Academy Building Renovation to Take Place in 2025

By LOGAN BECKERLE, ALEX LIM, SEAN RICARD, and JANIBEK SUBKHANBERDIN

Image courtesy of tripadvisor.com

This past Family Weekend, many students found it hard to miss the large, flashy poster in the EPAC commons that appeared over family weekend. This was the first public detailing of the Academy Building renovation that will take place from 2025 to 2027, and allowed for students and families to get an idea of how it might look.

Among the renovations detailed are an expanded Assembly Hall, an added design lab, and a general renovation of the building’s systems for a more modern feel. The project, overseen by head of Facilities Management Mark Leighton raises questions, concerns, and excitement from the Exeter community.

Leighton answered many of these questions in an interview. “The architectural firm, Beyer Blinder Belle, was chosen to lead the design effort because they are well known for complicated renovations to historic buildings that require preservation and modernization,” he said. “The design process has taken over two years and involved faculty, senior leadership, and trustees. Significant effort was focused on maintaining the iconic and historic elements of the building while making sure the new additions look like they have always been part of the building.”

A key effort will be to preserve the building’s important history. “The project team, consisting of Beyer Blinder Belle, Facilities Management, and the construction manager Consigli Construction, are very experienced with this type of project and put tremendous effort into making sure the building is modernized, brought up to current building codes, but won’t impact the historical and architectural character,” Leighton said. “For example, the iconic marble stairs from the 1st floor to the 2nd will remain and continue to be a central feature of the building.”

Obviously, the changes being made will be substantial, but they haven’t yet been presented. Leighton specified, “The expansion of the Assembly Hall from 1,000 seats to 1,300 will be a significant improvement. The number of classrooms remains at 45 but will be modernized with audio visual capabilities, new heating and cooling, new LED lighting, new windows, and refreshed interior finishes. The north entrance to the building facing the academic quad will be completely new, ADA compliant, and will lead to a new lobby on the ground floor that will allow access to a new 2,650 square foot state of the art design lab.”

“On the 1st floor, a new common area will be provided that will overlook the academic quad. Restrooms throughout the building will be completely renovated and expanded as necessary to meet current building codes,” Leighton continued.

These new change won’t come without hardship, however. “The renovation and expansion of the building is complicated and will require a phased approach so a portion of the building can remain in use during the academic year,” Leighton said.

This phased renovation will be disruptive to student work, but these changes will certainly be useful in the long term.

Since the project is expected to be completed in August 2027, only the current preps will be here to experience the new building. 

“I think it’s going to be a lot better,” prep Abby Rogers said. “For example, I can’t really see the speaker during assembly, so I think it’ll be fun to have a better view. It’ll also be nice to have everyone in the assembly hall, rather than making some students split into the Forum.” 

“Even if I were here when the renovation was finished, I don’t think it would alter my Exeter experience drastically,” senior Grant Leopold said, “but that’s a good thing for me. I’m glad they are keeping the signature details that contribute to my fondest memories of the building, like the worn marble steps and bell tower, which will keep the same Exeter feel.”

Students noted the challenges. “If there were one thing I’m not looking forward to, it’s probably just having to adapt to my classes being in different places than I’m used to,” upper Sophia Qiu said. “I believe it will definitely affect my Exeter experience, because classes will have to be moved around to accommodate construction.”

“The Assembly Hall is obviously a really nice, beautiful place, so seeing it closed will be a little sad,” said upper Shay Kashif. “However, I do think that it’s ultimately for the better.”

One niche of Exeter’s population that has had additional connection with the construction process is the Architecture club. Co-head Leopold explained their involvement. “All construction decisions are above our paygrade, as they happen amongst the trustees and administrators, but we do get to provide a student perspective on things that we’d like to see or don’t want to see,” he said.

“One of the things where we have influence, for example, is in the décor on the side walls of the assembly hall; we have a say on whether we’d want principal paintings, temporary displays, or something else. If a member of the student body has a suggestion, we can serve as the vessel for discussion,” Leopold continued.

Co-head Qiu explained how her involvement with the club has given her more insight into the process of renovation. Discussions over the matter delivered a lot of clarity on the many choices that have to be made along the way, such as sustainability considerations and space optimization. “The primary way being involved in architecture has affected my perception of the renovation is that I’m a lot more aware of the issues, goals, and constraints surrounding the renovation,” Qiu said. 

Senior and co-head Yoni Ghansah built on that theme of awareness, explaining, “Being involved in architecture has deepened my appreciation for the complexities of renovation, especially in maintaining a campus’s legacy while embracing new architectural trends.”

The mockups served as a poignant example of that balance for Ghansah, who described them as “a thoughtful design that balances aesthetics and utility.” The importance of the Academy Building as symbolic on campus, being a representation of the academy’s goals, was also an idea attested to by the co-head. 

One of the biggest features being added to the academy building is a brand new maker space in the basement. Currently, the design lab houses five different robotics teams, so the maker space is intended to give those teams a bigger, more efficient space. 

“Currently, the robotics area is very cramped,” lower Arwa Alnazer, cohead of SURFACE Robotics said. “It would for sure be a less stressful environment in the new design lab, since all the different teams would have their own space. It will be a much more peaceful experience for the students and faculty. Personally, I believe that robotics has deserved a better space for a long time.” 

As the start date for the renovation creeps closer, many students offered words of excitement and optimism for the finished product. 

For one, Leopold expressed his faith in the construction team. “It will be a shame to miss things like closing assembly inside the Assembly Hall, with the seniors leaving first, but I think it will just make me more excited to be an alumni and check in on the progress in the future. The pros outweigh the cons for me.”