Renovation of French Hall, including a 45,000-square-foot addition attached to the former residence hall, was completed in 1996. New construction incorporated brick similar to that used in the original building. Inside, original exterior walls create intriguing hallways. A contrasting circular structure with skylights atop the building is aligned with other campus focal points.
Former DAAP assistant professor William Wesley Taylor, DAAP ’71, MA (DAAP) ’95, designed the French Hall addition while serving as chief designer for Wilson Associates. He is also the only African American architect to have designed a major building on campus. Authors of the Princeton Architectural Press’ “The Campus Guide: University of Cincinnati” said that the project “in many ways is equal to signature architecture projects elsewhere on campus.” Cincinnati’s NBBJ also assisted Wilson Associates during the construction phase.
