Kimpel Hall at the University of Arkansas

Location
Fayetteville, Arkansas

Owner
University of Arkansas

Team
Acoustics - Threshold
Architects - mahg Architecture, Dake|Wells Architecture

Size
32,000 square feet

Schedule
Completed 2019

Awards
AIA Gulf States Region, Merit Award
AIA Kansas City, Excellence in Architectural Design, Merit Award

Kimpel Hall, constructed in 1977, is located at one of the busiest pedestrian intersections on the campus of University of Arkansas. Consisting of a four story classroom block and a seven story tower of faculty offices, it houses the departments of Communications, Drama, English, Foreign Languages, Journalism and Physics, making it the busiest academic building on campus.

The Student Media Center for the department of Journalism establishes its presence at this bustling intersection. The project also includes the renovation of approximately 25,000 sf in the existing building for Journalism, as well as general education classrooms and all public spaces within the four story classroom block.

The programming effort involved university administrators and faculty from Communications and Journalism. Transparency being a key goal set from programming, the project will feature new “learning lab” style classrooms with increased visibility into the newsroom, studio and control room, allowing current and prospective students a glimpse into how their media process works. Other additions to the building include a new university radio station, editing rooms, faculty offices and student spaces.

This small addition places the student run UATV on display. It’s prominent site at the threshold of the historic campus elevates the identity of the Department of Journalism, but offers significant challenges due to being constructed on top of an existing 200 seat lecture hall below grade. The design response conveys simplicity and restraint, emphasizing a new, more welcoming pedestrian experience at the intersection.

An efficient studio layout, carefully considered acoustic treatments, and a lighting grid that mimics those in professional studios allows UATV to expand its capabilities for live broadcasts, recorded programs, and music performances. The isolation detailing around the studio is designed to maintain and support low background noise levels so critical to recording.

An angled glass aperture breaks the broadcast’s “fourth wall,” allowing visitors to observe activities within, while framing camera views of the historic campus beyond. After sundown, light spills onto the adjacent street from these spaces signaling the dedication of journalism to the community.

Tune into UATV here.