Our architecture firm was selected to lead the transformation of the W.T. Weaver building into a multi-functional facility serving the University of North Carolina at Asheville (UNCA). Originally designed as a private medical office, the building was strategically repurposed to house UNCA’s Health & Counseling Center on the lower levels and a newly established Alumni Center on the top floor. This adaptive reuse project presented unique design challenges and opportunities that required innovative architectural and code compliance solutions.
The primary objective was to retrofit the building to support its new educational and wellness functions while preserving as much of the existing structure as possible. Our team redesigned the interior layout to accommodate student health services, counseling rooms, administrative offices, and waiting areas in a way that ensures privacy, efficiency, and accessibility for the campus community.
A significant challenge of the project was achieving full code compliance—including ADA accessibility—without the inclusion of an elevator, due to spatial and funding constraints. Our solution involved strategic reprogramming, clear wayfinding, and maximizing ground-level accessibility to ensure the lower levels remained fully usable for student-facing services, while reserving the upper floor for alumni and administrative functions.
As part of our scope, we conducted an extensive maintenance and repair audit, identifying structural, mechanical, and envelope issues to address during the renovation. We also guided the client through complex local permitting and state compliance processes, particularly sensitive due to the combination of public university oversight and private donor funding.
This project highlights our expertise in higher education renovation, student wellness center design, and code-compliant adaptive reuse projects. The revitalized W.T. Weaver building now serves as a vital student resource and a welcoming space for alumni engagement—bringing together multiple university priorities under one thoughtfully reimagined roof.
