New Haven, CT – Architecture, art and advisory firm Svigals + Partners announced the completed renovation of Central Connecticut State University’s (CCSU) Barnard Hall in New Britain, creating a new home for the institution’s growing School of Education and Professional Studies and delivering significant improvements to Barnard Hall’s existing structure, originally constructed in 1953.
CCSU Barnard Hall exterior
Svigals + Partners led the joint effort, working in collaboration with owner State of Connecticut Department of Administrative Services, and with project team partners KBE Building Corporation, construction manager at risk, and Nosal Builders, construction administrator.
Included in the project’s scope was a 10,000sf addition for program space, a new HVAC system tied to the campus’ central plant, and all new electric wiring and devices, windows, ceilings, and lighting. Additional improvements consisted of a comprehensive fire protection system and interior renovations of the corridors and toilet rooms, in all, at a cost of approximately $19.3 million.
Barnard Hall lobby
The site for the 76,500sf project building addition takes advantage of the location along the main pedestrian circulation spine through the campus. The exterior follows the original’s brick veneer and sloped copper roof aesthetic, integrating the building into the established campus fabric. Because it is significantly smaller than the existing building, the designers visually heightened the addition utilizing a custom vertical brick pattern, multi-floor curtainwalls, and exterior building-mounted lighting.
The new addition includes work and learning spaces, a large terrace with a steel and concrete gateway, and a new skylit lobby, where floor-to-ceiling glazing that spans into adjacent meeting rooms and offices features graphics developed by Svigals + Partners. The artwork is designed to celebrate the university’s mission to encourage research and outreach by featuring the words of the school’s namesake, Henry Barnard, and the work of notable alumni.
