Story of the Building
Today the Reynolds Journalism Institute's 50,000-square foot home comprises the completely renovated WPA-built Walter Williams Hall, the century-old sociology building, and a new three-story structure that links the two.
The former sociology building, built in 1892, is the third oldest building on Francis Quadrangle. To keep the quad historically intact while meeting the practical needs of RJI, architect Mike Shaughnessy designed a modern glass-and-concrete four-story building within the old three-story brick structure.
The ground beneath the building had to be excavated to a depth of seven feet to accommodate the extra height of the new story. Concrete piers up to six feet in diameter were then sunk 20 feet to support the new interior structure. The interior building rests on these piers without support from the exterior walls in order to retain the visual impact of the 11-foot tall windows of the original structure. Encased in glass, the building-within-a-building "floats" futuristically but is deeply rooted in MU soil.
A newly constructed space links the historic structures. The new building's glass entrance on South Ninth Street invites visitors inside to enjoy exhibits, and a glass-enclosed "well" provides views of the floors below and a translucent "sky bridge" above. A light-filled seminar room looks out onto the quad and a free-form, tiered seating area for lunch or studying.
Walter Williams did not live to see his namesake hall completed in 1937, but he would appreciate that its historic details were carefully preserved during renovation. Skilled carpenters refinished the original west-facing doors, patched the terrazzo floors and cleaned the coffered ceiling and plaster molding of the lobby. Red and orange carpeting updates the interior and unites the three buildings with a single, vivid palette.
Accessibility and energy efficiency helped guide RJI's design. Although the three buildings' floors are at different levels, ramps connect one to the other. Builders installed insulation on the interiors and replaced leaky wood windows with energy efficient frames that are indistinguishable from the originals.
The historic walls of the 1892 Gothic Victorian enclose the world's oldest journalism library, RJI offices, the National Freedom of Information Center and the offices of the Donald W. Reynolds Fellows.
The Futures Lab, a high-tech resource for innovation and creativity, resides on the ground level in the new building, in close proximity to state-of-the-art radio and TV studios. The new structure houses the Fred W. Smith Forum. named for the chairman of the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, the forum features terraced seating, translation booth and electronic links to the Futures Lab.
The ground floor of Walter Williams Hall has been updated to accommodate editing bays and the Technology Testing Center. The first floor houses Strategic Communication, and for sustenance and a quick caffeine, the J-Cafe. The top level provides space for class rooms and a design lab.