NK Architects designed the dynamic Liberty Hall Academic Center for Kean University in Union, New Jersey.

Liberty Hall Academic Center, at Kean University, is designed to provide a contemporary environment in which to teach, study, and celebrate history in close proximity to the substantial historical significance of its namesake, and neighbor, Liberty Hall Museum.

The new academic center is sited to have a formal, axial relationship with the museum and its landscape plan. Exterior building materials, massing, and forms have been designed to be complimentary to the historic nature of the agrarian site and structures. While inside, the building is a delicate balance of clean, contemporary design with nods to the site’s agrarian past.

The museum and its grounds serve as the focal point through the new academic center’s expanses of glazing and controlled views, allowing occupants to experience a sense of history by connecting with the secluded, and preserved, rural oasis within highly developed Union county. Modern spaces for research, teaching, archiving, preservation, gallery display, and a flexible exhibit hall have been organized to allow for dynamic views back towards the museum, allowing the users to connect with the historic site and to be within its context during all activities.

Design: NK Architects
Contractor: Frankoski Construction Company
Photography: Billy Economou, courtesy of NK Architects