OVERVIEW

The Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind overlooks the city of Staunton, Virginia. Originally built as a school for the deaf, it represents one of the earliest examples of a specialized educational institution in the United States. The Main Hall and Chapel, designed in the Greek Revival style and completed in the mid-nineteenth century, establish the historic core of the campus that has expanded through the decades.

PROJECT APPROACH

PDP has proposed a renovation and addition to Main Hall that would reinstate the building as the heart of the campus. The design incorporates administrative, social, educational, and residential uses without affecting the architectural integrity of the existing spaces. Through this intervention, modern communication technologies can easily be incorporated, providing the opportunity for the spaces to be more accessible and convenient for the deaf and blind students. The design proposal is in review and anticipated being completed in 2016.