RRA designed the interiors for a new 62,000sf library by Hartman Cox Architects. Siting the library mostly below grade, preserved the open space at UVA’s library quadrangle and secured the special collection stacks. The program included an auditorium, reading and seminar rooms, a conservation center, digital archiving and exhibit spaces with the Declaration of Independence and Thomas Jefferson’s papers. Interior finishes, furniture, signage and custom lighting were designed and selected to respect the weight of the history but with modern comfort, simplicity and state-of-the-art digital processing and rare document handling capabilities.