The South Lawn Project

Moore Ruble Yudell Architects & Planners of Santa Monica, Calif., has been chosen to design a new conceptual plan and the first buildings for the South Lawn Project.

The most ambitious construction undertaking on U.Va.’s Central Grounds in nearly a century, the South Lawn Project will strengthen the school’s academic core and reinforce the atmosphere of community that characterizes the U.Va. undergraduate experience.

John Ruble, FAIA (Architecture ’69), who will lead the project’s design team, said, “My interest in the South Lawn goes back to my years as an undergraduate architecture student at U.Va. Thomas Jefferson’s plan for the Lawn is a brilliant statement of the place of community in an academic setting. Among our highest goals would be the shaping of such a community — providing the kind of continuity, connectivity and identity that would sustain Mr. Jefferson’s vision in a new century.”

Moore Ruble Yudell is an interdisciplinary design studio with an international practice that extends from the design of the new U.S. Embassy in Berlin to a master plan for housing in Chongqing, China. Well known for its collaborative approach, the firm has worked on the design of many highly regarded campus master plans and buildings.

Moore Ruble Yudell will work in conjunction with landscape architects Cheryl Barton and Walter Hood, as well as other consultants selected by U.Va.’s Office of the Architect and Facilities Planning and Construction. The Polshek Partnership of New York City and U.Va. parted ways in May after the firm had delivered a site plan that will guide the project.

The South Lawn Project will accommodate 12,000 student visits per day and provide new homes for eight of the College of Arts & Sciences’ 25 departments as well as one interdisciplinary program. The project also includes the renovation of Cocke Hall to house the classics and philosophy departments.

New academic buildings housing the departments of history, politics and religious studies will be located on the south side of Jefferson Park Avenue. A broad, landscaped, stepped terrace will connect the new buildings with Central Grounds across Jefferson Park Avenue, which will be below the terrace. A parking facility will be designed as well. Comprising the project’s first phase, these buildings will encompass approximately 100,000 square feet. Subsequent phases will include renovation and new construction on the north side of Jefferson Park Avenue.

Addressing a space deficit in Arts & Sciences that now exceeds 300,000 square feet, the South Lawn Project will be home to a dynamic academic community. Faculty offices will be arranged in suites to encourage scholarly collaboration. With wired classrooms and lecture halls and intimate seminar rooms, the project will support the innovative use of technology, foster  student-faculty interaction and spark interdisciplinary teaching and research.

The College Foundation has received $26 million in pledges and gifts that will support the South Lawn Project. To break ground, the Foundation must have at least $45 million in commitments. The College Foundation is an independent organization created by Arts & Sciences alumni to manage philanthropic gifts in support of the school and its programs.

For more information, contact Tom Jennings, associate dean for development, at or 434-924-6880.