The original UND Law School Building was built in 1923 and had only undergone one major upgrade since its construction. The UND School of Law needed to meet the needs of its students, the instructional needs of its faculty, and the functional needs of its support staff, so the decision was made to upgrade the existing building. The project included an addition and extensive renovation to the original law school building and the Thormodsgard Law Library. The new addition is physically separated from the existing Law School with a glass entry. From an interior perspective, the glass wall highlights a central atrium space that acts as the “heart” of the law school. The new entry welcomes the student and visitor through its alignment with a partially hardscaped and landscaped pathway lined with trees and site lighting such that it becomes very clear where the “front door” of the Law School is. The addition featured contemporary educational improvements such as updated academic instructional spaces, faculty offices, and common study areas. Much of the renovation focused on mechanical upgrades and heating, ventilation, and conditioning systems.

The initial budget for the project was $11.6 million. Throughout the process, our team identified areas where the program didn’t fulfill the school’s needs for accreditation. We assessed the facility and prioritized 12 design alternates. The school was then able to use our assessment to fundraise and cover the remaining costs associated with accreditation requirements. The alternates presented were all actioned totaling $1.2 million. There was a $493,047 contingency fund of which $281,318 was either returned to the University or used to purchase furniture.

• Design and construction moved at a rapid pace and project was completed on time and on budget
• 16,000 s.f., three-story addition and nearly complete renovation
• Improved educational space
o Additional classrooms
o State of the art teaching courtroom
o Deliberation room
o High tech “case study” classroom
• Additional student study, collaboration, and gathering space