After two years of work, the extensively renovated Hamilton Smith Hall opens its doors this fall (see inside). The $37 million overhaul to the iconic building included reconstruction of a soaring two-story central atrium and airy classrooms in the front wings that highlight two restored WPA-era murals. Replacing a haphazard 1965 addition at the rear of the building, a new, T-shaped expansion features high-tech classrooms, informal meeting areas, generous office space — and a footbridge over the ravine that connects the building with the T Hall parking lot, creating a major pedestrian way not only to and from Ham Smith but also through it. Those involved in the renovation make liberal use of terms like “modern” and “state-of-the-art” to describe the project, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have an eye to the future. At the building’s official grand reopening on Sept. 22, the College of Liberal Arts plans to seal within one of its walls a time capsule of mementos to be opened in 2117.
Originally published in UNH Magazine Fall 2017 Issue
