Penn State asked BLTa to convert its early 20th-century dairy laboratory into modern offices, classrooms, and digital design studios for its College of Arts and Architecture. The Borland Building plans, which incorporate comprehensive information technology and audio-visual services, became the campus’ first LEED Gold-certified project for an existing building.

The building provides a new collaborative environment for the College of Arts and Architecture’s Departments of Art History, Integrated Arts (including graphic design and digital photography), Research in the Arts and Design, and the Institute for e-Learning.

The renovation includes new college administration offices and other central services. Two 1960s additions were surgically carved out, carefully cleaned and repaired, and then reattached to the main building. New windows to match original profiles were essential to achieve LEED Gold certification.

The new Borland Building replaces the original 1930s Charles Z. Klauder building by way of superb historic preservation and sustainable interventions such as renewable finishes and locally manufactured materials with high-recycled content.

These memorable new spaces include a light monitor in the east-wing roof that provides daylight to recaptured attic areas that are now programmed for daily use. The ground floor, meanwhile, features new classrooms, studies, and offices that inhabit the former dairy labs.

This project was completed by BLTa prior to becoming a Perkins Eastman Studio.