The Karsh Institute of Democracy is envisioned as a vibrant, continually active place where faculty, students, staff, community members, public figures, and visitors convene for civil discourse and scholarship around democracy. Situated within the UVA’s new Emmet-Ivy Corridor, the building’s elevated position above a designed stream corridor and outdoor gathering spaces will make it the Western visual terminus for this new campus district on the University of Virginia Grounds.
The new building will be home to the Karsh Institute of Democracy, an institute that will coalesce and augment work of several schools and centers already dedicated to the study of democracy at UVA. It will also be the new facilities for UVA’s Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, ensuring cross-pollination of ideas and initiatives.
The building blends tradition with contemporary sensibilities, championing openness and creating a distinct sense of place for this one-of-a-kind institution. The Eastern façade features a subtle curve that both signals the main entrance and acts as a beacon to the rest of the site. The building is anchored by large, carved cornerstones that visually ground the building and share the curvature of the façade. The upper third of each façade features sculptural precast piers spaced at a regular rhythm. a regular rhythm.
At the heart of the building is a 420-seat auditorium, a home for rich and dynamic discourse around the topic of democracy. The in-the-round shape of the tiered balconies creates intimacy between audience and speakers, and the interior finished with honey-toned oak inspires an immersive experience.
Clad in warm cherry wood panels, the figure of the auditorium captured behind the white precast facade serves as a center piece of the Emmet-Ivy corridor, and evokes the historic red brick structure of Thomas Jefferson’s Rotunda. Along with the red drum, exterior materials such as brick reference the architectural history of the University while developing a new visual language for the Institute.
The Karsh Institute building is a Design for Freedom Pilot project, an initiative to eliminate forced labor in the construction material supply chain. The project team is working to deliver a building that will not only demonstrate the highest standards of ethical building practices but also raise awareness about the issues around labor in the building material industry.
