The State of Idaho and Lewis-Clark State College selected Trout Architects to assist with and upgrade of Spalding Hall, constructed in 1924 and a portion of the adjacent building, Clark Hall, constructed in 1950. Both buildings were originally constructed as dormitories. Spalding Hall, and a portion of Clark Hall have been converted in to faculty offices and the remainder of Clark Hall still serves as a dormitory.
The design team has relied on information found in the original drawings for these two buildings, collected measurements and explored current conditions during site visits in order to build a 3-D model to understand how these two buildings fit together and have worked together over time.
The main goals of this project are to improve life safety, structurally stabilize the building, repair and restore exterior elements of the building, provide new and energy efficient HVAC, plumbing and electrical systems, gain faculty office space and improve areas of the building to provide informal gathering areas and to refresh the interiors.
Many of the original historic elements such as built in wardrobes have been removed, but there are a few remaining historic elements throughout the building that will be maintained and repaired.
Structurally the building is sound, however there was no design criteria for seismic stability in 1924 and considering the change in occupants and modifications to interior walls over time there are some areas of the building needing a bit of reinforcement. Structural upgrades to the building will ensure that the building will stand safe and sound for at least another century.
The exterior of the building is a simple brick with cast stone and modest decorative concrete detailing. Water has not been properly directed away from the surface of the building and there has been a build up of biological growth over the skin. The concrete foundation and detail elements have small surface tension cracks, which left unabated allow moisture to penetrate and deteriorate the steel reinforcing. Trout Architects has provided technical specifications that will properly instruct the contractor to appropriately clean and repoint the brick masonry. The cracks within the concrete will be injected with epoxy, ground smooth and repainted.
