UVAF Old Ivy Office Building

There are thousands of employees at the University of Virginia who have no direct impact on academics. They are vital to keeping the school running smoothly and are often relegated to surplus or repurposed spaces to give deference to student-centric needs. This new 101,000 square-foot Class-A office building is now home to four such UVA departments which were previously located in various locations: University Advancement, University Communications, Human Resources, and Safety & Security. The spaces for each of these unique departments were carefully tailored to best support how each group works while providing flexibility for future changes.

Three key design drivers for the project included maximizing views to nature and daylight on each floor, increasing opportunities to promote health and activity, and opening floor plates to maximize tenant space. The resultant C-shaped, three-story structure provides daylight to almost all regularly occupied spaces and allows for increased densities per floor. The design objectives for the interior experience of the building included efficiency, productivity, and engagement. As this was the first time these departments would be co-located, collaboration spaces such as team rooms, huddle spaces, and a variety of conference areas were key to the design.