The Galbraith Hall Interior Renovation project adaptively repurposes 30,000 sf of existing space within UC San Diego’s original library. Constructed in 1965, the building is named after former UCSD Chancellor John S. Galbraith. The mixed-use program houses a new 417 seat lecture hall, two student study spaces, three instructional studios for the department of Theatre & Dance, shared conference rooms, and academic office space.
The design removed a layer of dated 1980’s remodel work to expose the beautiful mid-century waffle slab and structure. The new lecture hall was then inserted into the large interior volume of the old reading room, carefully sculpted in all three dimensions to ensure that the surrounding interior space on both floors, even the restrooms, receive the extraordinarily abundant natural daylighting. The building’s infrastructure, systems, and accessibility were also modernized and brought up to code.
Where your eyes go, so goes the rest of you! Therefore, the material palette, textures, lighting, and splashes of color are strategically placed to draw users through the building. Visible from the entry, and nearly everywhere else, the tall abstracted stainless blades of grass anchor the central atrium creating another point of reference to help users intuitively navigate the space. This re-energized interior is bright, airy, dynamic, and comfortable, meant to feel more like a living room than a laboratory; a terrific place for students, faculty, and staff to engage, discuss, practice, and learn.
DESIGN TEAM:
Kevin deFreitas Architects - Architect (www.defreitasarchitects.com) DCI Engineers - Structural Syska Hennessy Group – MEP+Lighting VSA & Assoc. - Acoustical Engineer Green Fields Consulting - LEED Consultant Photographer: Darren Bradley
CLIENT: University of California, San Diego
LOCATION: Revelle College, UC San Diego - La Jolla, CA
SIZE: renovated area 29,964 s.f.
CONSTRUCTION COST: $7.3 million
LEED Rating: Gold, CI
STAGE: Completed May 2013
