Norfolk State University (NSU) partnered with Work Program Architects (WPA) to reimagine the William P. Robinson, Sr. Technology Center, transforming the aging STEM facility into a vibrant hub for innovation and learning that celebrates Black achievement in science and technology. The updated design brings the building into closer alignment with NSU’s new science building, currently under construction and set to open in 2027, and reflects a renewed emphasis on technological excellence, student engagement, and institutional identity.
Built in 1975 and enhanced with a LEED-certified expansion in 2007, the Robinson Center remained structurally sound but was visually subdued and underutilized. Interiors lacked the vibrancy, flexibility, and institutional character needed to engage today’s learners. WPA worked closely with NSU to reprogram circulation zones, enhance wayfinding, and infuse the building with bold environmental graphics and seating elements that encourage student interaction and informal learning.
A major feature of the renovation is the creation of “micro-gathering” zones — small alcoves and corridor corners reimagined as social and study spaces. Custom inset seating pods, developed in collaboration with furniture manufacturers and a local contractor, transform previously overlooked areas into comfortable nooks for a brief rest or peer connection.
Custom-designed graphics anchor each floor’s elevator lobby with portraits of influential Black technologists — two women and two men — linking NSU’s mission as a historically Black university to the legacy and future of innovation. The vibrant palette, drawing from NSU’s green and gold with additions of chartreuse and turquoise, reflects the energy and precision of technology while amplifying the building’s visual identity. New ADA-compliant signage, inspired by server panels and technical systems, enhances navigation throughout the space with a clean, intuitive system of corner-wrapped wayfinding elements in birch wood and perforated metal.
With these thoughtful and targeted design elements, William P. Robinson, Sr. Technology Center has become a more welcoming, flexible, and accessible environment that supports academic engagement while elevating institutional identity. The project stands as a compelling example of how design can reinvigorate existing infrastructure, maximize limited budgets, and inspire the next generation of innovators.
