Grand Valley State University

Grand Valley State University partnered with TowerPinkster to reimagine a portion of its psychology department in Au Sable Hall, a wing that has supported the campus for over 30 years. What began as a response to aging infrastructure and inefficient space grew into an opportunity to create a setting that truly reflects GVSU’s values of excellence, inquiry, inclusiveness, integrity, community, sustainability, and innovation. The completed renovation now supports the commitments of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences by centering diversity, equity, inclusion, and access, fostering student success, strengthening engaged teaching and learning, supporting a thriving workplace for faculty and staff, and deepening connections with alumni and community partners. The renewed environment creates a healthier, more intuitive, and more purposeful place for research, especially as recent studies affirm the added quality and accuracy of in-person testing.

The redesigned wing brings clarity and efficiency to the program, with distinct zones for arrival, collaboration, and research. Key spaces include a welcoming lobby that supports both waiting and informal student interaction; small conference and collaboration rooms; two 16-person testing rooms; two 8-person testing rooms; six individual or two-person testing rooms; a 30-person classroom with digital displays; and dedicated departmental storage. Enhanced sound separation, higher-rated STC partitions, and purpose-built testing environments strengthen research integrity and participant comfort. Approximately 5,000 square feet were transformed, including new storefront windows that bring daylight to key areas and align the interior with the architectural character of Au Sable Hall.