The McIntire School of Commerce, a leading business school at the University of Virginia, has been modernized and expanded to enhance student learning and success. Designed by RAMSA (Robert A.M Stern Architects), the new McIntire School combines the revitalization of Cobb Hall with the addition of Shumway Hall, formally establishing a prominent precinct — including the school’s existing Rouss and Robertson Halls — on the university’s historic grounds.

Rooted in Jeffersonian principles of education, architecture, and landscape, the expanded complex supports the McIntire School’s business education programs, creating new opportunities for interdisciplinary learning and collaboration through active-learning classrooms, data visualization and innovation labs, and a variety of communal gathering spaces. The expansion allows UVA to grow its enrollment while strengthening student life and campus support.

Transforming the McIntire School began by retrofitting Cobb Hall, a classic brick building constructed in 1917 and formerly home to the university’s chemistry department, and later, medical school. Spanning 23,000 square feet, Cobb Hall’s improvements introduced modern spaces, including cluster classrooms tailored to small group learning and a media production studio. Classrooms that had formerly been subdivided were restored as part of the renovation. The historic structure was also updated to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Cobb Hall’s historic frontage was rehabilitated, while a portion of the building’s rear exterior was carefully removed to accommodate Shumway Hall and establish a framed outdoor courtyard. Below grade, a connection to Shumway Hall is made on Cobb Hall’s second level, where a short hallway guides students into the new building, where they emerge onto a balcony overlooking the new McIntire School atrium.

Fronting Jefferson Park Avenue, the 86,200-square-foot Shumway Hall serves as the McIntire School’s latest addition. Rising five stories and clad in Jeffersonian russet brick, the new building seamlessly integrates with the scale and materiality of the existing campus. A crescent-shaped courtyard, made possible by the underground connection between Shumway and Cobb Halls, preserves the surface between the two buildings for outdoor gathering and study space.

The conversion of Ruppel Drive from a vehicle access road into an accessible pedestrian corridor creates a new gateway to the school, now known as the Breeden Commerce Grounds, further reflecting the McIntire School’s focus on strengthening campus experiences. The park-like space serves as an outdoor focal point and significantly enhances campus connectivity, linking the new building to the McIntire School’s existing Rouss and Robertson Halls and serving as a major pathway to the Grounds from Jefferson Park Avenue. A 35-foot grade change further brings prominence to Shumway Hall as Ruppel Drive ascends from the street level into the campus.

Architect: RAMSA (Robert A.M. Stern Architects) and Glavé & Holmes Architecture (led the preservation of Cobb Hall)
Photography: Francis Dzikowski/OTTO