Spaces Designed for Innovation
A transformational gift of $75 million from an anonymous donor will support development of a new library and academic quad that will be an interdisciplinary hub in the heart of Kenyon’s campus. Located on the west side of Middle Path, the West Quad project includes:
A New Library
The library will be an academic hub that replaces Olin and Chalmers libraries with spaces that feature state-of-the-art technology for undergraduate research, a concentration of student services such as the Career Development Office and classrooms that serve as laboratories for educational innovation. Read about the new library's name.
A Social Science Hub
An interdisciplinary academic building will offer flexible spaces to support high-impact experiences in the social sciences and give a new home to the Center for the Study of American Democracy. Moving the faculty of the history, sociology and political science departments into this building will allow a renovation of Ascension Hall to make it fully accessible.
A New Home for Admissions and Financial Aid
Admissions and financial aid operations will move into a third anchor of the West Quad. This building will serve as a visitor welcome center in the academic core of campus and put the value of a Kenyon education front and center.
Expanded Facilities for English
Two new buildings for the English department next to Lentz House make one of Kenyon’s most popular majors fully accessible. The seminar building mimics early Sunset Cottage and allows the renovation of Sunset Cottage for future use.
Green Space and Green Buildings
Underground parking in the West Quad will improve accessibility to campus for student families and community members attending events on campus. The parking also reclaims green space in the heart of campus to preserve Kenyon’s beauty and pedestrian character.
In addition, the new library will meet or exceed the Gold standard for LEED certification and represents one of the largest available opportunities to reduce Kenyon’s carbon footprint.
Chalmers Library Progress
The library design with glass roof and atrium will ensure a light-filled space for study, work and gathering.
Follow Along with West Quad Construction
Stay up to date on construction progress via our webcam.
West Quad: Spaces Designed for Innovation
View renderings of Chalmers Library, the social sciences and admissions buildings, and English facilities.
The new quadrangle, called the West Quad, will feature a state-of-the-art library, a social sciences building, a new home for admissions and expanded facilities for English.
The new library will be a hub for high-impact practices and experiential learning, and will bring together academic and career advising to support the continuum of experiences that position students for success.
Atrium of the future Kenyon Commons library.
Reading room of the future Kenyon Commons library.
Classroom in the future Kenyon Commons library.
A new interdisciplinary academic building will foster cross-cutting research in the social sciences. To do this, we need spaces that can be configured for collaborative work.
A college’s admissions office is where first impressions are made. Centering admissions and financial aid in this hub for interdisciplinary and experiential learning puts the values, and value, of a Kenyon education front and center.
A spacious and fully accessible building next to Lentz House houses 15 English faculty members. Every office, even those on the ground floor, benefits from natural light.
Keithley House will contain new, accessible seminar space and offices for visiting faculty.