2019 AIA Northern Virginia Award of Merit in Institutional Architecture

The UVA College of Wise is located in Southeastern Virginia; and is a four-year liberal arts college of 2200 students aligned with the main UVA campus in Charlottesville.

As Architect for the University, David J. Neuman, FAIA was responsible for the planning and development of a major growth cycle at the Wise Campus. The culmination of this endeavor was the programming, design and construction of this new library in association with CanonDesign. 

The library connects the lower and upper campus precincts and serves as the heart of campus, providing students with a lively and inviting place for study, research and recreational reading. The facility incorporates the traditional characteristics of a library environment – including a formal reading room, a special collections area and space for more than 250,000 books – while embracing contemporary academic program areas such as “Smart Group” classrooms, collaborative study areas and a café.

Size: 60,000 gross square feet
Cost: $37.5M
Sustainability: LEED Certified 

Photography © Sam Kittner