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Opening ceremonies were held for the 15,800 SF expansion and the 35,000 SF renovation to UCONN’s School of Nursing, the largest nursing program in Connecticut. The existing historic Storrs Hall is the oldest brick structure from the historic core of the campus, but lacked a formal entry and identity for the Nursing School. TSKP STUDIO resolved these issues with a one-story addition with a green roof-top plaza. Skylights, a bamboo garden and glass wall flood the interiors with natural light and an overall plan of energy and resource conservation earned the facility LEED Silver Certification.

The architect, TSKP STUDIO, organized instructional spaces around a central lobby which doubles as the home of the Josephine A. Dolan Nursing History Collection and provides the program with an informal central gathering space. The design minimized disruption of the existing program and utility services during construction, and provided the greatest opportunity for maintaining the historical integrity of Storrs Hall. The Widmer Wing provides nursing students with a learning environment tailored to the special needs of nursing education and practice. The facility includes exam rooms, clinical simulation laboratory, and a case-study hall that seats up to 175 people. It is also equipped with high-tech broadcast capabilities, featuring ceiling-mounted pan tilt zoom cameras in eight rooms, enabling students to observe and critique their peers. The Widmer Wing is named in honor of Carolyn Ladd Widmer, a pioneer in nursing education and the school’s first dean.