Virginia Tech, O'Shaughnessy Hall

Academic Integration

The redesigned hall incorporates dedicated academic areas, including a classroom, faculty offices, and a faculty residence. This arrangement enables professors to host shared meals and conduct supplementary lectures within the residential setting, spurring intellectual exchange. The building's layout encourages unplanned interactions between students and faculty, reinforcing the academic community's collaborative nature.

Architectural Innovation

To shift from dormitory to residential college, Moseley selectively modified sleeping rooms to accommodate learning areas while enhancing existing study and social zones. The renovation established a community kitchen, living room with fireplace, and covered exterior area. Study sections were reconfigured to promote collaboration while maintaining flexibility for individual work.

Interior Design Excellence

The interior design strategy centers on two core principles: inclusion and identity. Previously compartmentalized rooms now flow together, establishing visual connections throughout the building. A signature design element—a ribbon of LED lighting—curves through the ceiling and extends vertically along the main stairway, uniting the different levels.

Each floor displays its unique identity through distinct color schemes expressed in carpeting, paint, wall coverings, and door frames. These individual palettes merge in the main floor lobby, where all primary accent colors combine to create a cohesive aesthetic. The overall finish selection incorporates bohemian elements that encourage relaxation, alongside bold, international details that celebrate diversity.

Furniture selections balance comfort and adaptability, featuring soft seating in communal areas and built-in benches that support impromptu gatherings. Students can adjust these settings to accommodate their changing needs.

Sustainability Achievement

O'Shaughnessy Hall achieved LEED Gold certification through multiple environmental initiatives. The project preserved more than 60 percent of the existing building, while incorporating building materials with over 20 percent recycled content. Construction practices diverted 87 percent of waste from landfills, and 32 percent of materials were sourced within 500 miles of the site.

The facility incorporates energy-efficient LED lighting, enhanced envelope systems, and upgraded windows. Water conservation measures yield estimated savings of 2.2 million gallons annually. Interior areas benefit from low-VOC materials, Floorscore-certified flooring, and formaldehyde-free composite wood products, ensuring superior air quality for residents.

Technical Advancement

The renovation resolved several engineering challenges through practical solutions. The design team created a stormwater management system combining underground detention, compost-amended soils, and permeable pavers. To improve resident comfort, four-pipe fan coil units were precisely integrated despite the building's cast-in-place concrete construction and limited floor-to-floor heights, providing individual climate control in each room.

The repositioning of the central circulation stair created new student gathering spots on each floor, while the lower level houses the Residential College for Leadership and Social Change. These improvements have developed O'Shaughnessy Hall into a place where academic pursuits and residential life naturally complement each other.

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