Bishop-Favrao Hall

The Building as an Educational Tool

Bishop-Favrao Hall serves the facility needs of the Department of Building Construction and the Myers-Lawson School of Construction. The building, which was finished in 2007, houses administrative and faculty offices and provides classroom space, seminar rooms, and studios.

The structural elements that are usually hidden behind walls and ceiling panels in other buildings are exposed and labeled in Bishop-Favrao Hall. The building echoes the department's philosophy that the student comes first. Students can clearly see the structures they are studying in use. Every floor of the building is wirelessly enabled and set up so the students have an open, central work space whether it's studio space, computer café type space, or shop space. All public spaces and all offices have exposed ceilings to allow students and visitors the opportunity to see the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, and electrical systems.

1st floor      

The building's laboratories and shop area dominates the first floor and features state-of-the-art equipment and facilities. The space houses a Virtual Construction and Manufacturing Laboratory as well as space for technicians and a classroom. A large overhead door allows materials and equipment to be moved in and out using the department's Toyota forklift, woodshop supplies, and other materials. 

2nd floor

The building's second floor offers a large lobby display area, a small seating area and room to display student work and two large assembly type classrooms with movable tables able to be reconfigured in a very short time. Large wall mounted touch activated plasma screens provide state of the art teaching using simultaneous video and computer projections on multiple screens. The ceiling configuration is angled to enhance the rooms acoustics.

3rd floor

The third floor may be the most unique space on the Virginia Tech campus. This space features a large open room format, with a central opening to the floor above and from just about any place on the floor there is a 360 degree view that takes in the campus to the south and east, the golf course on the west side, and Brush Mountain to the north. This is enhanced by the clear transparency of the faculty offices. The space is open 24/7 and is used by students to work before, between, and after classes. There are also several different seating opportunities from movable and reconfigurable tables to tall cafe stool type of seating, to a more relaxed reading style chair grouping.
The floor is equipped with two library/conference rooms and a small kitchen area.

4th floor

The fourth floor is the administrative and graduate student area for both the Building Construction Department and the Myers-Lawson School of Construction, This space has two small seating areas that are adjacent to the administrative office and a central opening that allows a visual link to the floor below. Much like on the third floor the faculty offices have a clear transparent glass wall to allow natural light to penetrate into the space and maintain the linkages of faculty to students. The south end of the floor is devoted to graduate students and contains 26 desk carrels and a large work table and small discussion area fitted with a small table and four upholstered chairs. On the north side the space is subdivided into eight office landscape areas for visiting faculty, departmental and school faculty and staff and work areas for several centers associated with the department and school.