Purdue University
University Hall
West Lafayette, IN
Feasibility Study & Discovery
Purdue University initiated a feasibility study to review the needs of the College of Liberal Arts (CLA) on the West Lafayette campus. In 2022, MSKTD & ASSOCIATES partnered with Workshop Architects to evaluate thirteen buildings for the potential relocation or consolidation of offices, teaching spaces, and labs. The study also focused on the possibility of renovating University Hall and evaluating Heavilon Hall for reuse, reassignment, or demolition. Since demolition was being considered, this prompted a full study of CLA’s space needs.
Assessment of the Existing University Hall
University Hall, the oldest remaining building on Purdue’s campus, had been significantly altered since it had been built in 1876. Between two renovations in the 1910s and 1960s, the original two‑story core had been enclosed and divided, eliminating its open volume and natural light. Windows had been partitioned into offices, darkening the corridors, and ceilings throughout the building were lowered. The original grand staircase and mezzanine were also likely removed. And in 2006, part of the core was modified to add an elevator.
Project Challenges
The renovation uncovered several unexpected conditions, including finding old foundations under the ground level floor, undocumented openings in load-bearing walls, and abandoned chimneys that created unsupported bearing points. Each of these concerns needed specific attention to preserve University Hall’s structural integrity.
Space Programming
The building’s small footprint required meticulous planning. Based on the current Office Space Guidelines, efficiencies were gained by right‑sizing offices and reclaiming underutilized areas. The pre-project studies and planning confirmed that the core of University Hall could be reopened as a full, two‑story student gathering space, while still serving the needs of the CLA.
Ground Level: CLA student services, including Academic Advising, Recruitment, Career Center, and Study Abroad.
Floors 1 & 2: Student conference, huddle, and gathering spaces, along with the building’s eight existing classrooms.
Floor 3: CLA Administration and the Dean’s Offices.
Attic: Converted to a dedicated mechanical space with no public access.
Design Considerations
The architecture and interior design centered on restoring openness and natural light while respecting the building’s heritage. The reintroduction of the full, two‑story student commons reopened and restored the sense of light, space, and community within the central core.
To accomplish this, the exterior brick walls were temporarily braced as interior floors were removed and rebuilt. Steel columns were inserted through the roof to new foundations in the basement to support the upper floors as the bisecting masonry wall was removed.
Existing conditions also required multiple on‑site reviews of MEP and technology system layouts to confirm how equipment and routing could be integrated into the historic structure. Code requirements were also carefully calculated and closely evaluated to ensure safe engress and egress and accessability throughout University Hall.
Modern technology was incorporated throughout, including a walk‑up scheduling system to reserve space for events, impromptu meetings, and study sessions. The conference room and two of the huddle spaces also include monitors for use.
Materials were selected to reference the building’s original era without replicating it too literally.
- Some of the original columns found in the central masonry wall were reused as decorative elements.
- Wood finishes inspired by the original wainscotting were reintroduced.
- Ceramic tile in traditional mosaic layouts reflects trends of the building’s era while using modern materials and methods.
- Steel‑framed glass walls, instead of aluminum, echo the building’s original proportions.
- Raised ceilings, reopened core areas, and transparent room fronts allow natural light to reach all floors again.
- Felt ceiling coffers add acoustic control while mimicking historic coffered ceilings.
- Wood from the original roof timbers—removed during mechanical upgrades—was repurposed into art walls resembling abstract books, honoring the building’s original library function.
Project Team
Owner: Purdue University
Architectural Design & Study: MSKTD & ASSOCIATES and Workshop Architects
MEP: MSKTD
Interior Design: MSKTD
Structural Engineering: Fink Roberts & Petrie, Inc.
Technology: Design 27
Utilities: Applied Engineering Services
Construction: Kettelhut Construction