More than 12,800 students in 230 course sections are back in the busiest classroom building on campus. Most of the current student body know it only as a construction zone.
The great success of the $60 million rehab of Lincoln Hall has been not only its re-creation as an energy-efficient, state-of-the-art instructional facility, but the rebirth of its early 20th-century architectural flair.
“From the very beginning we planned to give nods to the historic spaces,” said Matthew Tomaszewski, of the College of Liberal Arts, who oversaw the project. “The biggest surprise was how well the building was designed and has held up over the years.”
The main doorway leads to the cavernous Memorial Hall, which has had most every detail restored to its original luster. Gold foil accoutrements cover the ceiling and all of the room’s colors have been restored to original hues.
Tomaszewski said architects discovered Greek-inspired designs that were added back that hadn’t been seen in decades.
And in areas in the building where original parts or pieces needed to be replaced (only about 10 percent), they were used elsewhere in the building.
“Where we could, we brought it back to life again,” he said. “If it wasn’t too damaged, we found another use for it. We found creative ways to incorporate it into the construction.”
For example, the main secretarial stations in the administrative offices are decorated with boards taken from other parts of the building during construction.
The refurbished Lincoln’s bust has been returned to its case between the Great Hall’s dual staircase, ready for students to start rubbing his nose for luck once again.
“We thought it would look so odd to put it back there unfinished,” he said. “We wanted Memorial Hall to look just as it was designed to look. Rubbing Lincoln’s nose is a rite of passage and something we wanted to continue.”
In 1909, the centennial of Lincoln’s birth, the state Legislature approved funds for Lincoln Hall to be built. Construction began a year later. In 2009, the Legislature approved funding for its renovation, which began in 2010.
Classroom space on the first floor has been reworked entirely. Once equipped with overhead projectors, the rooms have been outfitted with new computer-aided projectors, large screens and speaker systems.
Classrooms vary in size to accommodate every academic setting, but designers have switched the orientation of some of the larger lecture halls, putting professors closer to the students they’re teaching.
And, in a nod to the “retro” feel of the overall building, original wood doors and other accents were kept in the classrooms.
“There are still larger classrooms but they will be far more functional,” he said. “These classrooms have a lot of capabilities and should take us far into the future.”
The building was mechanically retrofitted to meet LEED Gold standards, and includes “smart” sensors that adjust light and temperature controls automatically. Upgrades have been substantial and include flooring, lighting and heating, ventilation and air conditioning, all working together for a “sustainable design.”
There also are more electrical outlets throughout the building, which has wireless access as well.
Generally, space on every floor has been opened up and is being better utilized for instruction and administrative space. The second floor features office space for student academic affairs, Applied Technologies for Learning in the Arts and Sciences, and the LAS dean and staff. The third and fourth floors are home to the departments of sociology and of communication and include research space.
“We’ve reclaimed a lot of space, and the architects worked with us from day one concerning the programmatic needs,” he said. “We’ve gotten so much more space out of the same footprint. We tried to anticipate the needs into the future.”
One of the most evident new features is the three-story glass vestibule, which juts out from the east side of the building toward the interior courtyard, giving every floor a sun-exposed lounge area and aerial view of two refurbished courtyard spaces that never saw much use.
It is hoped the additional lounge areas provide a natural gathering place for students to study, and at the same time ease some of the traffic-jamming tendencies the building traditionally has exhibited during busy class changes. A café also will be added on the first floor.
One of the most beautiful changes has been the historical restoration made to the elaborate theater.
Seats were replaced, though the original metal caps at each row’s end were saved, and the original plaster reliefs gracing several theater locations have been restored.
Lincoln Hall will be celebrated during Homecoming weekend this fall, with the formal dedication in February to commemorate Lincoln’s Birthday.