Smith Hall Renovation

Glavé & Holmes transformed approximately 43,000 square feet of the former Inn at Darden into dynamic administrative and collaboration space for the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. The renovation creates dramatically improved program areas for alumni events, lifelong learning, and collaboration, while providing new homes for the Darden School Foundation, Darden Executive Education & Lifelong Learning, and the Sands Institute for Lifelong Learning.

As a key component of the Darden Grounds Master Plan, Smith Hall now brings together academic, administrative, and programmatic functions that support alumni engagement, online learning, and executive education—strengthening the School’s global brand and influence. The project also achieved LEED certification, underscoring UVA’s commitment to sustainability.

The renovation connects directly to the new Japanese Garden within the Darden Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, linking Smith Hall to the Forum Hotel and UVA’s North Grounds. This setting provides a scenic, contemplative landscape that complements the reimagined building, offering places for informal meetings, reflection, and connection to nature.