The renovation transformed a deteriorated historic building into a modern academic and research facility, while preserving the inherent quality of one of the oldest buildings on campus.
Planning
Architecture
Interior Design
Size
154,000 SF
Construction Type
Renovation
Preservation
Special Recognition
Preservation and Conservation Association Heritage Award
Best Comprehensive Restoration Project, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers
RetroFit Magazine, feature
LCM designed and implemented a comprehensive renovation of the historic Natural History Building at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The successful fusion of modern and traditional is apparent throughout the building.
Three major additions since the building’s construction in 1894 created a complex of distinct structural systems and disparate, inefficient spaces. Structural instability in a portion of the complex prompted the rehabilitation. This presented an opportunity to unify a fragmented interior, improve navigation, and thoroughly modernize the building while reviving its historic character.
The School of Earth Science and the Environment and the School of Integrative Biology share the facility. The Schools’ common values of sustainability, nature, and tradition guided design decisions. Flexible, dynamic spaces integrate contemporary tools to accommodate collaborative learning and teaching methods. Spaces are visually and functionally unified through thoughtful use of light, color, and materials selection. Sustainable strategies focused on energy efficiency, occupant comfort, and reusing salvaged original materials to preserve the building’s historic character.
