UF Keene-Flint Hall University of Florida

Client: University of Florida

Location: The UF campus in Gainesville, FL

Site: A 25,000 square foot historic building at the heart of UF’s historic district, a collection of buildings recognized on the National Register of Historic Places.

Program challenge: Total remodeling of the building for use by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Chemistry and History departments as offices and classrooms. The project also called for the addition of a service tower, a teaching auditorium, and an advising and office suite for the Chemistry Department. The work also had to adhere to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for the Rehabilitation of Historic Buildings.

Solution: Completed in June 2001, the renovation of Keene-Flint Hall upgraded existing spaces to make them functional in a contemporary university setting while also restoring the building’s beautiful historic features. The building’s exterior was renovated and the north and south entrances, as well as the north entrance lobby and stairs, were rebuilt to match the building’s historic designs. The interior office and classroom spaces were also totally renovated and new mechanical and electrical systems were added.

An 18,000 square foot addition including a service tower housing fire stairs, an elevator, toilet rooms, and mechanical equipment; a 200-seat state-of-the-art teaching auditorium; and an advising and office suite for the Chemistry Department were also constructed. To connect the original building, the service tower and the auditorium, a three-level exterior walkway was also added. The walkway serves as a backdrop to the secondary green space and creates lateral spaces between the service tower and the adjacent structures. A recessed courtyard spatially unites the walkway, auditorium, service tower and original building and also serves as an outdoor gathering space.

The projected was honored with the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation in 2002, as well as the Merit Award for Historic Preservation from AIA Tampa Bay in 2004.

• 2004 Merit Award for Excellence in Architecture, Historic Preservation, AIA Tampa Bay
• 2002 Outstanding Achievement Award, Florida Trust for Historic Preservation