School of Architecture & Design expands with new studio space in Malott Hall

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas Office of Space Management has transformed an unused lab in Malott Hall into a new studio space for the School of Architecture & Design.

Increasing enrollment rates over the past decade have created a need for the school to expand studio spaces beyond the walls of Marvin, Marvin Studios, Snow and Chalmers.

"From 2012 to 2022, enrollment numbers almost doubled," said Hui Cai, associate professor and chair of the Department of Architecture. "When we returned from remote learning, we realized we did not have enough studio space and needed help to expand. The school reached out to the provost for help, and at her request, Space Management went to work searching for the appropriate space.”

The Office of Space Management determined the unused lab located on the fifth floor of Malott would be a good fit, and university architects retrofitted it to meet the more immediate needs of the school.

"The bones of the space are good,” said Whitney Jones, architect project manager. “High floor to ceiling clearances allow for an airy feeling within the studio spaces. What was once an underutilized lab is now being used in a completely different way.”

The area, which once stored lab benches and equipment, now features large desks for models and drawings, pin-up space, a presentation area, windows for natural light and faculty offices. 

Part of the need for expansion is influenced by the nature of architecture & design school programs. Unlike other programs where students may rotate through a single room and share equipment, architecture students need a dedicated space to work on their projects, and they often require large work surfaces to accommodate their models and drawings.

Architecture & Design is the one of the first schools to repurpose the vacated space in Malott as a solution for its space challenges.

“Being one of the first to reoccupy Malott means we all learn new things that could make the next project more streamlined. They are also the first to reoccupy this corner of Malott, and eventually it would be better to have more occupants back in the building,” Jones said.