Originally built in 1975, the University of South Florida’s (USF) main library in Tampa, Florida, had outgrown their dated space that serves 2 million visitors each year. In an effort to support its students’ success, USF partnered with Gresham Smith to design and renovate parts of the space, increase seating capacity through the library’s fifth floor, upgrade four floors of restrooms and improve the library experience through design.
Throughout the design process, we engaged university leaders and student groups to define the project vision and to make sure the renovations addressed students’ specific needs. In all, our design added 400 new individual quiet study spaces, a dedicated graduate reading room, two undergraduate reading rooms, technology upgrades throughout the space and eight group study rooms, increasing the library’s seating capacity by 24%.
SF renovation
Increase in seating capacity
Students Use it Every Day