues to provide our students the resources they need to shape the future of the built environment.”
Richardson Memorial was originally built in the Tulane School of Medicine and built in Romanesque style in Richardsonian in 1908. With its brick and limestone facade, the five-story, 45,000 square meter structure has improved over the years, but by no means close to the transformative size of the latest project, which reinterprets all areas of the building and comprises around 17,000 square foot additions on the back of the building.
The New Richardson Memorial Hall has studios, review rooms, classrooms, a gallery, offices and meeting rooms. Architecture students and faculties took part in the design of the new building by proposing design solutions and expressing their priorities.
The first floor of the new design offers an expanded space for the school's Fabrication Labs, the renovated faculty and personnel offices and a doctoral student. The original spacious lobby of the second floor with a great y-shaped staircase has been completely restored, and the main lecture hall of the school on the second floor was updated for important events, invited speakers and large meetings.
In addition, the school now has its first review rooms and a committed gallery on the second floor for exhibitions to present both school and faculty work all year round. The second to fifth floor has six renovated large studio rooms and also include three newly built seminar rooms, which can also act as pin-up rooms for checks, a critical pedagogical instrument that is used in the academic programs of the school in architecture, design, real estate development, historical preservation, sustainable urbanism, landscape architecture and social innovation.
“The new building will be an absolute player in relation to the quality of the experience and the attraction of pupils of top caliber,” said Iñaki Alday, Dean of the School of Architecture. “We are particularly grateful for the support of Tulane University and our donors, the generosity of which will improve the first -class training that our students have already received. They are extremely generous and extremely committed. “
Trapolin peer architects from New Orleans led the project with Broadmoor Construction as builders. When designing the building, it was one of the main objectives to combine historical condition with modern sustainability practices.
“This project does a great job to keep what it was worth keeping to be preserved while it brought it to the 21st century,” said Byron Mouton, senior professor for Lacey's practice and the faculty connection about the project. “It is a project that makes the old and new coexistence.”
The building is on the right track to be certified at the silver level, which means that the construction of certain standards in connection with energy and water efficiency, material selection, environmental quality in interiors and much more corresponds. Leed or guidance in energy and environmental design is the most frequently used green building evaluation system.
“The students are happy to be part of this milestone in the Tulane School of Architecture Story,” said architecture student Alexa Trapani, who acts as President of the School government committee and the Tulane Chapter of the American Institute of Architecture Student.
“The renovation offers a room for students to finally feel united again,” said Trapani. “It will be invaluable to be in a collective space where the students feel that they are part of all the exciting things at school.”
After completing the renovation, the school planned several celebrations, including an event “Welcome Home” for current students, faculties and employees on March 19, a building engagement on April 24 and a fundraiser and a gala on the night of April 24.
The school also plans to make a big announcement in the near future. “The current name does not fall who we are,” said Alday. “We are more than architecture. We cover the entire built area. “