Seacobeck Hall Renovation

Seacobeck Hall, an existing 1930s era building located on the University’s Fredericksburg campus, was repurposed from its original dining program to house academic programs related to the College of Education which previously were spread throughout the campus in several buildings.

The facility houses classrooms and lab space with the latest technologies, faculty offices, collaboration and group work rooms, student organization spaces, a large assembly space, a curriculum lab, and makerspace. The original kitchen, at the center of the X-shaped Seacobeck Hall, was transformed from utilitarian service space to the Forum, an open two-story space with a commanding “stadium stair” that symbolically and physically connects the spaces and people at the crossroads of activity within the new School of Education. A place for events and to see-and-be-seen, the stair is also a casual gathering space within the facility, lending a sense of community. Creating spaces where students and faculty could congregate casually or meet for ad hoc working groups and activities was a key goal of the project.

A new entry (at what was previously the dining hall loading dock) gives Seacobeck a public face on College Avenue, a new primary accessible entrance, and a sense of identity. The renovations include a 140-seat music venue that supports live performances and lectures.