Most people on campus who knew Lincoln Hall before its renovation appreciate its vast improvement since it reopened in 2012. It turns out that people off campus are impressed, too.
Lincoln Hall has been awarded a 2015 Citation of Merit in American Institute of Architects Illinois’ Honor Awards program, in the Frank Lloyd Wright category. The prestigious award came in part because of how designers were able to preserve historical aspects of the building while suiting it for 21st century higher education.
AIA Illinois also noted that the restored building achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification by the U.S. Green Building Council for incorporating sustainable elements throughout the 114 year-old building. Platinum is the highest LEED certification awarded.
“It can’t just be good architecture to look at. It has to be highly functional and make a difference for the community in which it resides,” said Mike Waldinger, executive vice president of AIA Illinois, explaining criteria for the citation during a ceremony at Lincoln Hall on Thursday.
“The jury was enormously impressed with how they took an old building, retained its character, retained its integrity, yet inserted and juxtaposed a lot of new programming and a lot of new materials and uses for the space,” Waldinger said. “Congratulations to the design team and the university and the contractors who helped build it.”
The architecture firm CannonDesign designed the renovation along with the firm Bailey Edward, which focused on historic restoration and provided onsite observation of the work as it proceeded. Architects praised the U of I for its guidance and vision on the renovation, which required Lincoln Hall to be closed for more than two years before it officially reopened in fall 2012.
“It’s a phenomenal success and a team effort,” said Charles Smith, principal of CannonDesign. “This university grew as a result of this building. And it grew without increasing its footprint. That’s a really important concept on campus.”
Ron Harrison, associate vice president of CannonDesign and a key designer in the renovation, thanked the many people who helped construction proceed. They included Karla Smalley, architect with Bailey Edward; Kirk Fernandes, regional manager with Illinois Capital Development Board; Mike Wise, assistant director for parking at Illinois who oversaw the project for the U of I Office of Facilities and Services; and Matthew Tomaszewski, U of I’s associate provost for capital planning, who worked as the College of LAS director of facilities during the project.
Tomaszewski read comments from Barbara Wilson, Harry E. Preble Dean of the College of LAS and interim chancellor of the U of I’s Urbana-Champaign campus.
“Thanks to all involved, Lincoln Hall has been transformed from an antiquated facility to a vital, vibrant, modern, beautiful building that will continue to be the heart of the Urbana campus for generations to come,” Wilson wrote.
