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University of Virginia
Physics Building Renovation

A landmark mid-century campus building is reimagined for today’s students and faculty—open, light-filled, and built for connection.

  • Location

    • Charlottesville, VA

    Size

    • 135,000 GSF renovation

    Program

    • Active learning classrooms, teaching and research laboratories, fabrication and machine shops, collaboration spaces, offices, conference and seminar rooms

    Practice area

    Certifications

    • LEED Silver Certified

Learning, belonging, and discovery

The renovation of UVA’s Physics Building redefines what a 21st-century science facility can be—a place where research, teaching, and community thrive side by side. Originally built in 1954, the 135,000-square-foot building has been transformed through a phased, occupied renovation that modernizes every aspect of its systems, structure, and spatial organization. The renewal introduces active-learning classrooms, hands-on fabrication labs, and new collaboration spaces that strengthen connection between faculty, researchers, and students across disciplines.

A two-story central atrium, reopened from a previously infilled void, serves as the new heart of the building—a gathering space where students and faculty meet, study, and share ideas.

The result is a community-centered environment that supports both formal and informal exchange—reflecting a broader shift in how UVA approaches science education and departmental life.

It gave us the chance to design the whole concept of what a physics building should look like. The new space was designed with more thought given to how humans interact.
Despina LoucaChair, Department of Physics

A brighter, more welcoming face for physics

New windows bring daylight and transparency to the Physics Building, honoring UVA’s Jeffersonian character while creating a more open, welcoming environment.

An inspired reuse that redefines the learning experience

The insertion of new windows transformed not only the building’s exterior but also its interior—flooding once-dark spaces with daylight and creating opportunities to rethink how learning happens inside. A large, steeply raked lecture hall that no longer served the department’s needs was replaced through careful structural intervention with two new spaces: a bright, flexible active-learning classroom below and a light-filled lecture hall above. Together, these spaces embody UVA’s strategic shift from passive instruction to environments that support conversation, curiosity, and connection.

AFTER: A bright, flexible classroom equipped with integrated technology encourages active learning and greater student–faculty interaction.
BEFORE: A traditional tiered lecture hall was transformed into distinct learning spaces in the renovation.
AFTER: A new lecture hall supports interactive teaching and demonstrations.
The approach is helping to close the learning gap between students coming from different educational backgrounds. It’s helping students be more successful in subsequent coursework, and it’s increasing student enrollment in introductory physics.
Despina LoucaChair, Department of Physics
Renewed infrastructure and finishes bring science labs up to modern teaching standards.
BEFORE: A dark, utilitarian hallway underscored the building’s need for openness and renewal.
AFTER: Corridors are now bright, active passages lined with transparency and spaces for students and faculty to connect.
BEFORE: Cluttered, outdared labs offered little flexibility for evolving research needs.
AFTER: New research labs replace clutter with clarity—bright, efficient, and built for hands-on discovery.
Comfortable study areas give students a place to collaborate or work independently between classes.
Transparency along corridors reveals the work of teaching and research, bringing physics to life throughout the building.
The renovated machine shop provides a clean, efficient environment for fabrication and experimentation.

Sustainability and stewardship

The renovation incorporates efficient systems and durable materials to reduce energy use and enhance indoor comfort. A DOAS ventilation system with energy recovery, heavily insulated roof, and new high-performance windows improve building performance while preserving its historic character. Together, these features support UVA’s long-term sustainability goals and its mission to create healthier, more inclusive learning environments.

Project impact
  • 3

    new active learning classrooms seating 99, 135, and 150 students

  • 2,000

    undergraduates enrolled in physics courses each year

The moment it was open, students filled it up. We didn’t have to invite them. They just filled it up.
Despina LoucaChair, Department of Physics

For more information on this page:

Project Team

2RW

Code Red Consultants

HLB Lighting Design

Iconograph

Jamerson Lewis Construction

Long Green Specs

Michael Vergason Landscape Architects

Thornton Tomasetti

Vermeulens

VHB

Photography

Ansel Olson

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