Inside Iowa State: Iowa State University

September 26, 2003

Public sessions are part of Morrill design phase

by Anne Krapfl
While fund-raising continues for the final $4 million of a $9 million Morrill Hall renovation project, architects are at work on a design for the interior of the building. The goal is to present a schematic design to the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, for approval at the board's December meeting.

Designers from the RDG Bussard Dikis architectural firm are working with representatives of the future Morrill occupants -- the Center for Teaching Excellence, the Christian Petersen Art Museum and the Center for Visual Learning in Textiles and Clothing -- to figure out how spaces and features in the building will fit together. Members of the university community also are welcome to provide input at two public design sessions. The first will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30, in 192 Parks Library. Faculty, staff and students may stop in, learn what's being developed and offer suggestions.

A recap of the morning discussion will begin at 1:15 p.m., and a recap of the day will begin at 4:30 p.m. Individuals who have suggestions to offer are asked to attend the design session near one of these times. Staff, faculty and students who want only to observe are welcome at any time during the session.

A second design session will be held on Monday, Oct. 13. A location and time have not been set yet.

Regents approve use for building
At their Sept. 17 meeting, the regents approved a program statement for Morrill Hall, which includes a list of spaces and their sizes assigned to each of the three occupants, based on program needs and the building's size. The building will include classrooms, galleries and gallery storage, a textiles conservation lab, staff offices and meeting rooms. The design work this fall is to find the best fit for all the elements on the list.

The anticipated cost of the Morrill Hall renovation remains at $9 million. Approximately $8.15 million of that is sought in private gifts and, as of mid-September, approximately $4.15 million had been pledged from donors, according to ISU Foundation figures. A portion of the funding -- $850,000 -- will come from state funds designated to improve ISU classrooms and will pay for two general university classrooms and a seminar room in Morrill Hall.