Colgate University’s largest academic building, Olin Hall, has been transformed into a state-of-the-art interdisciplinary facility, offering an upgraded and expanded learning environment for the university’s science programming. Designed by RAMSA (Robert A.M. Stern Architects), Olin Hall unites modern laboratories, adaptable classrooms and offices, and vibrant common spaces in a single, interconnected environment, enhancing collaboration by bringing multiple disciplines together in the same space.

At the heart of Olin Hall’s 21st-century redesign is an expanded floor plan made possible by relocating the original mechanical room from a central floor to a newly constructed and discreetly raised penthouse at the back of the building. This intervention unlocked the building’s most valuable interior space, transforming a former service area into classrooms, labs, and gathering areas that create opportunities for spontaneous interaction and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Faculty offices, once tucked away behind laboratories, now line a dramatic two-story central common—a transparent, light-filled meeting space with stunning views of the distant hillside that brings together faculty and students in a relaxed, comfortable, and professional environment. Collaborative student spaces, including a range of quiet study rooms specially sized to enable future office conversion if needed, adjoin the faculty spaces.

A dynamic, cross-stair links the two levels of the central commons, encouraging floor-to-floor interaction while offering a striking vantage point of the space below. At the ground floor, dedicated lounges address a long-standing need for spaces where students can meet between classes, connect with peers, or simply relax.

Olin Hall’s façade thoughtfully unites the distinct stone palettes of the adjacent Benton Hall and Robert H.N. Ho Science Center into a cohesive whole, blending tones and textures to create visual harmony along the western gateway to Colgate’s campus.

Design: RAMSA (Robert A.M. Stern Architects)
Contractor: LeChase Construction Services
Mechanical and Structural Consultants: Kohler Ronan
Photography: Francis Dzikowski/OTTO