Hiram Smith Hall

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Originally built in 1890 as the first permanent dairy instruction building in the western hemisphere, Hiram Smith Hall has now become the home for the University of Wisconsin’s Department of Life Science Communications. The renovation and preservation project converted the three-story building into classrooms, faculty and staff offices, conference rooms, reception area, radio lab, and reading and research libraries.

The building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was rehabilitated in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. The resulting facility balances renovation and preservation with the technical upgrades to meet the needs of the department today and well into the future. Building upgrades included all mechanical, electrical, plumbing, electrical, plumbing, fire protection and telecommunication systems. Additional improvements include accessibility updates to entrances, elevator and restrooms and egress updates to the stairs and fire-rated enclosures.