Williams Hall Renovation at Eastern Virginia Medical School

Eastern Virginia Medical School is an academic health center dedicated to achieving excellence in medical and health professions education, research, and patient care. When EVMS made the decision to renovate and expand Williams Hall, a widely used research building on campus, their idea was to create a modern, flexible space for research staff and external partners of the school to collaborate and excel. The resulting transformation includes the demolition of the existing research and treatment “A-Wing” and design of a brand new 11,645 SF, single-story structure sited on the same location.

The project is located in Norfolk, Virginia at the EVMS campus, Williams Hall building.  Williams Hall is a U-shaped building comprised of 3 wings: A, B and C.  A and B wings are 1-story; C-Wing is 2-stories.  The project involved the renovation of the existing B-Wing (approximately 8,500 SF), demolition of the existing A-Wing (approximately 11,200 SF) and construction of a new A-Wing (approximately 11,600 SF) for Williams Hall. The renovation and expansion of this structure at EVMS creates a modern flexible space for research staff and external partners of the school to collaborate and excel.

The design utilizes a simple exterior palette of composite aluminum panels and storefront to help provide a seamless transition between the existing building and the new A-Wing. Fenestration patterns respected the existing facility’s head height to further contribute to the overall exterior continuity, however larger glazing modules and corner windows provide a more modern and open aesthetic as a primary design initiative for the research facility was to provide a space that promotes transparency and elevates excellence.

On the interior, common amenities such as an open concept kitchen, collaboration spaces and meeting rooms were used to transition between existing and new. Within the new research wing, high ceilings combined with floor to ceiling windows allow for ample natural daylight within the corridors and open workspaces. Utilizing a palette of bright colors, the space features a light green accent in the carpet to achieve a vibrant, connective feeling of nature.

Glass office fronts contribute to the open concept feel, while breakout workstations and islands for the research groups promote collaboration. Different furniture options for ergonomics and comfort are provided throughout the floor plan, including adjustable sitting/standing desks, stools, mobile tables, and various seating types. New multi-purpose, flexible meeting spaces with folding partitions can be expanded for large groups and rearranged for smaller gatherings. In the original building, storage was highly inefficient and unorganized. To solve this issue, the team carefully designed a variety of sleek, coordinated storage spaces for research materials, paperwork, and more. ​

SBBCC provided construction services to procure, contract directly for, and administer all construction trade contracts.  In addition, SBBCC provided pre-construction services for the project.  SBBCC worked closely with EVMS and Clark Nexsen to assure the project goals and timeframes were met to support the Owner’s program, budget and schedule.

The project areas for B-Wing as well as the entirety of the A-Wing were unoccupied at the commencement of construction, however C-Wing and portions of B-Wing outside of the limits of construction remained open and operational for the entirety of the construction contract. Once the B-Wing construction was complete, occupants moved back into the renovated space.  A-Wing remained unoccupied for the entirety of construction.