Reimagining, Restoring, and Reviving Marshall Hall for a Sustainable Future.

 

Every floor in the 93,000-square-foot building underwent renovation during the three-year project that began in 2020. The preservation of many original details was a priority, reflecting the College’s interest in preserving Marshall’s historic features and reusing existing material. Where possible, maple and terrazzo floors, Indiana limestone, and Maine granite were refurbished or replaced with material from the same sources that supplied them when the building was originally constructed.

“There’s a respect for the history on the exterior and in most of the public spaces inside the building,” said George Curry, Distinguished Teaching Professor emeritus. “And yet there is an absolutely incredible new, fresh exciting look on the inside. That will go a long way in terms of student enrollment.”

 

 

Curry’s relationship with ESF’s Landscape Architecture (LA) department spans more than five decades and he sees the Marshall Hall renovation as a giant step forward for the program. The extensive restoration project also strives to enhance the academic and student experiences with modern spaces for learning, sharing, research, and community engagement. LA is joined in Marshall by the Department of Environmental Studies and the Division of General Education.

“Not only does Marshall have wonderful new spaces, but also the latest technology in terms of what students will use in class and studios, and what they will need as they enter the profession,” he said. “I am personally thrilled that the departments two centers, the center for cultural landscape preservation and the center for community design research will have new, dedicated space.”

Rex Giardine, ESF assistant director of facilities for planning, design and construction, said LA “really gets to spread its wings” with new studio spaces on the third floor, along with five classrooms to be used by students from across ESF’s academic programs. Specialty spaces on the fourth floor also support the work of environmental studies with the digital story-telling lab.

New lower-level spaces address the needs of commuter students with bike storage facilities, locker rooms, and showers. There’s also space for more than 50 graduate students and a lounge that will fill the niche once occupied by Alumni (Nifkin) Lounge.

“I think the impact is going to be quite significant in terms of our appeal to prospective students,” said Curry. “The college-age group is diminishing and it has had an effect on the program here at ESF and around the country, so the fact that we have an old building with a new interior is just spectacular. I think it will greatly improve our ability to attract students.”

Another aspect that impacts the students is donor support, which has long played an important role in Landscape Architecture. Many of the major firms where alumni are employed have supported the scholarship base, while the LA Advisory Council has been important in raising awareness of the program and encouraging people and firms to support the program that is educating the next generation of designers. Marshall Hall also offers the opportunity to name spaces or help fill out the space with furniture and equipment to enhance the student experience.

“When you step into Marshall Hall through the front door, it will feel very much like it always did,” Giardine said. “But as you look left and right, you’ll see a state-of-the-art academic building that will serve ESF for decades to come.”

As an institution dedicated to conservation and sustainability, ESF is involved with the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) membership program, which is a vehicle to deliver more thoughtful and intentional spaces that enhance human health and well-being. Marshall Hall will be one of the first two buildings targeted for certification within ESF’s WELL portfolio and is pursuing LEED Gold certification.