Story at a glance:
- Miller Hull utilized the Progressive Design-Build method to renovate Cal Poly’s main library within a tight budget, offering a model for similar campus upgrades.
- The Brutalist library, completed in 1980, was in dire need of an overhaul, from seismic infrastructure upgrades to improved study spaces, to reestablish itself as a home for students.
- Miller Hull architects prioritized exterior glazing and efficient energy system upgrades, resulting in 30% energy savings.
Apart from the proliferation of strong coffee and long nights spent studying ahead of a looming exam, life for university students has changed dramatically over the last 40 years. Still, the campus library remains at its heart.
At California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly), a behemoth Brutalist building with a confounding layout, intimidating staircase, and limited access to the outdoors has been the university’s center of study with minimal renovations since its completion in 1980. “It was due for a major update,” says Ruth Baleiko, partner at Miller Hull.
The firm led a top-to-bottom renovation of Cal Poly’s Kennedy Library—a 200,000-square-foot project with a $79 million budget—prioritizing infrastructure upgrades, accessibility, and occupant comfort to reinstate the library as a hub for community on campus.
Goodbye, 1980
“We always say the most sustainable building you can build is the one you don’t build. In terms of the embodied carbon of that structure, saving it and renovating it was actually a huge sustainable decision, right from the get-go,” says Ruth Baleiko, partner at Miller Hull. Photo by Lara Swimmer, courtesy of Miller Hull
Kennedy Library has always been a key resource for students, but the 1977 design lost relevance and function in the nearly 50 years since its completion. Miller Hull’s mission was to transform the building from outdated resource to invaluable sanctuary for students.
“This project is emblematic of any campus that has an undergraduate library built in the same 10-year period—post-war, ’60s to ’70s. They’re all that concrete masonry, robust construction that was popular at the time,” Baleiko says. “What we found here is we don’t need more space; we just need different space. It needs to be more comfortable and suitable to what students need today. It has to meet our expectations not only for the academic space but how space feels to us as humans.”
The library’s main, straight staircase is the key feature that initiated the renovation; not only was it daunting, but the hall-like slope of steps was not seismically compliant. “Some of the renovations we did were to increase the health and life safety of the building but also to make it more navigable,” Baleiko says. The new switchback stairway is accessible at the same location on each floor, and clear signage makes wayfinding easy.
A Hub for Student Life
Much of the existing furniture, particularly on the upper floors, was reused in the renovation to help the project stay on-budget. Photo by Lara Swimmer, courtesy of Miller Hull
From the earliest planning stages students provided insights in town halls, surveys, and focus groups, telling the architects what they wanted to see, experience, and feel when they entered the library.
Originally the library had a big, institutional desk at the entryway. With feedback from students, the design team reimagined a comfortable, welcoming entry with a cafe and flexible service points. Clear wayfinding directs occupants to services, exhibition spaces, and gathering areas, all centrally located and visible from main circulation routes to encourage connection on campus.
Demand for a 24-hour study space was among the unexpected findings from student interviews and surveys. Miller Hull removed spatial boundaries and partitions to extend all-night-access areas and added a designated microwave space—another request, and an important detail from an equity standpoint. The team also created spaces for dual monitor setups, laptop checkout, and a digital scholarship studio, where students can go to learn about digital resources.
Connection to the outdoors through the central courtyard was another priority. By removing interior partitions, the Miller Hull team was able to open up views and increase natural daylight in study spaces.
Progressive Design-Build
Photo by Lara Swimmer, courtesy of Miller Hull
From day one the budget was the biggest constraint and design challenge the Miller Hull team faced. “What can we do with this amount of money—about $79 million total? It translates to about $55 million in construction cost for a 200,000-square-foot building—not enough to cover everything. It was our job to figure out what to prioritize,” says Danielle Buttacavoli, principal architect at Miller Hull.
The Progressive Design-Build method was critical to execution as it ensured day-one collaboration and ongoing communication regarding the priorities, scope, and expectations for the renovation. Miller Hull worked consistently with university leadership and contractor Hensel Phelps to define the project goals and work around any unexpected shifts in the budget allocation. “One of the big challenges was that some of the bids came in higher than expected,” Buttacavoli says.
The higher bids threatened planned upgrades to the exterior building envelope. As a team the architects, contractors, and university leadership determined this was a top priority for the renovation for the sake of occupant comfort and energy efficiency. “We were able to work that back into the scope by adjusting some of the cost levers we had at our disposal. We were able to manage risk and move some of the contingency bucket to actually replace all the exterior glazing, which allowed us to meet energy goals,” Buttacavoli says.
Occupant Comfort Equals Energy Savings
One of the biggest challenges was creating access to power at workspaces for students accustomed to studying on screens. The power capacity of the building is limited, so the architects prioritized open, flexible space for students to make their own ideal study spots. Photo by Lara Swimmer, courtesy of Miller Hull
A focus on occupant comfort was key. “The original building was designed for passive airflow, with these really huge concrete shading structures and a courtyard, but that just wasn’t translating to comfort anymore,” Baleiko says. The team sought to leverage the existing bones of the building to maximize the effective passive strategies, reducing the building’s energy consumption while also increasing the power capacity and adding heating and cooling technology.
The new building systems, including upgraded windows and energy-efficient mechanical heating and cooling, resulted in a 30% reduction in energy costs. The renovation achieved LEED Gold, exceeding the mandate for all new builds and major renovations on California State school campuses to reach at least LEED Silver.
With better temperature control throughout the library, students may find themselves scheduling more group project sessions in the gathering spaces, or simply staying in the building longer, settling in for an all-nighter ahead of midterms. With its upgraded layout, access to the outdoors, seismic safety, and modern resources and facilities, Kennedy Library remains an icon of Cal Poly’s campus, now also a comfortable and welcoming home for students.
