Located at the intersection of Belvidere and Broad Streets, one of Richmond’s most prominent urban crossroads, the VCU Arts and Innovation Academic Building establishes a new gateway to both Virginia Commonwealth University’s Monroe Park Campus and the city itself. Bringing together programs in music, visual arts, performance, and emerging technologies, the facility creates a highly visible destination that celebrates creativity, collaboration, and innovation while strengthening VCU’s presence within the surrounding urban fabric.

Waterstreet Studio collaborated with the design team to create a civic plaza and streetscape that extend the building's academic mission into the public realm. Framed by generous planting, flexible gathering spaces, and a carefully composed palette of paving, furnishings, and lighting, the plaza serves as both the ceremonial front door to the building and a welcoming campus gateway for students, visitors, and the broader community. The landscape reinforces pedestrian connectivity, enhances safety and accessibility, and creates an active public space capable of supporting everyday campus life as well as performances, exhibitions, and special events. Together, the building and its landscape establish a memorable arrival sequence and a distinctive civic landmark that strengthens the identities of both the university and the City of Richmond.

LOCATION:

Richmond, VA

CLIENT:
Virginia Commonwealth University

PROJECT TEAM:
William Rawn Associates - Architect
Glave & Holmes - Architect
Dewberry - Civil Engineer
Altieri - MEP
Dunbar - Structural Engineer
Theater Consultant - Theatre Projects Consultants, Inc.
AV Consultant - Kirkegaard
LAM Partners - Lighting Consultant
Lighting Virginia - Lighting Consultant
IT / Security Consultant - Convergent Technologies Design Group, Inc.
Acoustical Engineer - Kirkegaard
Irrigation Research & Design - Irrigation
Sustainability Consultant - Sustainable Design Consulting, LLC
Life Safety / Code / FP Consultant - GHD. Inc.
Cost Estimator - Venue. Consulting
Hourigan - General Contractor

STATUS:
Under Construction, Est. Completion 2026