Title: North Carolina State University DH Hill Library Academic Success Center
Location of Proejct: Raleigh, NC
Project Completion Date: 06/30/2020
Firm Name: Lord Aeck Sargent

Short Description: DH Hill Library is a dynamic place for students to engage with academic support and technology-rich learning environments. The transformation of the library was a challenging design that required a great deal of coordination between the design team and the institution’s facilities team. The original structure was constructed in 1967, with an addition in the 1990s. The primary program goal for the project was to repurpose existing bookstack areas throughout several levels of the building to further enhance NC State’s DH Hill Jr library as a one-stop resource for learning and research.

Architect's Statement: The primary program goal for the project was to repurpose existing bookstack areas throughout several levels of the building to further enhance NC State’s DH Hill Jr library as a one-stop resource for learning and research. The primary program enhancement to meet that aim included incorporating an Academic Success Center at the heart of the library, with the goal of increasing equity and access to all students and reducing stigma. The Academic Success Center required meeting rooms, break rooms, storage and restrooms and a flexible large open space that would allow for large groups to gather with a clear view across the building from the Brickyard to Hillsborough Street. At the same time, it needed to accommodate one-on-one tutoring sessions.

This was accomplished through creating smaller huddle rooms along the sides with writeable glass which are clear on the top and bottom, leaving the center space open and flexible. Another challenge was selecting finishes and furniture that would prove to be both long-lasting and desirable to this particular student population, making the space both attractive and low maintenance. Other integrated design considerations were that the low floor to floor heights of the former bookstacks required careful coordination of MEP systems to maximize the ceiling height while ensuring the comfort of staff and students.

Each design decision solved multiple desired program elements, stretching the university’s dollars while maximizing the experience of the community by weaving together the newly renovated spaces vertically through the creation of a new atrium, that makes each resource immediately apparent upon entry to the building. The atrium draws students in and connects three floors of the building, providing students an open, visual connection to the floors above. Book stacks were replaced with the Academic Success Center as well as a 360-degree Visualization Studio, an Innovation Studio, the Data Experience Lab and generous amounts of flexible study space. The transformation of these former bookstacks into vibrant, occupied space required careful coordination of MEP systems to maximize the ceiling height while ensuring the comfort of staff and students. The Data Experience Lab is an open space with high-end computing workstations, as well as consultation spaces, a workshop space, and generous collaboration areas that double as study space.

The space transformation was complemented with building system and infrastructure upgrades creating a model for future renovations in the building. Large amounts of frameless glass create acoustically separated study rooms, while maintaining visibility and openness. An interlayer of film allows glass areas to be used as whiteboards. The new area of curtainwall brings generous amounts of natural light into the atrium, highlighting the glass stair railing, with its custom-designed graphic pattern, and transforms the student experience of the library. The creation of the stair was technically challenging, located at the intersection of the original 1967 building and later 1990s addition but was implemented, along with the new energy-efficient mechanical system, in a spare and economical way. The wide range of furniture and spaces accommodates different learning styles and welcomes first year students with a comfortable place that organically exposes them to the significant technology and collaboration resources available.