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Masonry Industry Promotion Group
Project Focus Monroe
Hall at EWU After nearly a century of service, Eastern Washington University's Monroe Hall was showing its age. The brick exterior needed a good cleaning and mortar joints needed repointing. Numerous additions through the years had created a maze of offices and classrooms. Unseen, but a matter of serious concern, the 3-story load-bearing masonry structure lacked the stability to withstand serious seismic activity. Integrus Architecture was selected as the firm to take on the renovation of the historic building. Beginning with a pre-design phase in 1997, the project was carried out in stages over the next 4 years. Total cost for the project was $6.4 million. According to project architect Martin Sweet, there was considerable challenge in designing an addition which would nearly double the building size to 50,000+ square feet while harmonizing with the existing historic exterior. The original design of Monroe Hall was a U-shaped footprint. Sweet explained the innovative solution Integrus proposed was to design an infill structure sited between the legs of the U, creating a solid, square shape. The central pre-cast concrete structure acted as a massive anchor for the less stable original structure which was tied to it on three sides.
The new façade, the fourth side of the building, is a gently curving brick arc that contains many design elements of the original structure. Sweet explained that it was important to create a design which gestured to the historic context without attempting to reproduce the old building. Two colors of brick were mixed together to create a custom blended color for the face of the new structure. The new color harmonizes with the old brick and two pre-cast stair towers at either side are transition elements that visually tie the new construction to the old. Several key elements were used on the new structure to maintain the integrity of the design: decorative medallions made of pre-cast concrete, a contrasting cornice and windows of similar dimensions. Mike Irish, EWU's Associate Vice President for Facilities and Planning, described the renovation as, "absolutely outstanding". "Eastern is one of the few campuses with an historic district," he said. "It was important to have a respectful renovation and we feel that was accomplished in a wonderful way." He added that the response of faculty and students has been very positive. While
the building was gutted and transformed to meet the technology needs
of the 21st century, the historic flavor was carried inside with period
details such as wood wainscot, coffered ceiling soffits, and wood newel
posts.
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© 2003 - 2006 Janet Crosby all rights reserved
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