Durfee Hall, Yale University
Designed by Russell Sturgis and built in 1871, Durfee Hall is the second oldest residential hall at Yale University. The building is clad in a combination of rusticated sandstone and bluestone, and accentuated with gables, dormers, ornate turrets, and large brick chimneys in the Victorian Gothic Style.
The project scope included a comprehensive mechanical upgrade for efficiency and safety, improvements to the lighting and life safety systems, and extensive architectural renovations to the restrooms and finishes throughout the building.
Apicella + Bunton designed new wood accent walls at the landings for all five entry stairways. The warm oak tones of the panels harmonize with new paneled wood doors of the suite entries and complement the original brick walls in each stair tower. Supergraphic images of the Yale Campus were installed at the landings as a wayfinding device, adding unique character to the circulation spaces.