Dwight Hall, constructed in 1842 from a design by Henry Austin, served as the first library at Yale University before its conversion into a chapel in 1931. Today, it is home to the Dwight Hall at Yale Center for Public Service and Social Justice, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization comprising over 90 student-run, non-profit service and advocacy groups. In 2005, VMA produced the initial plans for a full renovation and restoration of the building to create contemporary interior environments while celebrating the building’s existing historic fabric – the first improvement since the 1930’s conversion. After several years on hold due to priority shifts during the recession, the university engaged VMA to update and execute the scope of work.

The improvements focused on creating a series of flexible meeting rooms and offices to support Dwight Hall’s active organizations. Special attention was paid to incorporating technology into these spaces. The result reflects the historic significance of the building and at the same time reinforce the visionary mission of the Dwight Hall organization. Many of the spaces are designed for meetings for the different student groups: flexibility of use, storage for each of the organizations, and white board surfaces abound for brainstorming. The work also included improvements to accessibility with a discretely added new door to a newly inserted elevator lobby, all new MEP, voice and data systems and code compliance to bring Dwight Hall into the 21st century.