USMA Thomas Jefferson Hall Library and Learning Center

The Thomas Jefferson Hall Library and Learning Center was the first new academic building in the central area of the historic U.S. Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, NY, campus in more than 35 years. On behalf of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), STV was the architect-of-record and engineer for the state-of-the-art library and interactive learning center, which was designed to meet the growing educational needs of the USMA.

The six-story granite and glass building advances West Point’s 19th-century Military Gothic style into the 21st century, bringing a new contemporary architectural vocabulary into harmony with the historic campus. Interactive learning centers, individual and group study areas, technology-rich classrooms and more than 900 patron workstations all emphasize the integration of a variety of teaching and learning tools. The book collection exceeds one million volumes.

STV leveraged its deep expertise and successful track record with USACE to collaborate with design architects Holzman Pfeiffer in realizing the USMA’s vision. The planning and design process began with a comprehensive site selection study, evaluating nearly 20 options against a range of criteria including view corridors, pedestrian and vehicular access, rock removal, flood risk, security, campus utility connections and capacity, construction logistics, phasing and cost. STV’s architects and engineers also integrated military Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection (AT/FP) requirements into the design.

Jefferson Hall earned a bronze rating under the U.S. Army’s Sustainable Project Rating Tool (SPiRiT), the U.S. military’s equivalent of a LEED Certified rating. It also received an Engineering Excellence Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of New York.