Situated on a historic campus, Hollins University has been providing higher education to the Roanoke, VA, region for over 180 years. Partnering with the university, CPL’s Higher Education Practice team focused on optimizing campus resources, including partially renovating 13,463 sq. ft. of the Wyndham Robertson Library.
Photographer: snapWerx LLC
Completed
2023
Size
57,209 sq. ft.
Services
Architecture, Electrical Engineering, Interior Design, Mechanical Engineering, Plumbing Engineering
Key Contact
Kenneth Mayer
Our designs focused on meeting the evolving needs of students and educators in the digital age. This strategy involved creatively repurposing areas once allocated for the library’s physical book collections.
We also identified opportunities to accommodate additional study zones, centralized student services, and collaborative spaces.
Final designs capitalized on previously underutilized space on the basement floor, now transformed into a learning hub with modern amenities.
Notable features include a dedicated podcasting room, plenty of study nooks, open workspaces and a spacious classroom.
On the library’s main floor, we enhanced the main circulation area and the iconic “round room” with updated furnishings. This floor also houses tutoring centers and private study rooms, known as The Center for Learning Excellence, which received labeled pillars, adaptable seating and reconfigured layouts to foster an environment conducive to focused learning and academic support.
On the second floor, a seamless blend of traditional library functions and modern learning services was achieved.
New shelving systems, communal study areas, rentable carrels for private study, inviting lounge spaces and technology hubs collectively enrich the student experience.
Infused throughout the partial renovation are Hollins’ familiar green and gold colors, complemented by winged-back chairs and a variety of modular seating arrangements.
By maximizing underutilized space and incorporating modern design elements, the revamped library empowers students and educators to thrive in today’s digital landscape. Moreover, it stands as an enriching hub for collaboration, interdisciplinary engagement and boundless academic discovery.
